Ted Dibiase Talks Pat Patterson Putting Him Over To Vince McMahon, Leaning On Advice From Terry Funk
Ted Dibiase recently sat down for an interview on Everybody’s Got a Pod, where he discussed various topics including his relationship with Vince McMahon, the influence of Pat Patterson, and the advice he received from Terry Funk. Here are the highlights from the interview:
During the interview, Dibiase revealed that he had visited Vince McMahon’s house on a couple of occasions. He mentioned that during their initial meeting, Pat Patterson, who was Vince’s right-hand man at the time, was also present. Dibiase believes that Patterson played a significant role in putting him over to Vince, as Patterson had seen his potential from the beginning. Dibiase also mentioned that he sought advice from Terry Funk, who was his mentor, before making any decisions. The respect and trust Dibiase had for Funk were evident as he always ran everything by him.
When asked about his favorite match in Japan, Dibiase shared a memorable experience of becoming Stan Hansen’s tag team partner. He explained that Japan had two wrestling organizations at the time, All Japan Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling, and he chose to stick with All Japan due to loyalty. Dibiase revealed that he met a top wrestler named Teda Jumbo Teda, who had an amateur wrestling background and eventually became a great worker. Dibiase expressed his gratitude towards Teda for making him over in one match and earning the respect of Japanese wrestling fans. He also mentioned another memorable match of tagging with Stan Hansen and winning the titles, which holds a special place in his list of favorite matches.
Throughout the interview, Dibiase’s admiration for Pat Patterson and Terry Funk was evident. Their guidance and support played a crucial role in his career and decision-making process. Dibiase’s visit to Vince McMahon’s house, the influence of Pat Patterson, and the advice from Terry Funk all contributed to his success in the world of professional wrestling.
For the full interview, you can check out Everybody’s Got a Pod.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit with an h/t to Wrestling Headlines for the transcription.