Ted Dibiase, WWE Hall of Famer, recently shared some interesting stories during an interview on his podcast, Everybody’s Got a Pod. One of the topics he discussed was his most embarrassing moment in the ring, which involved him getting sick and throwing up under the ring.
Dibiase recalled the incident, saying, “I can’t remember where we were, and it doesn’t matter where we were, but the show must go on and whether you’re sick, you know, unless you’re on your deathbed, you can get to the ring, you gotta go. I was sick. I mean, sick enough that I was throwing up in the toilet in the locker room. When it came time to go to the ring, I went to the ring, and there were a couple of times when I actually had him throw me out. And I actually, at one time, I rolled under the ring where nobody could see me, and I threw up under the ring. My God, yeah. I threw up under the ring, and then I rolled back out and got going again. I did squirt in my pants that night, but it was kinda like, it’s one of those things, if that’s ever gonna happen to you, you don’t want it to be in the ring. It’s like if it’s just a little bit, it was actually hideable, and it’s hard to hide anything like that when what you’re wearing isn’t much anyway. I was so glad to get back to the dressing room.”
This anecdote showcases the dedication and professionalism of wrestlers who continue to perform despite facing physical challenges. It also highlights the unpredictable nature of live events and the need for performers to adapt and overcome unexpected obstacles.
Dibiase also discussed his preference for playing a heel (villainous character) rather than a babyface (heroic character) after finding success with his Million Dollar Man gimmick. He explained, “Once I became a heel, I just loved it. I loved it, you know, because it was so different. And it’s almost like being a different person. It’s like you turn it on and turn it off. Not to mention that, as a heel, I’m not there anymore. So I don’t know how they look at things, but traditionally the heel is the guy in the match who’s calling it; he’s saying he’s this, I mean, step by step, if you will. Some guys obviously have enough respect for each other that they do it together. I’ve had matches like that, meaning like Jake [Roberts] and I, when we work together, we both called it. I never envisioned being a babyface. That was a spot that, ’cause you, I don’t know, you’ve got one guy usually that is like in the early nineties, Hulk Hogan was the guy. He was the guy. And then Vince just kept feeding him heels, you know, and I was one of those heels, but I was a heel. It’s like you can’t always be right at the top. Now again, Hogan had his run there, whoever that guy is. And again, a lot of times, babyfaces can come and go, but a good heel, you know, he could stay for a long time.”
Dibiase’s perspective sheds light on the dynamics of wrestling characters and the importance of having a strong heel to create compelling storylines and rivalries. It also highlights the strategic decisions made by promoters to maintain a balance between babyfaces and heels in order to keep the audience engaged.
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