Vince McMahon receives heartfelt message from three-time WWE Tag Team Champion (Exclusive)

Ted DiBiase Sr. has given his reaction to Vince McMahon’s recent retirement after 40 years in charge of WWE.

McMahon announced the news on July 22 amid several sexual misconduct allegations. Triple H now leads WWE’s creative team, while Nick Khan and Stephanie McMahon are the company’s co-CEOs.

DiBiase was one of the top villains in WWE in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In an interview with Sportskeeda Wrestling Senior Editor Bill Apter, he only had good things to say about his former boss:

“Vince, thank you,” DiBiase said. “Thank you for the biggest break of my life. I have never known a man more dedicated to what he does and passionate about what he does than watching you. You are a man driven. I’ve heard you say, ‘I just absolutely love what I do.’ What he loved to do… he took wrestling to a plateau that I don’t think anybody ever could have. So, thank you, Vince, very, very much.” [10:16-10:47]

Watch the video above to hear more stories from Ted DiBiase Sr. about his initial conversations with Vince McMahon before joining WWE.

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How Ted DiBiase Sr. decided on his WWE nickname with Vince McMahon

After eight years away from WWE, Ted DiBiase returned in 1987 and became known as The Million Dollar Man. Vince McMahon gave the legendary superstar the gimmick, which largely revolved around DiBiase bragging about his wealth.

The 2010 WWE Hall of Fame inductee added that his character’s name was created accidentally during a discussion with McMahon:

“He said, ‘We haven’t named this guy,’” DiBiase recalled. “I just, off the top of my head, said, ‘He sounds like a million dollar man to me,’ and he goes, ‘The Million Dollar Man he is.’” [6:59-7:07]

DiBiase was among the top bad guys of his generation. One of his most villainous acts came at The Main Event I in 1988 when he “bought” the WWE Championship, then named the WWF Championship.

The 68-year-old also won the 1988 King of the Ring tournament and the WWE Tag Team Championship three times with I.R.S.

What are your memories of The Million Dollar Man? Let us know in the comments section.

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