On a recent edition of his “Everybody’s Got A Pod” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Ted DiBiase Sr. shared his experience working with Hulk Hogan in WWE.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On whether he thought Hulk Hogan would be a big star when he first met him: “I don’t even think they coul have thought that. I mean obviously, because of his look and everything and his and his size, yeah. I mean, but again, you’re talking about a guy who just got in the wrestling business. And I’m his first match at Madison Square Garden. And of course, you know, even though I was a babyface, I led that match. And we had a great match. I mean, I did what Vince Sr. wanted me to do, is make him look like a superstar. And to the Hulksters credit — and I think I’ve told that story where after it was over, he thanked me and he said, ‘I owe you one.’ I mean, that’s how grateful it was for the job I did for him.
“And then when I first showed up — now, he goes on to become this big star for them. But I mean, I think he left New York and went to Minneapolis and a couple of places and then came back; I’m not sure about all the travel. But I know that when I went back to New York in ’87, he was Hulk Hogan and he was the big star. And I remember the first night that we were in the dressing room together when I went back in 87, he walked up, shook my hand, and said, ‘It’s payback time.’ He never forgot. And so then, we went on during like, those first couple years in there. Singles matches, a lot of tag matches; me and Andre against him and Savage, or whoever. And I mean, he was a man of his word. And a good guy. I mean, I don’t hear too many negative stories or things about Hulk Hogan. Most everybody that I know say he’s a pretty good guy.”
On never being jealous of Hogan: “I’ve never been jealous… The push I got when I went in there in ’87 was huge. And [I] said, ‘I wonder if it’s gonna make anybody, make the boys envious,’ or what have you. Most of the guys were like — if I got that opportunity, you know, I’d be happy as a pig in poop. And I did get that opportunity… I didn’t get the Hulk Hogan [push]. I didn’t get that shot. I didn’t get the big belt, the big babyface star. That wasn’t me, but I got pretty close.”
