Breaking News: Ted DiBiase, Jr. Not Renewing His WWE Contract

Ted DiBiase, Jr. has released a video on YouTube announcing that he is not renewing his contract with WWE. He posted a link to the video to his official Twitter account earlier today.

In the video, DiBiase explains that he is departing WWE, and it would seem pro-wrestling in general, for a number of personal reasons.

The primary reason seems to be because DiBiase intends to focus on spending time with his family, something many full-time professional wrestlers struggle to do.

The video suggests that DiBiase recognises that being a dedicated father is difficult when wrestling full-time, as it is a job which keeps wrestlers away from their homes much of the time.

This news comes as something of a surprise.

Though DiBiase always lived in the shadow of his more successful father, WWE Hall of Famer Ted DiBiase, Sr., wrestling is in the younger DiBiase's blood.

Both Ted DiBiase, Jr.'s brother Brett DiBiase and half-brother Mike DiBiase II have become wrestlers, and all three. The father of the three, Ted DiBiase, Sr., was the adopted son of wrestling legend "Iron" Mike DiBiase. Wrestling is his family's history.

It is rare for wrestlers who grow up so completely surrounded by the wrestling tradition in this way to step away from it. Growing up in a "wrestling family" there must be immense pressure to carry on the family tradition. 

I commend DiBiase for this brave and difficult decision that he has taken for his family. 

DiBiase closes the video by suggesting that he the door is not shut on a return to the WWE in some capacity.

During his time at WWE, DiBiase starred in WWE Studios’ successful movie The Marine 2 and rarely took time off for injury.

While at WWE, DiBiase also founded the Ted DiBiase Foundation to raise money for charitable causes and ran a brief YouTube series, The DiBiase Posse. Charity work and making an effort to capitalise on the power of social media are two areas in which WWE has focused in recent years.

Factoring all of these things in, along with the fact that he has seen his current WWE contract through to its finish, DiBiase is likely leaving on good terms with WWE who would probably welcome the young athlete’s return in the future—DiBiase is only 30 at time of writing.

His fans can only hope.

WWE has yet to release a statement confirming DiBiase’s release—expect that to come soon.

How do you feel about DiBiase's departure? Leave a comment!

Follow Richard Warrell on Twitter: @TheRamblingElf