Ted DiBiase Talks WWE Royal Rumble, Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior and More

The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase is a WWE Hall of Fame inductee and a wrestling legend, but he is now making an impact on people’s lives in a different way through his work as a minister.

After years of being the quintessential heel in the ring and making the WWE Universe despise his character, DiBiase has used his fame and notoriety to spread faith and goodwill. As the face of the Heart of David Ministry, DiBiase is playing the role of a spiritual guide.

DiBiase sat down with Ring Rust Radio to discuss his ministry, his memories of his favorite WWE Royal Rumble, his stance on Hulk Hogan, his regrets regarding the Ultimate Warrior and much more.

The 2016 Royal Rumble was held on Sunday, and DiBiase was one of the innovators of the match when the company was still called WWF. In 1990, the Million Dollar Man was the No. 1 entrant in the 30-man Battle Royal, and he lasted a then-record 44 minutes and 47 seconds.

While the performance was one of the best in the history of the Royal Rumble match, DiBiase was not 100 percent for the bout, as he revealed when asked about his most memorable moments from the Battle Royal:

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I actually had a little bit too much to drink and woke up with a hangover the day of the Rumble, and I thought it won’t be too bad. So now I am at the building and Pat Patterson walks up to me and says, ‘Don’t eat too much, Ted.’ I asked him why, and he said, ‘You know you are going in first?’ I said, ‘Yeah, I know.’ To which he said, ‘You are not going to be the last in the ring but will be pretty close.’ I was like, ‘Oh my God,’ but I managed to make it through it.

Actually being in the ring was probably the best thing that ever happened to me because it let me sweat everything out. It's just funny how we can operate the way we did back then, and to be honest with you, I never did things like that. I never went to the ring drunk. I never was on drugs—nothing like that. Business is business, and I take it very seriously.

That was funny to me because of all the times for me to drink too much and then get told that I am going to be in the match for almost an hour. You live and you learn, right?

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The honesty from DiBiase is refreshing, and his experience in the Royal Rumble harkens back to a much different time in the business. While he did have his fun, the Million Dollar Man was all business when it mattered.

Now, using his intellect and religious background, DiBiase has also developed a good judge of character. One man DiBiase has worked extensively with in the past is Hulk Hogan, and the Million Dollar Man had plenty to say about the recent downfall of the Hulkster.

When asked about his thoughts on the Hogan situation, which relates to his firing last summer, DiBiase commented about a man he has known for many years in and outside the ring:

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We have all said things in anger in a moment that we don't mean. Especially when you are in a situation where you think it's safe and certainly you don't think you're being recorded. Not to mention the fact that it was how many years ago.

I understand and I think that the WWE is in a situation where we live in this age of political correctness, which I absolutely hate, but there are some things I guess you just have to do. WWE is not owned by Vince McMahon anymore; it's a publicly held company, and I think that they didn't have a choice in doing what they did.

I hope at some point in the future that could be rescinded because he doesn't deserve it—he really doesn't deserve it. Anybody black or white that knows him personally for any length of time can tell you he is in no way racist.

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Hogan deserved to be fired for the things he said, but there is no question people can change. DiBiase is a minister and believes in forgiveness, and seeing Hogan learn from his mistakes and become a better man is what most wrestling fans want to see.

Forgiveness resonates with DiBiase, who doesn’t have many regrets in his life after making amends through his church. Unfortunately, one wound he was not able to heal in time was his dispute with the Ultimate Warrior.

The two had a contentious relationship dating back to their time in Mid-South Wrestling, but DiBiase wanted to bury the hatchet with Warrior following his introduction in the WWE Hall of Fame in 2014, but he never got the opportunity.

DiBiase regrets not being able to speak to Hellwig before he died in April 2014:

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When the WWE offered the hand and said let's bury the hatchet, I thought that was great. I am a minister and I preach forgiveness all time. The night of his induction, when he said 'my wife is here, my children are here, my mother is but my father is not here because he abandoned us when I was very young' really told me something. There is the wound that made Jim Hellwig angry.

I can’t remember exactly what he said, but [it was] something about the clotheslines I gave him or something. All those guys wanted us to do is pack our bags and leave, but that really wasn't the truth. He was referring back to our Mid-South days.

I started to walk backstage to say, 'Look, I want to shake your hand and congratulate you,' but I didn't. The only reason I didn't was because this is his night, and I'm probably the last person he wants to see and there will be another opportunity. But there was no other opportunity. That's probably the one thing that I really regret because I didn't have the opportunity to shake his hand and say 'let's just forget this thing.'

So I'm glad that I'm doing this interview with you guys so I can have the opportunity to let all the fans know that.

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While DiBiase played one of the most hated heels in the history of the wrestling business, outside the ring he is a religious man who is looking to spend the rest of his life helping people become their best.

DiBiase’s honesty is refreshing in what can be a callous business, and his focus on the Heart of David Ministry is proof the Million Dollar Man is using his fame to be a positive inspiration on people’s lives.

Wrestling fans would love to see DiBiase back in WWE in some form or fashion, but his work outside the business is much more important.

For more wrestling talk, listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot topics or catch the latest episode in the player above (some language NSFW).