Ted DiBiase Jr was brought into the WWE as one of the most impressive young prospect of all time – but what happened?
As the son of the famous “Million Dollar Man”, DiBiase Jr had all the lineage and talent to become a big star in the WWE.
Soon after his debut, he teamed up with Cody Rhodes to win the World Tag Team Championships, and then joined Randy Orton and formed the faction known as “Legacy”.
Comprised of the second and third generation superstars, the group featured three legacy talents with family in the business, ready to take over the company.
And they did, helping Orton win the WWE Championship multiple times. However, all three men eventually lost their titles and went their separate ways.
But what happened to Ted DiBiase Jr? What happened may surprise you.
What Happened To Ted DiBiase Jr?
Ted DiBiase Jr left the WWE in August 2013, retiring from the business to focus more on his family.
He wrestled two matches in 2016 and 2017, but was functionally retired from the wrestling business.
The third-generation superstar set up his own charity, the Ted DiBiase Foundation, in 2012, and continued working with the company after leaving the WWE.
After leaving the WWE, DiBiase took up an executive position with CollegeGarageSale.com, a college textbook e-commerce website.
He is also the vice president of business development for One Life, helping children in need and lacking in fatherly support in their life.
Ted DiBiase spoke to the WWE about what happened to him after leaving the company, talking his WrestleMania 26 match with Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton, as well as he baby passing away and his charity work.
Ted Dibiase Jr. has recently been charged by the police, as part of a Welfare Scandal in Mississippi.
Why Did Ted DiBiase Jr Retire?
Ted DiBiase Jr left WWE in 2013 and retired from wrestling due to a host of reasons.
These included battles with his mental health, as he was suffering with conditions like anxiety and depression.
The former Million Dollar Champion also wanted to focus more on his family life, something he could not do whilst on the road 250 days a year.
His father missed a lot of his childhood moments, like birthdays and other celebrations, and DiBiase Jr did not want to follow in the same footsteps for his children.
In an interview with Chris Van Vliet, Ted DiBiase Jr revealed why he quit the WWE and retired from wrestling, saying;
“Although I had this iconic father I love dearly, he wasn’t at my birthdays. He also wasn’t there for my football or soccer games. I believe the greatest asset we have in our world is time.
You’re not guaranteed more and you can’t get it back. That was one of the greatest gifts I could give my son. With no plan, I left and we are doing good.
“I thought I was going to wrestle and have a long career, but I really believe it’s not what we do that defines us but who we become along the way. I spent a lot of time while I was there trying to climb the ladder. But I realized that’s not who I am. My core values are faith, family, love, wisdom, service, in that order. I was dying internally and losing sight of who I was.
“I love helping and serving people, and also entertaining people. To be able to walk into a hospital or a base and bring a smile onto the face of a family or a veteran, that was such a blessing.
“I think at that time in my career it was kind of part of me thinking I was just going to come back. I was going to figure this out, but that wasn’t the case. It wasn’t the usual best of luck in your future endeavours.
He also revealed how he quit on social media, rather than to much fanfare in front of the fans. This left the door open for a big return eventuall, but a decade later, it has still failed to materialise.
“I quit on YouTube or Twitter, I did a video and announced [I was leaving]. I just wanted to be me, I wanted to let people know how grateful I was and let WWE know how grateful I was. Also, I was walking out on my own accord for personal reasons. There wasn’t any back and forth. There’s tons of guys sitting in the wings waiting to take that spot. That’s what makes this industry hard to get into and even harder to hang onto.”
Whilst he is retired, Ted DiBiase Jr has kept the door open for a return.
Speaking with Chris Van Vliet, he says he still has “the itch”, so if anybody offered him a chance to wrestle again, he would definitely consider it.
“I’ll say yeah. As of today, I’ll say yes [that he’s retired], but if somebody called me, I’d be totally lying if I said there wasn’t an itch. I can still go, I just like to keep doors open and don’t burn bridges. If you’re going to burn one then blow it up.
My connection to that world, at times it’s like being married. Sometimes it’s this love-hate relationship. No, it’s hard, but it’s such a deep-rooted piece of who I am and what I come from being a third generation wrestler.
My grandfather and grandmother were wrestlers, then my father so you know. I leave that door open, but it would have to be the right scenario for me to get in the ring again.”
Ted DiBiase Jr’s Last Match
Ted DiBiase Jr’s last televised match in the WWE took place on WWE Superstars.
The former tag team champion had fallen down the card since WrestleMania 26, and by his last match in May 2013 was barely featured in the WWE.
His final match on TV was a win over Michael McGillicutty, who would soon after be repackaged as Curtis Axel.
DiBiase won his final bout with a Dream Street – his father’s Million Dollar Dream submission, altered into an ura nage. However, at this point the move had been renamed to The Silencer.
The match lasted a little over four minutes and was nothing to write home about.
He would continue to be booked on live events and dark matches, up until May 2013.
Ted DiBiase Jr’s last match ever in the WWE was a house show match against Heath Slater, in the Albany Civic Center in Albany, Georgia, USA.
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