Million Dollar Championship
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The Million-Dollar Championship was an unsanctioned title in the World Wrestling Federation created by The "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase.
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[edit] History
Ted DiBiase found himself unable to win the WWF World Heavyweight Championship, despite progressing to the final of the WWF World Heavyweight Championship tournament at WrestleMania IV in which he lost the match to The "Macho Man" Randy Savage. DiBiase found himself chasing the WWF World Heavyweight Championship throughout the summer of 1988, resulting in a Tag team match seeing DiBiase teaming with André the Giant as the team known as "Megabucks". This match took place at the first ever SummerSlam pay-per-view event and saw The "Megabucks" take on the team of Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage, known as the MegaPowers tag team. DiBiase and Andre ultimately lost the match.
DiBiase decided that if he couldn't win, nor buy the WWF Championship, he would purchase his own championship belt. In 1989 DiBiase unveiled his new "Million Dollar Belt" to the WWF. This title was never official and therefore unsanctioned by the WWF, and rarely did DiBiase defend his "title".
Shortly after the 1990 Royal Rumble (in which DiBiase drew #1), Jake "The Snake" Roberts returned from a neck injury that DiBiase had caused and immediately targeted the Million Dollar Man, even stealing the Million Dollar belt. The belt was put on the line at WrestleMania VI, with Dibiase defeating Roberts via countout, as normal pinfall/submission title win rules did not apply to a non-sanctioned championship.
After the 1991 Royal Rumble, DiBiase found that his bodyguard, Virgil, was less than happy with his present position. Virgil finally became so upset that he turned on DiBiase, and, with "Rowdy" Roddy Piper in his corner, defeated his former boss by countout at WrestleMania VII.
DiBiase wasn't without someone in his corner for long as he took Sensational Sherri to be his new valet. Even Sherri's help couldn't prevent DiBiase from losing his Million Dollar belt to Virgil at SummerSlam '91. Instead, DiBiase relied on some interference from Repo Man to help win his title back in a rematch.
During DiBiase's second title reign he abandoned the title when he won the WWF Tag Team Championship on February 7, 1992.
Ted DiBiase would later go on to award the title to his newest protegé "Ringmaster" Steve Austin on his arrival in the WWF in early 1996. After his protegé lost a match against Savio Vega on May 28, 1996, DiBiase had to leave the WWF (due to a stipulation agreed upon before the match) and in the process abandoned the championship for good.
[edit] Title history
| Wrestler: | Times: | Date: | Place: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ted DiBiase | 1 | February 15, 1989 | Binghamton, NY | DiBiase had the title created for himself and unveiled the belt on the Brother Love Show on the March 4, 1989 edition of Superstars. |
| Virgil | 1 | August 26, 1991 | New York City, NY | |
| Ted DiBiase | 2 | November 11, 1991 | Utica, NY | |
| Abandoned | February 7, 1992 | Denver, CO | DiBiase abandoned the title upon winning the WWF Tag Team Championship with Irwin R. Schyster. |
|
| The Ringmaster (Steve Austin) | 1 | December 18, 1995 | Newark, DE | The title was awarded to The Ringmaster by DiBiase on the January 8, 1996 edition of Monday Night Raw. |
| Savio Vega | 1 | May 28, 1996 | North Charleston, SC | |
| Abandoned | May 28, 1996 | North Charleston, SC | Vega abandoned the title shortly following his victory. | |
[edit] Trivia
- One of two Legends belts available to be won and defended in the video game, WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2006 (the other being the WWE Hardcore Championship). The game also features Ted DiBiase as a Legends wrestler. Naturally, he is the default holder of the belt.
- The belt is also available in WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2007, but as Dibiase is not included in the game, Dusty Rhodes, whom never held the title, is the default champion.
- Jakks Pacific has released action figure and toy versions of the belt.
- There is much confusion as to whether The Million Dollar Belt was actually defended in the Caribbean Strap Match with Steve Austin and Savio Vega.
