Michael DiBiase
Encyclopedia
"Iron" Mike DiBiase was an Italian professional wrestler
and the adoptive father of professional wrestler "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase
. He married Ted's mother Helen Hild (also a professional wrestler), and legally adopted and raised Ted. Grandfather of Mike
, Ted Jr.
, and Brett
As an amateur wrestler, DiBiase, representing the US Navy, was the 1946 AAU
champion in the UNL (open or heavyweight) division. He then wrestled at the University of Nebraska, and competed at UNL in the NCAA tournament in 1947 and 1948, losing his first round match both years.
DiBiase made his professional debut in 1950. In 1963, DiBiase became the 131st and last knockout victim of light heavyweight boxer Archie Moore
.
DiBiase is one of the few professional wrestlers to die during a match. On July 2, 1969 in Lubbock, Texas
, DiBiase suffered a fatal heart attack in the ring during a match with Man Mountain Mike
. Harley Race
, realizing that he was suffering a heart attack, attempted to perform CPR on DiBiase and then rode in the ambulance to the hospital with him. DiBiase was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
and the adoptive father of professional wrestler "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase
Ted DiBiase
Theodore Marvin "Ted" DiBiase, Sr. is a retired professional wrestler, manager, ordained minister and color commentator. DiBiase achieved championship success in a number of wrestling promotions, holding thirty titles during his professional wrestling career...
. He married Ted's mother Helen Hild (also a professional wrestler), and legally adopted and raised Ted. Grandfather of Mike
Mike DiBiase II
Michael Wills DiBiase is an American professional wrestler, who uses the ring name Mike DiBiase.Mike DiBiase is a third generation professional wrestler. His grandfather "Iron" Mike DiBiase grandmother Helen Hild and his father "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase are professional wrestlers. His...
, Ted Jr.
Ted DiBiase, Jr.
Theodore Marvin "Ted" DiBiase Jr. is an American professional wrestler and actor signed with WWE, where he appears on its SmackDown brand...
, and Brett
Brett DiBiase
Brett DiBiase is a retired American professional wrestler and professional wrestling referee. known for his time with the WWE, where he worked in their developmental territory, Florida Championship Wrestling. He is a former FCW Florida Tag Team Champion with Joe Hennig as The Fortunate Sons.Brett...
As an amateur wrestler, DiBiase, representing the US Navy, was the 1946 AAU
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
champion in the UNL (open or heavyweight) division. He then wrestled at the University of Nebraska, and competed at UNL in the NCAA tournament in 1947 and 1948, losing his first round match both years.
DiBiase made his professional debut in 1950. In 1963, DiBiase became the 131st and last knockout victim of light heavyweight boxer Archie Moore
Archie Moore
Archie Moore, born Archibald Lee Wright , was light heavyweight world boxing champion who had one of the longest professional careers in the history of that sport....
.
DiBiase is one of the few professional wrestlers to die during a match. On July 2, 1969 in Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
, DiBiase suffered a fatal heart attack in the ring during a match with Man Mountain Mike
Man Mountain Mike
Gary Fletcher, best known by his ring name Man Mountain Mike, was an American professional wrestler who wrestled mostly on the west coast.-Career:Fletcher was discovered by Al Lovelock, who wrestled as The Great Bolo...
. Harley Race
Harley Race
Harley Leland Race is a retired American professional wrestler and current promoter and trainer. During his career as a wrestler, he held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship 7 times...
, realizing that he was suffering a heart attack, attempted to perform CPR on DiBiase and then rode in the ambulance to the hospital with him. DiBiase was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Championships and accomplishments
- American Wrestling AssociationAmerican Wrestling AssociationThe American Wrestling Association was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 to 1991. It was owned and founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo...
- AWA Midwest Heavyweight ChampionshipAWA Midwest Heavyweight ChampionshipThe AWA Midwest Heavyweight Championship was a title in the late 1960s and early 1970s in the American Wrestling Association. It was primarily defended in the Omaha, Nebraska area and was a title for mid-level wrestlers.-Title history:...
(3 times) - AWA Midwest Tag Team ChampionshipAWA Midwest Tag Team ChampionshipThe AWA Midwest Tag Team Championship was a title in the American Wrestling Association from 1967 until 1971. It was for mid-level wrestlers and was mostly defended in the Omaha, Nebraska area.-Title history:...
(2 times) – with Bob OrtonBob OrtonRobert Dale "Bob" Orton was an American professional wrestler. He was also known as Bob Orton, Sr. to distinguish him from his son, "Cowboy" Bob Orton, Jr...
(1) and The Avenger (1)
- Central States WrestlingHeart of America Sports AttractionsHeart of America Sports Attractions, also known as the Midwest Wrestling Association, Central States Wrestling and the World Wrestling Alliance, was an American professional wrestling promotion that ran shows mainly in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa...
- NWA Central States Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Central States Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Central States Heavyweight Championship a professional wrestling championship that currently serves as the main title for the National Wrestling Alliance promotion, NWA Midwest. For most of its existence, however, the title was defended in the NWA affiliate Central States Wrestling from...
(3 times)
- Championship Wrestling from Florida
- NWA Brass Knuckles Championship (Florida version) (1 time)
- NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Florida version) (1 time)
- NWA ChicagoNational Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (Chicago Version) (1 time) – with Danny Plechas
- NWA Tri-State
- NWA World Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA World Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world championship and secondary title in the National Wrestling Alliance that was for the lighter wrestlers. It started in 1945 and still exists today. The title was unified with the National Boxing/Wrestling Association's...
(1 time)
- NWA Western States SportsNational Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
- NWA International Tag Team Championship (Amarillo version) (1 time) – with Danny Plechas
- NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (Amarillo version)NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (Amarillo version)The Amarillo version of the NWA North American Heavyweight Championship was a top singles title in the National Wrestling Alliance's Amarillo, Texas territory, NWA Western States Sports...
(3 times) - NWA North American Tag Team Championship (Amarillo version) (4 times) – with Danny Plechas (2), Dr. X (1), and Fritz Von ErichFritz Von ErichJack Barton Adkisson was an American professional wrestler under the ring name Fritz Von Erich, better known today as a wrestling promoter and the patriarch of the Von Erich family...
(1) - NWA Southwest Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Southwest Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Southwest Junior Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship defended in the Amarillo, Texas territory of the National Wrestling Alliance.-Title history:...
(1 time)
- Pacific Northwest WrestlingPacific Northwest WrestlingPacific Northwest Wrestling is the common name used to refer to several different professional wrestling companies, both past and present, based in Portland, Oregon, United States. The first such company was founded by Herb Owen in 1925...
- NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance and defended in its member promotion Pacific Northwest Wrestling, which promoted shows in the U.S...
(1 time)
- Southwest Sports, Inc.World Class Championship WrestlingWorld Class Championship Wrestling ' was a regional professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. Originally owned by promoter Ed McLemore, by 1966 it was run by Southwest Sports, Inc., whose president, Jack Adkisson, was better known as wrestler Fritz Von Erich...
- NWA Brass Knuckles Championship (Texas version) (1 time)
- NWA Texas Tag Team ChampionshipWCWA Texas Tag Team ChampionshipThe WCWA Texas Tag Team Championship was the secondary tag team championship in World Class Championship Wrestling, originally known as the NWA Texas Tag-Team title until 1981 where they were abandoned. The titles were brought back in 1987 as the WCWA Texas Tag-Team titles but once the WCWA joined...
(2 times) – with Danny Plechas
- World Wrestling Association (Los Angeles)
- WWA Americas Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Americas Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship was the top singles championship in the National Wrestling Alliance's Los Angeles territory, known officially as NWA Hollywood Wrestling, from 1968 until the promotion closed in 1982. The title was first established in 1967 as a secondary championship in...
(1 time) - WWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipWWA World Heavyweight Championship (Los Angeles version)The WWA World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the Los Angeles-based World Wrestling Association...
(1 time) - WWA World Tag Team ChampionshipNWA Americas Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA Americas Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team title in the National Wrestling Alliance's NWA Hollywood Wrestling based out of Los Angeles, California....
(1 time) – with Killer Karl KoxHerb GerwigHerb Gerwig was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name of Killer Karl Kox, who competed in the National Wrestling Alliance as well as international promotions such as All Japan Pro Wrestling, the International Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling during the...
- Other titles
- Rocky Mountain Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Rocky Mountain Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Juan Garcia