"The most difficult time in my life" - WWE legend Ted DiBiase Sr. opens up about his past struggles (Exclusive)
WWE Hall of Famer Ted DiBiase Sr. recently recalled how he drastically changed his lifestyle after being unfaithful to his wife.
DiBiase was one of WWE’s biggest stars in the late 1980s and early 1990s. His accomplishments include winning the 1988 King of the Ring tournament and three WWE Tag Team Championships. He also main-evented WrestleMania IV against Macho Man Randy Savage.
In an interview with Sportskeeda Wrestling Senior Editor Bill Apter, DiBiase explained how he got carried away while on the road as a wrestler:
“In all the traveling that we did, we as wrestlers started traveling like rock stars all over the country, all over the world. A lot of us started acting like rock stars. For me, I wrote a book about it. I was unfaithful to my wife. Along the way, I got caught in that. It was the most difficult time in my life. I thought I was gonna lose her. It [DiBiase's wife] is the best thing that ever happened to me.” [7:28-8:01]
With the help of his wife Melanie, the wrestling legend reconnected with God and turned his life around. He has been a Christian minster for the last two decades.
“I truly, truly repented and it was the beginning of me coming back,” Ted DiBiase continued. “I had a very strong faith in God when I was very young, and I just drifted away. This brought me back, but I never envisioned that it would eventually lead me to be ordained into the ministry and start traveling and speaking in churches. I speak to a lot of men because I have been through most of the things that men deal with in terms of life.” [8:02-8:36]
Watch the video above to hear Ted DiBiase’s thoughts on Vince McMahon’s recent retirement.
Ted DiBiase Sr. thought his wife was going to leave him
After confessing to his wife, Ted DiBiase Sr. thought he was “done” and expected their marriage to end.
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Thankfully for the WWE legend, Melanie forgave him and they remain together to this day.
“The ministry started and I went full-time I think in the year 2000,” DiBiase stated. “It scared my wife. She was like, ‘Oh, I don’t know.’ Melanie and I are together today. We have been married for 40 years now. Oh my gosh, I can’t even begin to tell you because, had you heard my confession, I just knew I was done. I just knew that I’d blown the best thing in my life.” [8:38-9:11]
DiBiase went on to disclose details of the conversation he had with his wife when they discussed his infidelity:
“Her words to me, she says, ‘I’m not gonna make you a promise, I don’t know if I’m strong enough to do this, but I serve a God of restoration, not divorce, and so not for you but for God, I’m gonna try to make this work.’ It worked,” DiBiase added. [9:13-9:35]
The 68-year-old also spoke about the advice he received from fellow WWE Hall of Famer Terry Funk before he returned to WWE in 1987.
What are your memories of Ted DiBiase Sr. in WWE? Let us know in the comments section.
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