Ted DiBiase Opens Up On Working For Bill Watts In Mid-South, Watts’ Reputation As A Bully

On the latest episode of the Everybody’s Got a Pod while covering his Mid-South days for booker Bill Watts, WWE Hall of Famer Ted DiBiase talked about working for Watts, his reputation as a bully, and more. You can check out some highlights below:

On getting started in Mid-South and Billy Watts: “In the summer of ’75 is when I had just completed my junior year of college at West Texas State. And the previous summer, I had worked as a referee in pro wrestling. And so this summer, this is the year that Dick Murdoch said, ‘Hey, I’m gonna go to work for Bill Watts in Mid-South. And that’s a big territory, and if you wanna get your feet wet, I can see about getting you booked.’ And he did. And so you know, the first guy I ever went to work for was Cowboy Bill Watts in Mid-South. And hindsight being what hindsight is, I look back at that as a real blessing because Bill Watts is one of the sharpest guys I’ve ever met in terms of his understanding of the psychology of wrestling. And just — you know, I mean there’s a lot of guys that, he had a bad rep with a lot of people. Because a lot of guys thought they should have been paid better, and maybe they should have. But Bill didn’t put up with any BVS. It’s kinda like, you know, you’re either on board, or there’s the door. You take it or leave it.”

On his relationship with Watts: “My relationship with Bill has been pretty affable, I guess is what you’d say. Because you know, I never heard any confrontations with him. I mean, it’s kinda like, I learned a lot by watching Bill in terms of — and I guess Jake’s personality. And of course you know, the other part of it is Jake’s dad worked for Bill. And I don’t know if any of that enters it because Jake and I have never really talked about it. But no, Bill wasn’t one of Jake’s favorite people. Bbut I mean it’s kinda like, the main thing for most guys is how you’re taken care of. And because I started there and, and because — I mean, I was there for like a little over a year, and then I went back to work in Texas where I had played football in the Funk territory. It is what was considered the umbrella territory for a while. And then I went very briefly to New York, but when I came back from New York, I went back to work for Bill. And then I went to Georgia, you know?

“And then when I left Georgia, I went back to work for Bill because in my opinion, it was one of the — it was kinda like he does it right. And it’s kinda like, if you’re a professional wrestler in those days, you could always say ‘I should be paid more.’ But until Vince McMahon took the WWF and went national with it, there wasn’t anyplace else. I mean it’s like, you’re either gonna go to another territory and you’re gonna have the same issue there. The promoter, you’re always gonna feel like he should pay you more. And there were some times when I felt like, ‘Yeah, I should have gotten a little more.’ But you know, because I never did that, I never did complain, in the long run, I feel I got treated better.”

On not complaining about his pay issues: “The way I looked at it is like, when you look at that and you go and you complain, and nothing happens. It’s kinda like okay, if you went and you complained, and you got more money. Well, okay. Then if it happens again, I’ll complain again. But I didn’t see anybody complaining that was ever given an extra dime… I mean, even Bill said that. I mean he said, ‘We can agree to disagree.’ But he says, ‘If you don’t like something, then when you come to me and tell me you don’t like it, don’t just come and tell me you don’t like it. Tell me what else we can do,’ you know? ‘Give me a better idea.’”

On whether he saw Watts be a bully: “No, I never witnessed that. I mean, and I know Arn real well. I think Arn would’ve said something to me about it. But I mean, I never saw anything. But I guess — yeah I mean, Bill could be a bit of a bully. But just — you know, it’s like relationships, and a lot of the guys that really voiced angst about Bill. You know, they weren’t exactly the best guys in the world either. It’s kind of like, sometimes it’s — I don’t dunno. I don’t wanna knock anybody.”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Everybody’s Got a Pod with an h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.