Book 'em Danno- 7/10/13

[blak23]

Thank you guys for all the feedback on my last thread!

I am back with another one for you guys. This time around the subject will be Ted DiBiase Jr.

Ted Jr. is another guy who has been cursed with a great wrestling father. Unfortunately he was not blessed with The million dollar man's charisma, so this will be a challenge.

In my opinion Ted is a better face than heel. He does lack the charisma that his father had, but he is not without it. I just like cheering the guy. His program with Hunico, I think, was good for him. He pretty much played The "All-American boy". I believe that would've fit him nicely. He could have good matches, get cheered and not have to speak much. And when he did have to promo it wouldn't be too complex. Of course once he ran with and became better on the stick they could add layers to him pretty easily. Especially with Zeb Colter in the WWE now.

If the WWE wanted to go that way then I feel he could have a good place. I mean he had the Dibiase posse already, why not?

I don't think Ted will ever have it in him to be a main player anywhere, but he certainly could make for a solid hand and have a few U.S./ I.C. championships if they need a transitional champ.

Once again thank you guys for reading. If you have any opinions let them be heard.
How would you book Ted or would you even book him at all?

[Shisen Kopf]

I would redo the gimmick and call him Ted Diabetic. The first rassler with the diabeetus. He can call for time out during his matches to get his insulin shot. He can feud with a cad like Wade Barrett who stole his medicine and will go into diabetic shock if he doesn't win the needles on a pole match. That's how it's done.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I always preferred Cody Rhodes out of the Legacy dudes, even back when all the dirt sheets were reporting that Ted DiBiase was going to challenge The Undertaker at WrestleMania and that sort of thing.

DiBiase got derailed when he was aligned with Maryse. The two never had any chemistry together and the gimmick that his father played just didn't work with him. Damien Sandow has got the essence of what a "Million Dollar Man" type heel should be with his intellectual challenges and such.

Many liked his babyface run, but I felt it was boring as hell. I don't think it was the performances (they were quite good), but it never really felt natural that this guy who always had a sour attitude and thought he was better than everyone because he was rich would suddenly start slapping fans' hands. It probably made slightly more sense than Alberto Del Rio's face turn, given that DiBiase could explain that he had come to love the people and that money wasn't everything in life. DiBiase could have gained perspective and "matured" as an adult after having his career spiral whilst aligned with Maryse and focused more on the dollars than his abilities. But there wasn't much there to work with.

When DiBiase returns, I think they need to plug him in somewhere meaningful. His random little returns on Superstars where he wins a match and celebrates like he is going somewhere is not going to demand any attention from people. DiBiase needs a "re-branding," much like the one Curtis Axel has.

DiBiase should change his theme music, too. The "I Come from Money" song made sense when he was a heel rubbing it in everyone's face, but now that he's not doing that anymore, DiBiase could really use something a bit heavier. Given that he does have money, maybe the WWE should spring for him to have his favourite song or dream theme and use DiBiase's kayfabe personal wealth to explain why he can have this big song as his entrance theme?

Another idea is to look at the success of Bruce Wayne as a character in The Dark Knight Trilogy (and Batman in general) and Tony Stark in Iron Man. Those characters manage to be wealthy but somehow likeable and, ultimately, babyfaces in their stories. If DiBiase channelled the "millionaire playboy" type, he could get quite over and has a niche that no one else holds in WWE. The WWE should show vignettes of DiBiase hanging out at penthouses with beautiful women and cheekily talking about how great it is to be Ted DiBiase. Make the vignettes tongue-in-cheek, so that we know we are meant to like this guy and not hate him for getting into a hot-tub with beautiful Swedish women he doesn't understand.

For a first feud, why not have DiBiase set his sights on the Intercontinental Championship. DiBiase can respectfully talk about the heritage of the championship and just what it would mean if he could win it. Curtis Axel and DiBiase could play up a past together, and Paul Heyman could perhaps even try and woo DiBiase over as a client. The pops DiBiase could get for essentially telling Heyman to go screw himself could be enough to make people want to get behind DiBiase out the gate. DiBiase's reasoning for turning down Heyman could be his original character motivation -- he doesn't want anyone else's legacy; he wants his own legacy. Even if the WWE doesn't go through with the high-cost theme song for DiBiase, they could just bring back the Legacy theme and have establishing himself be DiBiase's true goal.

[Mr. Nerfect]

DiBiase respectfully challenging Randy Orton and upsetting him on an edition of RAW would also be a great way to remind everyone that this guy was meant to be someone. He could get a school boy victory out of nowhere and then just shrug as he walks up the ramp as Orton accepts that he got out-done by his former protoge there.

[Mr3Maker]

I'd love to see JBL "mentor" DiBiase. Show him how the money should be spent. Have him become a NY cowboy. Have "jobbers" take out his competition because he doesn't want to soil his hands. I'd like a Face Swagger vs Heel DiBiase with Colter in DiBiase's corner.

[poopfromweiner dude]

Loved that show

[Dude Marsh]

I find Dibiase to be extremely boring. He's not good enuogh of a wrestler to rely on that alone, and last time I saw him, he had the charisma of a garbage can. He needs to do something outlandish if he wants to be noticed. I would book him as a mercenary. Here's how.

When he comes back, the announcers play up the fact that somehow he blew all of his money while he was on the injured list, and now he's struggling to make ends meet. His father has shunned him. Make him look dirty, give him shaggy hair, just make him look disgusting. One day, one of the heels, let's say Del Rio, hires him just to destroy Ziggler with a chair. Nothing more. Dibiase realizes he makes more money doing damage than wrestling.

Over the next few weeks/months, other wrestlers hire him just to do a number on their enemies with weapons. Vary it, just to make him look vicious. Chairs, kendo sticks, brass knucks, whatever.

After a few weeks of this, the GM gets tired and forcefully books him into matches, where he can have a real feud.

Now Ted Dibiase is a mercenary who's out for money. Kinda like APA light, I guess. Plus he would absolutely need weapons because he's not as intimidating physically. But if you make him look desperate enough, it could work. I think.

[Anybody Thrilla]

Bulldozer for hire

[Ermaximus]

I find Dibiase to be extremely boring. He's not good enuogh of a wrestler to rely on that alone, and last time I saw him, he had the charisma of a garbage can. He needs to do something outlandish if he wants to be noticed. I would book him as a mercenary. Here's how.

When he comes back, the announcers play up the fact that somehow he blew all of his money while he was on the injured list, and now he's struggling to make ends meet. His father has shunned him. Make him look dirty, give him shaggy hair, just make him look disgusting. One day, one of the heels, let's say Del Rio, hires him just to destroy Ziggler with a chair. Nothing more. Dibiase realizes he makes more money doing damage than wrestling.

Over the next few weeks/months, other wrestlers hire him just to do a number on their enemies with weapons. Vary it, just to make him look vicious. Chairs, kendo sticks, brass knucks, whatever.

After a few weeks of this, the GM gets tired and forcefully books him into matches, where he can have a real feud.

Now Ted Dibiase is a mercenary who's out for money. Kinda like APA light, I guess. Plus he would absolutely need weapons because he's not as intimidating physically. But if you make him look desperate enough, it could work. I think.

Give him a recovering junkie gimmick? He pissed all his money away on painkillers and such and now wants to be the IRL wrestler from the movie. They could even tape segments where he is working at a deli making sandwiches for people and what have you just to poke fun at that movie.

[blak23]

That merc gimmick doesnt sound too bad but i dont think ted should have it. And as for Noid I don't see any money in Curtis Axel with Paul Heyman. If Paul were booking him sure but he is not. Heyman can't fix everyone.

[Anybody Thrilla]

Ryback should do the mercenary gimmick.

[Bad News Gertner]

DiBiase Posse represent!

[Dude Marsh]

Ryback should do the mercenary gimmick.

You're right. It would actually work much better and be more believable. It could also explain his losing streak. He doesn't care if he gets disqualified, he's in it for money.

What to do with Dibiase then?

I just got another idea.

The next time a match is stopped on Raw for medical reasons (a fake one, obviously), Dibiase simply steps out of wherever the doctors and EMTs are hanging out and starts looking on the downed wrestler. The commentators are puzzled, but later in the show, they let us know that apparently, Dibiase used his money to better himself and started studies to become a doctor! He is right now doing his internship in WWE, but he really doesn't want to be in the spotlight, he wants to concentrate on his new career.

The next week, the Wyatt Family attacks someone. Dibiase to the rescue! He stabilizes whoever is being attacked, places them on a stretcher, make sure they are OK. The guy is thankful for Dibiase taking care of him, but Ted is all "Don't mind it, I'm just doing my job."

Where do we go from there? I don't know. Someone has to convince Dr. Ted Dibiase Jr. to come out of retirement to stop someone who's on a rampage. Or Dibiase gets angry at the new mercenary Ryback because he's not "being safe". You guys figure out the rest.

[Ermaximus]

Ryback should do the mercenary gimmick.

I'd like to see his robot from the future gimmick to be honest.