WWE’s Ted DiBiase Jr. reveals Shawn Michaels pranks from bloody ears to mid-match mooning

The former champ has reflected on his time in the ring (Picture: WWE)

Former WWE superstar Ted DiBiase Jr. admits some of his best moments were off television – and he loved getting to cut loose with legends like Shawn Michaels.

As part of Legacy with Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes, the former tag team champion enjoyed a great spell on the road facing Shawn Michaels and Triple H – as well as the likes of John Cena and The Undertaker – and they had a blast when the cameras weren’t rolling.

He exclusively told Metro.co.uk: ‘Whenever you walk out of that curtain, you wanna give [the fans] what they expect. But I remember working Shawn, D-X, those guys – we were doing spots like he’s coming in, sunset flipping and pulling my pants down. We did some funny stuff!’

Although there was a bit of a hierarchy and DiBiase Jr. wasn’t able to get his own back, he had a great time learning from the best and getting to really cut loose.

‘Oh my gosh man, we had so much fun. Those are some of my favourite matches that were never televised. D-X and Undertaker – or John Cena,’ he added.

‘That was main event every night. We’d go out there for 30, sometimes 40 minutes. As long as the crowd was into it, it was play time!’

Ted Jr. worked with his idol on a number of occasions (Picture: WWE)

Although Undertaker was ‘always on’, Ted remembered getting pranked by the likes of Kane, Michaels and Triple H – including one memorable incident on his birthday.

‘Every time I would punch them, they’d say, “Punch me again, punch me again”. They’re slapping my side! You didn’t see it, but I was like, “Why is my side hurting so bad?!” I’m looking down and it’s just purple,’ he laughed.

‘They must have slapped me 200 times and they’re the reason I have cauliflower because every time we’d lock up they’d [grab it]. My ear blew up one night and they just keep opening it up thinking that’s so funny, “heh heh heh”. It was fun though, all good fun.’

DiBiase Jr. admitted he hadn’t ‘earned those stripes’ to give it back to the veterans, and he explained how he looked at those matches as a great opportunity to learn from some of the best.

‘I didn’t earn those stripes yet to really give it back. You just took it, you appreciate the fact that you’re in the ring with those guys. You respect them because they’re doing us a favour. And you’re learning too,’ he pointed out.

‘It wasn’t all just play, we’d get to learn how they tempo and how they really just puppet-master these crowds. Every crowd’s different, you know? We’d learn the psychology, how to take your time, to listen, and be able to pivot – if something’s not working, how to reengage fans. They’re masters at that!’

Indeed, there was also a part of him that – despite growing up around the business as the son of WWE Hall of Famer Ted DiBiase – was totally star struck when he and Rhodes faced D-X at SummerSlam in 2009.

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‘When they came out they came out on a tank. I was like, “Oh my God!” The crowd, the lights go out, D-X music comes on,’ he beamed. ‘Oh dude, I was just sitting there looking at Cody – we got out of the ring and I was like “is this real?”

‘I felt like a fan and I had snap out of it, stay in character, you know? [laughs] I was about to wrestle my childhood hero! Sitting there, seeing him across the ring – I can put myself in that moment instantly.

‘It was surreal, you know? It’s something I’ll carry with me to my grave for the rest of my life and I’m so grateful for that opportunity.’

*Find out more about Ted DiBiase Jr’s 16 Creative company here.

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