Tournament information |
---|
The Million-Dollar Championship was an unsanctioned title in the World Wrestling Federation created by The "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase.[1] The belt is currently unused, and is kept in a vault at WWE headquarters.
Ted DiBiase found himself unable to win the WWF Championship, despite progressing to the final of the WWF Championship tournament at WrestleMania IV in which he lost the match to The "Macho Man" Randy Savage.[1] DiBiase found himself chasing the WWF Championship throughout the summer of 1988, resulting in a Tag team match seeing DiBiase teaming with André the Giant as the team known as "Mega Bucks".[2] This match took place at the first ever SummerSlam pay-per-view event and saw The "Megabucks" take on the team of Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage, known as the Mega Powers tag team, where the Mega Powers defeated the Mega Bucks via pinfall.[2]
DiBiase decided that if he couldn't win, nor buy the WWF Championship, he would purchase his own championship belt.[3] In 1989 DiBiase unveiled a new championship belt, which he called the Million Dollar Championship. This title was never official and therefore unsanctioned by the WWF, and rarely did DiBiase defend his "title".
As the title was never sanctioned by the WWF, WWF championship match rules did not apply to matches where the Million Dollar Championship was defended. The ruling affected many of the championship matches, including at WrestleMania VI, where Dibiase defeated Jake Roberts via countout to win the Million Dollar Championship.[4]
During DiBiase's second title reign he abandoned the title when he won the WWF Tag Team Championship on February 7, 1992.[5]
Ted DiBiase would later go on to award the title to his newest protegé "Ringmaster" Steve Austin on his arrival in the WWF in early 1996.[1] After his protegé lost a match against Savio Vega on May 28, 1996, which forced DiBiase to leave the WWF,[1][6] Austin abandoned the Million Dollar Championship, as he became "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.[6]
Wrestler: | Times: | Date: | Location: | Notes: |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ted DiBiase | 1 | February 15 1989 | Binghamton, New York | DiBiase had the title created for himself and unveiled the belt on the Brother Love Show on the March 4 1989 edition of Superstars.[1] |
Virgil | 1 | August 26 1991 | New York City, New York | Won the title at SummerSlam.[7] |
Ted DiBiase | 2 | November 11 1991 | Utica, New York | Aired on Survivor Series Showdown on November 24.[8] |
DiBiase abandoned the title upon winning the WWF Tag Team Championship with Irwin R. Schyster on February 7 1992 in Denver, Colorado.[1] | ||||
The Ringmaster | 1 | December 18 1995 | Newark, Delaware | The title was awarded to The Ringmaster by DiBiase on the January 8 1996 edition of Monday Night RAW.[1][6] |
Austin abandoned the title following DiBiase leaving WWF.[6] |