Why can't Dibiase get over?

[The D]

I want to like the guy on a personal basis; he and his brother and a bunch of male and female friends/family ate their dinner right next to me at a Phoenix restaurant the night he and his brother inducted their dad into the WWE Hall of Fame.

However, he's just not "there." It goes to that intangible element that makes a certain personality reach out through the TV screen and hit you upside the head. Well, DiBiase doesn't even attract much attention. (Ironically, whenever he and Maryse show up, I'm busy looking at Maryse, too, so that kind of hurts him, haha.)

I'm not wholly sure this is true but DiBiase, Jr. seems to be one of those guys who's probably a lot more natural as a face than a heel, because faces can afford to be blander than your average heel, and the whole Million Dollar Man, or rather Million Dollar Son gimmick requires at least some over-the-top element to it, and DiBiase just can't infuse that into his character, so people don't care about him.

I say keep Maryse and him together, then have her cheat on him at some point (with The Miz after he wins the WWE Title, haha!), do the big melodramatic repentance on DiBiase's part and the realization that he fell in love with her at some point, and just turn him face against the jezebel who stabbed him in the back/broke his heart/whatever other cliche you want to use. Storylines that play to male anger and resentment towards women who have played them tend to do well, and typically get the wronged guy some solid sympathy.

He's just not "right" in this role. Doesn't mean he's horrible. Stone Cold Steve Austin wasn't "right" as The Ringmaster; The Rock wasn't "right" as Rocky Maivia; Triple H wasn't "right" as Hunter Hearst Helmsley; Hulk Hogan wasn't "right" as The Super Destroyer, the list is endless. Not saying DiBiase will ever even begin to reach the heights of those guys, but you get the idea. He's playing a character that doesn't intrinsically suit his strengths (whatever those may be), so at some point creative will have to hit the "refresh" button on him in some manner of speaking.

What do you think?

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Is this really all that difficult a question to answer?

Because he has no personality. Period. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. No rebuttal.

When compared to his father, he is a fantastic stain on the legacy that is the DiBiase name, and he could hardly hold a candle to Ted senior's career, let alone hold his jock as an actual character.

You can beg or borrow to no end as to what "gimmick" would be right for him, but no gimmick will supplement his utter lack of a personality otherwise.

DiBiase is a card-carrying member of the DPC, and has been since his debut.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Because he's boring as shit?

DiBiase was dull in Legacy, and he's even more dull on his own now, because he doesn't have a HUGE Randy Orton/Triple H rivalry to hide behind. At least Cody Rhodes seems to be on to something with his new character, but DiBiase is pretty much mimicking his father's gimmick, and he just can't pull it off. The Million Dollar Man could cut some outstanding promos that were full of energy, and he was very underrated as far as in ring work goes.

I don't know who had the idea to put Maryse with Ted, but whoever it is, Ted should be kissing their ass, because she is making him a lot more interesting than he should be. Maryse has more personality and charisma than Ted can ever dream of having.

He was boring without the fortunate son gimmick, and he's boring with it. Ted better cling to Maryse like his life depends on it, because if WWE decides to split these two, then I don't know what they can do with Ted.

 

[Stone_Cold_Randy_Orton]

Because he's lame.


Non Spam Answer: And because he's not booked right. When he was in a group the focus was taken off individual ability and put on team work. Being in a heel stable and with Orton made him popular. He didn't get there by himself and he certainly didn't maintain his momentum because Legacy wasn't doing to well without Orton. Finally when they disbanded he was taken out of the spotlight. Ever since then he's done the lame gimmick that everyone expected him to do when he joined. No one compared Cody to his dad, so why would anyone compare Dibiase to his? He needs a real gimmick. Something he can use to build himself up and not capitalize on something old. He seems to be a nice person in real life and having his character be himself the way Orton's character is himself would benefit him more than a gimmick. I think WWE is waiting for him to gain popularity. Sometimes you just need to keep a guy involved and on the radar and wait for the audience to accept that he's part of the WWE. The same way Orton became huge after leaving Evolution.

 

[enterkey]

DiBiase is just plain not right for the gimmick, as IDR said he's not all that entertaining on the mic and he needs to develop some damn personality out there. Another thing that has been hurting him is that they have been constantly jobbing him out to people as of late and not letting him get any sort of momentum going. He lost every match with R-Truth when he tried to get him to be his Virgil and then when Virgil came he still jobbed 90% of the time. Now that he has Maryse with him things are looking up a bit but he is still not given the time of day by creative because they neither put him on Team Cena nor did they let the rivalry with John Morrison build to much before that, what was it "oh maryse go steal his gay ass fur coat during the match and that will cause him to get distracted and give me the victory because for no apparent reason he loves the coat more than winning!" The guy needs a new direction and desperately needs to work on his mic skills. I wouldn't be surprised if the guy let his success in the Legacy get to his head or all of the IWC basically suckin his dick the whole time he was in it saying he would be the breakout star when Rhodes is by far more entertaining at this stage in the game and all his gimmick is is a pretty boy.

 

[FanSince99]

Honestly I just feel he isn’t cocky enough. He doesn't do enough to make me hate his character. Whenever I see him I think ok yea I get it he has his dad's money but I still don't hate you.

I understand he may not want to follow his dad's gimmick completely but taking some things from it will help. I personally think if he started throwing money down people's throats after he beats them will gain some heat. Also some segments of him and Maryse living an extreme lifestyle will do good for him as well.

Like I said before I personally just don’t hate the guy enough and I think that's why he can’t get over.

 

[Aeon Mathix]

I love how a year ago or so the IWC was having wet dreams about Dibiase, talking about how big of a push he was going to get because he released a crappy sequel to an already crappy movie. News flash, having a dvd released does not mean you will be pushed to the moon. Just ask john morrison (I know DiBiase's was a movie no shit). The guy seriously puts me to sleep hes almost as bad as benjamin and carlito. Like the OP said whenever he comes on im just distracted by Maryse. I just find it funny how hard the WWE are trying to get DiBiase over. I am not saying he is bad, I am saying he is horrible right NOW. He's completely bland and there is nothing interesting about him. He needs to get his own gimmick. What more can the WWE do with him? They gave him the million dollar belt and Maryse. I wonder how he must feel watching Cody progressing nicely on smackdown with his OWN gimmick

 

[Mark0820]

He can't get over because he's aping his father. His father was an all-time great. He was such a great character that they made up a title for him to have. He needs to be himself, not his father, to get over and succeed. Face or heel doesn't matter. It has to be HIM.

 

[hewittor]

The main reason why Dibiase can't get over is because he is on the same show as Orton. They have the same damn look almost. Until Dibiase goes to Smackdown he will stink. It's all about placement...You may as well tag him up with some damn body. Maybe his brother.

 

[Chill]

Well haven't a lot of people changed their tune? Hmm, just goes to show how fickle the great IWC is. Anywho, I like Ted Dibiase and it's sad to admit, but he is not catching on like I'd hoped. Why? I think there's a few reasons.

Firstly, he's using an old gimmick synonymous with his father, who carried the gimmick far better than Ted is doing right now. That he's using his dad's gimmick is quite a big problem because not only does Ted jr. have big shoes to fill by virtue of being a legend's son but he also has to try and do it by portraying the same gimmick as his father! So it seems as though Ted jr. is doomed to fail, it would be hard for anyone to try and make the 'million dollar' gimmick work better than the original guy.

Secondly and for whatever reason, WWE seem to bury him every week as he loses against people like Morrison and The Great Khali, so there in lies another problem....he keeps losing against losers and that doesn't do his credibility any favours either.

Thirdly, Maryse. I'm not sure if it's a good thing or not that Ted is with her because it's not as if Maryse is a charismatic thunderbolt herself, so when you stick two rather dry personalities together, what'd you expect, really?

So, while Ted's old partner is blossoming quite nicely on Smackdown with his own gimmick, Ted is left on Raw attempting to make a name for himself under his father's old personality and thus far it isn't really working...

 

[Ferbian]

A lot of people have been saying it's because he's boring as shit. However I feel it might as well be due to his gimmick. The fact that he's pretty much just a shadow of his father, and always have been, in the ring as well as on the microphone (He's not great on the microphone, but he is definitely in the shadows of his father). And that's really what hurts a lot of the second generation wrestlers of legends, they can't hold a candle to their fathers. Cody is slowly getting over, but he's nothing like his father. Randy got over, because his father couldn't hold a candle to Orton.

So yes, it is indeed because he's boring. But most definitely also because he's not himself, he will always be compared to his father, and he fails miserably next to DiBiase Seniors career.

 

[donfryeismyhero]

Well aparently, I'm in the minority because I actually like Ted jr. However I may have to agree with you guys as far as a gimmick change goes. Ted Sr. & JBL set the bar pretty high as far as the whole greedy arrogant rich guy gimmick goes & it's obvious it just not in Ted jrs personality to pull it off. Maybe it has something to do with him being a born again Christian, I dont know. But I'm still a believer in him. He's good in the ring & he's not bad on the mic. Just like Austin, Hunter & Rock, they had troubles finding the voice so to speak but once they did, they became big time. Give Teddy some time guys. It wont happen over night & I bet the alot of the people who are crapping all over Ted jr were probably the very same who were crapping all over Stunning Steve/Ringmaster, Maivia & Helmsley before they became Stone Cold, Rock & Triple H.

 

[coolant]

Ferbian is right. It is all about the fact that he just cannot escape his fathers shadow. Ted Sr. was perhaps the second greatest heel the WWF/E has ever had. But, I will take it a step further and say it is because he doesn't have that trademark laugh of his father. I still mark out, with a "BOO" of course, when that laugh comes through the speakers. Ted Jr. does not have that.

 

[hewittor]

All of you guys are wrong. This is the PG era in that crappy WWE junk that they put on tv most weeks. None of these young ass marks even know who the Hell Ted Sr. was or is. I loved the Million Dollar Man myself, but fans now adays don't understand the gimmick. WWE has to work harder to get him over...stop with the B.S.

 

[donfryeismyhero]

All of you guys are wrong. This is the PG era in that crappy WWE junk that they put on tv most weeks. None of these young ass marks even know who the Hell Ted Sr. was or is. I loved the Million Dollar Man myself, but fans now adays don't understand the gimmick. WWE has to work harder to get him over...stop with the B.S.

You may have a very good point. This new generation of wwe fans have no idea who Ted Sr. is or was. So I think the comparision of Ted Sr vs Ted Jr may not be valid but this pg era fan base IS familiare with JBL & so perhaps that is the issue. The WWE needs to really start to educate its younger viewers on the history of the WWE. Quit ignoring the past. Maybe do some vingettes of Ted Sr both old & new & bring him in as Ted jrs manager. Hell, they can bring back a new version of the Million $ Corperation.

 

[sTyLnK]

Blame creative writing. You can only do so much with what they make you do storyline and gimmick wise. People complain about him now, but the moment writing gives him something that actually interest everyone then the mood changes and suddenly people think he has great potential, has wow factor, etc. Relax, give it time.

 

[GeneralKarim]

Well i will tell you this.I give him a chance,but with his current gimmick he is F*N boring.He doesnt have the mic skills to pull of the MDM.BUT u can work in the mic skills department.But u cant work with a recycled gimmick.Especially when the one that first had it played with like ..perfect..He is still very young, lets see what he has instored.Cody is better atm and i like him a lot and his inring skills aswell but lets not give up on TeD.He still is known due to his name.his ring work is ok, lets just wait and see cause i doubt once the WWE sees that he doesnt belong with that gimmick that they are not gonna change it.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

All of you guys are wrong.

Really?

This is the PG era in that crappy WWE junk that they put on tv most weeks.

Yes, let's blame the PG era for ruining the WWE. The PG era is what's wrong with everything.

"Oh no! John Cena is going to ruin pro wrestling.......no!!!!!!!!"

None of these young ass marks even know who the Hell Ted Sr. was or is.

Why do you think that? Isn't it possible they could've learned about him through YouTube, WWE DVDs, or highlight packages shown on WWE programing ? Everyone here might have been to young to experience Ted in his glory days, but there other ways to learn about him.

I loved the Million Dollar Man myself, but fans now adays don't understand the gimmick.

What is so complex about The Million Dollar Man's gimmick? He's a very wealthy man who feels he's better than everyone. The only difference is Ted Sr. was able to put a lot of passion and energy into this character. Why would fans now a days have a hard time grasping this?

WWE has to work harder to get him over

1. He was a part of one of the most high profiled feuds in WWE history (Triple H VS Randy Orton),

2. He won the tag titles on Raw very shortly after debuting

3. He wears the Million Dollar Championship

4. It might have been a piece of shit, but WWE did go out of their way to promote The Marine 2

5. He's currently using his dad's gimmick(who is a hall of famer by the way).

Ted can only point the finger at himself if things continue to go south for him. He just can't pull this character off like his father did.

 

[red ass skull muhfukkah]

IDR hit the nail on the head, No Personality. He's boring on the mic, he's boring in the ring, and he has the charisma of an Onyx. The only thing that stands out is his name. This Maryse thing is alright but it has already gotten boring because of him. His father's character was the complete opposite of his, even though it was the same damn thing.His father was cocky, arrogant and let you know that his money made him better than anyone else, and was very entertaining. Ted Jr. is cocky and arrogant like a rich kid who spends all his Daddy's money. They need to do something with him quick, a good storyline or something. He needs to be carried by someone more entertaining then him, like when he was in Legacy they were both carried by Orton. I really try to like him, but I just can't.

 

[Zeven_Zion]

Well, gee, I wonder why.

How about because he sucks? I'm sorry, but facts are facts. If it wasn't for his daddy's last name, this jackass would be struggling in the indies. He's bromidic, he's anything but captivating in the ring. Absolutely nothing special. Guys like him are a dime a dozen. Floppy ears, stupid physique, non existent mic skills. You can put all the dumbass belts and dumbass female canucks on 'im - it still won't change the fact that he simply sucks.

At least Cody's trying to reinvent himself, go with a gimmick that suits him ( a bit ) and the guy does have SOME charisma and talent. DiBiase is a sinkin ship. Pity.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

It drives me nuts the way people say this kind of thing... Ted DiBiase Sr. was around for 10 years before he got the Million Dollar Man gig... he, like his son was not a particularly charismatic guy in the beginning, known more for solid ring work... then when Ted got the WWE gig, he had built enough experience to let his true personality through, the laugh the mic skills...

Ted Jr. is no different, and is having a no different career to his father, he is interesting enough in the gimmick, but he hasn't had the time to use it yet to any actual effect or to learn from it... He has been given titles, like his dad was in his first WWE gig... but Sr. was not anywhere near the "Hall Of Famer" in 79 when he was the North American champ... that came nearer to ten years later.... so why should Jr be thereafter 2 whole years in the business?.. In todays business if you don't get over in 6 months then you are no-one... thats the reason Ted or Cody are having problems... there is no room anymore for guys to improve over a number of years...

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I think that it's pretty much already been said. Quite frankly, DiBiase is just flat out boring. I do think that he's got potential, yes I know how much we just LOVE that word, but I just don't think what they're doing with him is working overall. DiBiase just doesn't seem to have much personality going for him. The best thing he's got going right now is having Maryse on his arm playing the golddigger girlfriend. She's gorgeous, her character is extremely vain and it's just a natural fit for her.

At the same time, however, not every wrestler can get over with fans in record time. While he was part of Legacy, he pretty much got overshadowed by Randy Orton every second. Now that he's on his own, the WWE hasn't exactly attempted to do much of anything that's overly memorable. They haven't given him the McIntyre/Sheamus Treatment after all. But, even if they did, there's no guarantee that he'd have gotten over. Building a wrestling star isn't an exact science, I'm afraid. Sometimes it's trial and error.

There's a lot happening on Raw right now with the Team Raw vs. Nexus angle as well as The Miz being Mr. MITB, Sheamus & Orton in the WWE title scene and DiBiase is really just getting swallowed up and lost in the crowd right now. He's not over nearly enough to stand out to be able to hold his own and generate interest compared to the major stuff happening on Raw.

 

[Mr.Perfect23]

He's bound to succeed at some point. His personality is hurting right now, and he does need more charisma. However, his in-ring skills are pretty good. He can hang in there with the best of them. He is better on the mic than Morrisson, no question, when he talks he just doesn't have the excitement that most guys have. After the draft there were people on here saying that Cody was going to fall off on Smackdown because he lost a few matches, and didn't have that "Dashing" gimmick taking off just yet, and that Ted was the one looking good on Raw. It's funny how things have changed in a few mere months. It is something to talk about, but this guy still is the future of the company whether people agree with it or not, he's going to be around for a while.

 

[JJYanks121]

I want to add something, because if I merely parroted everyone else, my post would be a waste, no?

The problem I've had from the beginning with Dibiase is not that he's boring and genetic. Almost as far back as his debut, if you pay attention, you will see that Dibiase doesn't have a comfort zone in front of the fans. Some guys thrive off of the crowd, but Ted seems out of place in front of them. When he walks to the ring, he doesn't "own" his entrance. When he talks, he doesn't draw you in. When he wrestles, he doesn't play a style to his role. This might explain why he concussed himself in his first singles PPV match and why he says stuff like "Money in Bank". He chose a career because he grew up on it, but he just doesn't have that same comfort level in front of a crowd that his father did.

Forget changing his gimmick. It has nothing to do with his gimmick. He could be any character and still not do it well because he just lacks somethign as a live performer. Perhaps its nerves, but something just isn't there for him and he comes off sounding monotonous and boring as a result. I'd recommend getting a blowsky before going out to the perform. At least maybe that will relax him and he can own his character a bit more.

 

[MisterRob]

I think people are far too harsh on young talent far, far too soon. This isn't the days where talent (like the overwhelming great talent WWF had in the prime days of the Hogan era) spent years and years in the territories going from territory to territory honing their skills. Ted Dibiase Jr. has not been in the business very long, let alone the WWE. He's extremely young still and he's improving and showing potential even now, in five years the guy could be doing everything that people are bitching about him not. Right now he hasn't gotten comfortable yet with his gimmick, the writing behind him hasn't been anything special and neither has his feuds, but anyone claiming he hasn't shown any promise I think is being exaggeratedly harsh on the guy. Give him some time, and if you don't want to and just want to hate him regardless, who cares? The WWE certainly will give him some time to reach his potential. Just look at Orton, he didn't become a break out star right off the bat either but now he's a super star for the WWE because he had years to develop into what he is now. The IWC expect too much.