Michael DiBiase

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Michael DiBiase
Statistics
Ring name(s)	"Iron" Mike DiBiase
Born	December 24, 1923(1923-12-24)
Died	July 2, 1969 (aged 45) Amarillo, Texas
Debut	1950

"Iron" Mike DiBiase (December 24, 1923 – July 2, 1969) was an American professional wrestler and the adoptive father of legendary professional wrestler "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase. He married Ted's mother Helen Hild (also a professional wrestler), and legally adopted and raised Ted.

As an amateur wrestler, DiBiase, representing the US Navy, was the 1946 AAU champion in the UNL (open or heavyweight) division. He then wrestled at the University of Nebraska, and competed at UNL in the NCAA tournament in 1947 and 1948, losing his first round match both years.

DiBiase made his professional debut in 1950. In 1963, DiBiase became the 145th and last knockout victim of light heavyweight boxer Archie Moore.^[1] The match took place on a wrestling card and thus the result is suspect.

Dibiase is one of the few professional wrestlers to die during a match. On July 2, 1969 in Amarillo, Texas, “Iron" Mike suffered a fatal heart attack in the ring during a match with Man Mountain Mike. Harley Race, realizing that he was suffering a heart attack, attempted to perform CPR on DiBiase and then rode in the ambulance to the hospital with him. DiBiase was pronounced dead at the Hospital. His death, though the heart attack happened in the ring, was not related to professional wrestling or the match he was in but as a result of a high cholesterol level.

[edit] Championships and accomplishments

• American Wrestling Association

• AWA Midwest Heavyweight Championship (3 times)^[2]
• AWA Midwest Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Bob Orton (1) and The Avenger (1)^[3]

• Central States Wrestling

• NWA Central States Heavyweight Championship (3 times)^[4]

• Championship Wrestling from Florida

• NWA Florida Brass Knuckles Championship (1 time)^[5]
• NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[6]

• NWA Chicago

• NWA World Tag Team Championship (Chicago Version) (1 time) – with Danny Plechas^[7]

• NWA Tri-State

• NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[8]

• NWA Western States Sports

• NWA International Tag Team Championship (Amarillo version) (1 time) – with Danny Plechas^[9] (First)
• NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (Amarillo version) (3 times)^[10]
• NWA North American Tag Team Championship (Amarillo version) (4 times) – with Danny Plechas (2), Dr. X (1), and Fritz Von Erich (1)^[11]
• NWA Southwest Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[12]

• Pacific Northwest Wrestling

• NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[13]

• Southwest Sports, Inc.

• NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Championship (1 time)^[14]
• NWA Texas Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Danny Plechas^[15]

• World Wrestling Association (Los Angeles)

• WWA Americas Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[16]
• WWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[17]
• WWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Killer Karl Kox^[18]

• Other Titles

• Rocky Mountain Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[19]
• Rocky Mountain Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Juan Garcia^[20]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Profile at Online World of Wrestling