Ted DiBiase has opened up about the passing of Roddy Piper, describing the circumstances as a shock to those who knew him.
Speaking on Everybody’s Got a Pod while discussing WrestleMania VII, Ted DiBiase reflected on Roddy Piper’s death in 2015, noting how sudden it was.
“It was such a shock. The guy goes to a hotel, checked in, went to bed, and never woke up,” DiBiase said. “There were no drugs in his body, none of that crap. It’s still a mystery, I think. And he just, his heart just quit.”
Piper died on July 31, 2015, at the age of 61, following cardiac arrest in his sleep at his home in Hollywood, California. DiBiase also looked back on his first meeting with Piper, which took place at Madison Square Garden during the early stages of his own career.
“The first time I met Roddy Piper was in Madison Square Garden… it was my last match on my first run, and it was with this new guy that Vince McMahon Senior said, ‘Ted, we really want you to get him over. We got high hopes for him.’ And his name was Hulk Hogan,” DiBiase said.
“So I got the Hulkster over, and then I was gone. He was making his debut there. It was his first match and my last match.”
Discussing Piper’s abilities, DiBiase praised his work on the microphone and his overall presence, crediting him as a complete performer.
“I don’t know about all time, but yeah, he was very good on the mic. He was excellent,” he said. “That’s oftentimes the thing that makes the difference. Wrestling is sports entertainment. Rod had it all.”
Ted DiBiase Wishes He Could Have Worked Roddy Piper More In WWE
Ted DiBiase added that he would have liked more opportunities to work with Roddy Piper, noting their WrestleMania VII programme had been set up for a longer run.
“I wish I could have wrestled him more,” he said.
He also addressed comments from Arn Anderson regarding Piper’s approach in the ring, pushing back on the suggestion that Piper did not always elevate his opponents.
“I’m not sure about that, because Roddy and I had a program, and I don’t think it was all one-sided,” DiBiase said, adding that both men benefited from working together.
