Jake Roberts vs Ted DiBiase (WWF, 4-1-1990)

Event: WWF WrestleMania VI, Toronto, ON

Imagine this being the No. 2 match on a WrestleMania now, because that’s where this really was, the second-biggest match on the show behind Hogan-Warrior. That was more because there was no separate IC title match, but still.

This is a million dollar challenge and the belt is involved, I think, the belt which Roberts had stolen. Before the match, Jake cuts one of his most famous promos, maybe his most famous.

“Damien and I don’t forget, we remember all the times you made people grovel for your money. These were people far less fortunate than you, people who could use your money for essentials. And what did you do? You made fun of them, you humbled them, and you humiliated them.

“Well now it’s my turn! I’m going to make you beg, DiBiase. You are going to get down on your hands and knees. This time you’ll be the one that’s humbled. This time you’ll be the one that’s humiliated. This time you’ll be the one that grovels for the money.

“And how appropriate that the money you grovel for is your very own. A victim of your own greed, wallowing in the muck of avarice.”

DiBiase once said of Jake that it was very easy to work with him. Some aggression to start, with Jake and DiBiase both angry and working a true grudge feeling. Jake with a quick kneelift and goes for the quick DDT, DiBiase slips out and regroups on the floor.

Ventura insists Gorilla Monsoon has been eating hot dogs during every interview. Gorilla angrily objects to this lie. Ventura says God will strike Gorilla down for his own lies.

Jake going for the DDT again, once again DiBiase slips and goes to the floor. Roberts works a hammerlock, takes DiBiase down, and drives away into DiBiase’s arm and back with a series of quick knees. Gorilla and Jesse argue about backs and arms, what’s being worked over here.

DiBiase stands things up, but Jake maintains the lock on the arm and wrist. Finally, DiBiase turns it around, but Jake uses leverage to send DiBiase to the floor, where Virgil tends to the reeling man.

Jake dips down back in the ring, and DiBiase drops an elbow into the back of his head. DiBiase charges into the corner, meets a knee. Jake goes for the running kneelift, DiBiase side steps and sends him flying. Nice series of moves that keep the momentum going and reverse the advantage.

DiBiase working away on the neck now, softening him up for the Million Dollar Dream, in theory. The fans at the SkyDome start the wave, which as usual, WWF commentators are told to act like it’s a positive. Cameras catch it in the upper levels, but almost nobodyon the floor is participating. One guy in a yellow shirt, though, is into it.

Meanwhile, DiBiase stays on top of Roberts. They go to the floor, where DiBiase pulls Roberts’ shoulder into the ringpost. Back in and DiBiase works the big crowd with Roberts down and seemingly out.

DiBiase hits a piledriver and I consider making a series of topical jokes about the rules of the Louisiana commission for this year’s WrestleMania week.

DiBiase grabs the Million Dollar Dream and Roberts fights very theatrically, rousing the crowd in a big way, and eventually working to get to the rope. DiBiase goes for a pin with Roberts dunzo, but Roberts again gets a foot on the rope. Dragged back to center ring, DiBiase pins again, but now Jake has just enough back to kick out proper.

DiBiase up to the second rope, Roberts still down and Ted waits for him, measures him. But he’s caught in mid-air with a right hand to the breadbasket, and a clothesline from Roberts follows. Reverse atomic drop. Left-arm lariat. Jake is cookin’ with gas. A back body drop.

Roberts fired up and talking shit at Virgil and just the surroundings. Short-arm clothesline from Roberts. More fired up jabbering, and then the signal for the DDT. DiBiase grabs the referee’s leg, allowing Virgil to interfere and drag Roberts to the floor, where Jake punches and slams Virgil.

DiBiase sneaks up again and locks on the Million Dollar Dream, but Jake takes them into the ringpost, where DiBiase hits hard. Virgil throws DiBiase back into the ring, and we’ve got another countout. Protecting upper-mid stars on WrestleMania. Wild.

After the match, Virgil escapes with money and the belt, but Roberts hits the DDT on DiBiase, gets some of the money, and passes it out to fans. Well, and $100 to Mary Tyler Moore. Gorilla and Ventura agree she doesn’t need it. Virgil saves DiBiase from Damien, though.

Rating: 3.5/5. With a more satisfying finish either way, I might go 3.5 on this one. It’s good, smart wrestling from a couple guys who were masters at putting a match together and knew how to pace things perfectly. Actually, I’m going 3.5. Why not? It’s meaningless, anyway, and I had a good time.