Sore ribs were a painful reminder for Ted DiBiase Jr. of the rigours of starring in an action movie. But he recently sat in awe watching the direct-to-DVD The Marine II.

“It was very surreal,” he said. “We just built a house and got the big-screen TV put in, with surround sound. And the first movie we watched was mine, in Blu-Ray. I had a couple of buddies over. It was just so weird.”

It was no surprise that DiBiase, a key cog in WWE’s Legacy faction, would turn up in an action movie.

“I was always a big action guy. What kid doesn’t want to be an action hero? I liked inspirational movies … Braveheart, Gladiator. And I like Bruce Willis. I was a huge fan of Die Hard.“

DiBiase took a beating during the filming.

“I beat the hell out of my body in the movie,” he said. “I did all the fight scenes. And the Muay Tai fighters were just bringing it. On the first take, I got kicked in the ribs and separated the cartilage between two of my ribs. I battled that through the whole movie.”

In the wrestling ring, DiBiase is also a rising star, with WWE teasing a feud with Legacy stablemate Randy Orton.
“Randy and I always want to test our skills against the best. I want to be WWE champion just as bad as he does. I want to make an impact and make a name for myself.”

Was DiBiase destined for wrestling greatness?
“I didn’t know I’d be good at it,” he said. “It’s something I wanted to do more than anything else. When I finally got the blessing from my pops, it was on from there. I don’t think I’ve ever worked harder at anything than this.”
“It’s more than providing for family or to be famous. I couldn’t care less. It was more about carrying on the family’s name, the legacy … to do well.“

Mission accomplished.

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