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The history of the Million Dollar Championship: photos) Z, D6 G( K9 v4 @ \
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" k4 `: i: a$ t* b* RFrom the late 1980s and into the early 1990s, "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase was rarely seen without his personal Million Dollar Championship.7 }* h6 o5 p) ]
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"The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase introduced his title during "The Brother Love Show" on the March 4, 1989, edition of "WWE Superstars."& l- f: J8 u( o5 @* }9 i6 Y
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1 @6 Z$ m' X8 A0 Z"The Million Dollar Man" commissioned the title personally from Betteridge Jewelers in Greenwich, Conn.' {6 Y* T& H0 Q( s
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+ V q# h+ z2 C' |' N+ _, fVirgil was often responsible for toting the title to ringside.7 a% M! |9 |* {% o& @: m
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4 U- Y0 n: |! V* l f6 oDiBiase is stunned to discover his prize has been stolen by Jake "The Snake" Roberts.' t2 u$ {2 I B2 z
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2 u5 }! n) X: U) G3 cDiBiase battled Roberts on a number of occasions, culminating at WrestleMania VI in Toronto.
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9 T B6 } K ?5 L* u. `8 |: kAt SummerSlam 1991, Virgil finally defeated his former boss to become the second-ever Million Dollar Champion.. Q7 |; M1 N E- V( P( c0 L
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Virgil didn't hold the title for long, and it wound up back with DiBiase.1 } a1 c6 y0 }3 R
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: Z6 K7 q7 p# [6 u$ T/ Q, O1 z6 sAfter parting ways with Virgil, "The Million Dollar Man" joined up with Sensational Sherri.; T7 f1 o* I) D. n+ H
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In 1995, a young Steve Austin joined WWE as The Ringmaster under DiBiase's leadership.
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) i) M7 X9 M, f1 S( j"The Million Dollar Man" named Austin the new Million Dollar Champion, with the announcement once again occurring on "The Brother Love Show."
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Soon after Austin grew a goatee and reminded the WWE Universe of a certain bible verse, The Texas Rattlesnake abandoned the title for a more "Stone Cold" persona.
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. U! a" m9 {5 ]The title made a surprising return at DiBiase's 2010 WWE Hall of Fame induction in Phoenix.
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$ `7 |! j( {7 \" z- aSoon after "The Million Dollar Man's" induction, his son began carrying the title as if it had always been his own, something the Hall of Famer isn't pleased with.6 P2 a6 A( Q6 ~) V' [
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