The Million Dollar Corporation
Between May 1994 and May 1996, ‘Million Dollar Man’ Ted DiBiase fronted one of the WWE New Generation era’s most famous stables. While recently retired from in-ring action due to a back injury, Vince McMahon made the decision to bring DiBiase back into the WWF as a manager, creating his own stable, The Million Dollar
Ted DiBiase made his return to WWE television in May 1994 and announced he had bought the services of Nikolai Volkoff. Over the following weeks, DiBiase added Bam Bam Bigelow to his group by buying Bigelow's contract from his kayfabe girlfriend Luna Vachon. DiBiase then added his former tag team partner Irwin R Schyster or more commonly known as IRS to the group.
With Summerslam approaching, The Million Dollar Corporation started interfering and assisting Lex Lugar in winning his matches and announced to the world that Lex Lugar had agreed to join the corporation. With Lugar looking set to join the corporation, despite arguing his case that he wasn’t joining the group, Lugar’s tag team partner, Tatanka, became convinced that Lugar had already joined the group and turned his back on him. A frustrated Tatanka challenged Lugar to a match at Summerslam. During the match, DiBiase distracted Lugar, helping Tatanka pick up the victory and join The Million Dollar Corporation. Tatanka showed his true colours by turning his back on his tag team partner following with a vicious beat down by himself and the Corporation at the end of their match.
Summerslam was a big night for the Million Dollar Corporation as also on the road to Summerslam, Ted DiBiase, a guest on the interview segment Heartbreak Hotel, introduced his newest member, The Undertaker. The Million Dollar Corporation version of the Undertaker was visibly not the actual Undertaker, but DiBiase persisted with his claim that The Undertaker was now working for him once again after being the original man to bring The Undertaker into the WWF. Paul Bearer made his return weeks later and stated he has found the real Undertaker and that DiBiase's version was an imposter. In the main event of Summerslam 1994, the original, real Undertaker returned and defeated the Million Dollar Corporation’s version.
In the lead-up to Survivor Series 1994, King Kong Bundy joined the Corporation and competed with his fellow Corporation members in a traditional Survivor Series match.
Royal Rumble 1995 saw the continuation of The Undertaker feud against Ted DiBiase and his henchmen. The Undertaker defeated IRS at the event, but King Kong Bundy went toe to toe with the Deadman after the match, leading to a match at Wrestlemania XI, The Undertaker defeated King Kong Bundy in their Wrestlemania match. Another major match at Wrestlemania for the corporation was Bam Bam Bigelow competing in the main event of the biggest show of the year against NFL legend Lawrence Taylor.
Their first altercation happened at the Royal Rumble. Bigelow teamed with Tatanka and reached the finals of a tournament to crown new WWF Tag Team Champions. The pair lost to 1–2–3 Kid and Bob 'Sparkplug' Holly. Whilst leaving the ringside area, a dejected Bigelow noticed Taylor laughing at him so Bam Bam confronted Taylor and shoved him causing havoc at ringside on the evening. In the aftermath, Bigelow refused to apologize for his actions and challenged Taylor to a match at Wrestlemania which Taylor accepted. In the main event of the show, Lawrence Taylor defeated Bam Bam Bigelow in a surprise upset victory. Disappointed with the result and feeling as if Bigelow had embarrassed DiBiase, he was quickly fired from the Million Dollar Corporation.
In DiBiase's continued quest to exact revenge on the Undertaker, DiBiase hired Kama who stole The Undertaker's urn during Taker’s match against Bundy at Wrestlemania XI. He would later melt it down to create a gold chain for himself. Kama and The Undertaker squared off at Summerslam 1995 in a casket match where the Deadman would be victorious once again. The Undertaker continued to defeat any opponent DiBiase put in front of him. The Millon Dollar Corporation added Sycho Sid in an attempt to bring the WWF Championship into their group. Sycho Sid would ultimately lose in his attempts at dethroning Diesel in their big championship matches at In Your House 1 and 2.
Henry O. Godwin briefly joined the corporation but quickly left in the summer of 1995. After leaving, Godwin would slop DiBiase, leading to a match at In Your House 3 against Sycho Sid. 1–2–3 Kid joined the group to help Sid and the corporation feud with Razor Ramon. At In Your House 6, Razor Ramon defeated 123 Kid in a cry-baby match. With his loss, Kid was made to wear a diaper.
As time went on, members of the Million Dollar Corporation started to rapidly ade and one by one the group disbanded. Even with attempts to add to the group, such as Xanta Claus who made a few appearances around Christmas 1995, everyone departed.
By the beginning of 1996, The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase was running out of options. He decided to bring in his latest signing, 'The Ringmaster' Steve Austin and present him with the Million Dollar Championship. Austin would quickly enter a bitter feud with Savio Vega, both squaring off at Wrestlemania 12 where Austin would pick up the victory. But in their rematch, Vega scored the win. Savio Vega went on to win the rubber match between the two, contested in a Caribbean Strap Match at In Your House: Beware of the Dog. Afterward, Austin would transform into Stone Cold Steve Austin leaving DiBiase behind.
The Million Dollar Corporation was a major part of WWF television between 1994 and 1996 with the group dominating a good portion of television time, but they were mainly lined up to lose to The Undertaker. Each member of the group was built up only to lose their pay-off match against their respected enemy.
The Corporation lacked a strong main event competitor who could convincingly win a pay-per-view match, but nevertheless, the faction deserves more respect and attention than they received during their initial run after continuous big matches and rivalries across the whole card.
The Corporation is synonymous with the New Generation Era and while an induction into the WWE Hall of Fame may seem far-fetched, stranger things have happened.