The late Harley Race was not solely a legendary wrestler, however a famous robust man. Nevertheless, the gimmick he portrayed in WWE was in contrast to his real-life persona, which stunned Ted DiBiase.
After spending a number of years within the NWA, Race made his option to the WWF in 1986 and gained the King of the Ring event that very same yr, and started referring to himself as “King” Harley Race. He got here to the ring with a crown and cape, making his opponents kneel earlier than him. Having Race painting the character was one thing that confused Ted DiBiase, and he spoke about it on a latest episode of his “All people’s Bought A Pod” podcast. DiBiase mentioned Race was not only a robust man within the “make-believe world {of professional} wrestling” however in actual life as nicely.
“I’d say it this fashion. For those who walked down a darkish alley at night time and also you knew there have been a bunch of thugs within the alley, for those who had your selection of getting one particular person to go together with you, it could be Harley Race,” DiBiase mentioned. “However typically I ponder if that was Vince, like a rib. Like, ‘Okay, this massive, robust Harley Race and I will make him king.’ This is the factor that is laborious for me, it is like, I believe Jake [Roberts] would in all probability agree with me on this case.
“We grew up within the old-school approach. Our fathers had been old-school wrestlers. And so this new factor with the WWF and making an attempt to market towards kids and toys and stuff like that, you are larger than life, [a] hero, you realize, Hulk Hogan … it was sort of cartoonish and so I’ve to maintain that in thoughts when it comes to what Vince had in thoughts for Harley.”
Race, who had a quick run in WWE, was inducted into the WWE Corridor of Fame in 2004 because of his legendary run in different promotions.
