By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

In a mainstream interview, WWE wrestler Ted DiBiase talked about the physical toll wrestling takes on the body and usually only getting vacation time when an inevitable injury occurs.

DiBiase said he's trying not to become numb to injuries that come up because the "scary part" is ignoring little pains that become bigger issues.

"When you do that (take bumps) day after day, you kind of grow numb to it. That's the scary part, when you ignore little pains that grow into big problems, like back injuries. Then you need surgeries," DiBiase told the Lansing (Mich.) City Pulse. "It’s not a matter of ‘if’ it happens, it’s ‘when’ it happens. That’s when you get your vacation."

Without being able to hear the tone of DiBiase's comment with his laid-back, often-times dry manner of speaking, it's not clear if DiBiase was expressing exasperation with the system where wrestlers usually only get time off when they're hurt or if he was explaining the "wrestler mentality" that you work hurt and only take a vacation if it's serious.

In the interview to promote an upcoming WWE house show, DiBiase added more commentary on the physical nature of pro wrestling that tries to surpass the human body's limitations.

"Our bodies were not designed to do that — to fall on your back, or face — or run into steel steps and chairs. It’s different when you’re out there in front of the crowd because you don’t really feel it," he said. "Then you wake up the next morning and you’re like, 'Oh, my gosh! I didn’t even know I had a muscle in that place.'"

The media outlet also interviewed "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase, Sr. for the story promoting next Friday's house show at Michigan St. University. DiBiase talked about the old-school wrestler lifestyle and promoted WWE's Wellness Policy as the first step to address pro wrestling's health issues.

"The years I was in the WWE there were a number of guys who died from drug and alcohol abuse. So for years I preached to my boys that I’d support them in anything they'd want to do — but don’t even consider wrestling," DiBiase, Sr. said. "What that (drug testing) has built into the WWE is accountability. They have a three-strike rule."

Caldwell's Analysis: Ted, Sr. on the promotional circuit for WWE seems to be the first anecdotal evidence he could be in this year's WWE Hall of Fame class. DiBiase spent a considerable amount of his youth in Arizona, so there is a local connection to WM26 in Phoenix this year. I set up Ted, Sr.'s final quote with the picture of WWE taking the "first step" toward improving the wrestler lifestyle. However, as DiBiase, Jr. said, there is the next issue of wrestlers not having time off unless an injury occurs. It's good to see DiBiase, Jr. acknowledge that as an issue in a mainstream interview, as that has been a long-standing issue that has yet to be addressed in WWE's Wellness Policy.

[Torch art credit Grant Gould (c) PWTorch.com]

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