In 1987, "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase arrived in WWE and was immediately a main event player. In the 1990s his injuries started to pile up, so he was put into a tag team with Irwin R. Shyster, winning the Tag Team Titles 3 times. But by 1993, a neck injury forced DiBiase into retirement.
Still a charismatic orator, WWE decided to utilize those talents and keep DiBiase on television as an announcer. But with the return of Jerry "The King" Lawler to the commentary booth in 1994, DiBiase's skills were better exploited as a manager. The wrestlers he represented on screen eventually grew into a heel stable known as the Million Dollar Corporation.
10 Nikolai Volkoff Was The First Official Member
Nearly 15 years before Shawn Michaels fell on hard times and had to be JBL's lackey, WWE did essentially the same angle with Nikolai Volkoff and Ted DiBiase. Volkoff needed cash, and DiBiase was willing to give it up, as long as the Russian agreed to be his servant.
Volkoff was assigned matches no one else wanted, and forced to wear trunks that were embroidered with a "cent" symbol. The angle was a compelling one for the New Generation Era, and was the foundation for the Million Dollar Corporation stable.
9 Fake Undertaker Was A Member
The Undertaker hadn't been seen on WWE television since losing a Casket Match to Yokozuna at Royal Rumble 1994. In the spring, Ted DiBiase claimed that he was bringing the Deadman back to WWE as a member of the Million Dollar Corporation. Fans were devastated when 'Taker seemingly began wrestling with DiBiase by his side.
But Paul Bearer claimed that DiBiase's Undertaker was an imposter, and with "help" from Leslie Nielsen, the real Undertaker was found and then defeated his Doppelgänger in the main event of SummerSlam 1994.
8 Lex Luger Was Teased As A Potential Member
In the summer of 1994, Tatanka started claiming that fellow babyface Lex Luger had sold out, and would be joining the Million Dollar Corporation. Despite Luger's repeated denials, Tatanka was persistent in his accusations, appearing obsessed with outing the Total Package as a traitor. This all led to a showdown between the two former friends at SummerSlam '94.
In the end, it turned out Tatanka was projecting his own guilt onto Luger, as it was Tatanka who had sold out and joined the Million Dollar Corporation all along. Adding insult to injury, DiBiase had Tatanka stuff a dollar bill in an unconscious Luger's mouth. SummerSlam '94 was the peak of the stable's relevance in WWE.
7 King Kong Bundy Came Out Of Retirement To Join Them
King Kong Bundy was one of the top stars of the Golden Era, even main eventing WrestleMania 2 with top star Hulk Hogan. He continued to be one of the most recognizable faces in wrestling until he went into semi-retirement in 1988.
Upon returning to WWE in 1994, fans expected big things from Bundy. But save for a bout with the Undertaker at WrestleMania 11, his run was largely forgettable. Bundy left the company again in 1995.
6 The Undertaker Feuded With The Entire Stable
A common theme of the New Generation Era was heels stealing babyfaces trademark objects/belongings, acting as a rather thin springboard to a feud.
This was the case here, as the Million Dollar Corporation stealing The Undertaker's/Paul Bearer's urn led to the Deadman having matches with IRS, King Kong Bundy, Kama, and Tatanka. By the time 'Taker was done with them, the stable was pretty much decimated, and in need of an overhaul.
5 Balls Mahoney Was A Short-Lived Member
In the holiday season of 1995, DiBiase brought Balls Mahoney into the Corporation as an evil Saint Nick named Xanta Klaus. The gimmick was doomed from the start, as a Christmas-themed character doesn't exactly have long legs passed News Year's.
Mahoney wasn't seen in WWE again until the botched ECW reboot.
4 Sycho Sid & 123 Kid Were Briefly The Only Members
Shortly after WrestleMania 11, Sycho Sid joined the Million Dollar Corporation. By early 1996, all his contemporaries would be gone from the stable: Tatanka, King Kong Bundy, Kama, and IRS were all ousted.
123 Kid joined the group, briefly intersecting with Sid, before Mr. Eudy had to take time off due to a neck injury and Sean Waltman left for WCW.
3 No Member Was Ever A Major Champion
Despite DiBiase touting himself as a career-boosting manager on TV, none of his wrestlers ever won any championship gold while under his wing. When you think of all the most successful stables in wrestling history: the Four Horsemen, nWo, DX, the Hart Foundation, etc., all had members who held titles.
It's difficult for a group to have any legitimacy in fans' eyes when they never win anything of significance.
2 Steve Austin Was The Last Member
While no members ever "won" any titles, Steve Austin did hold The Million Dollar Championship. A title that DiBiase gifted himself when he was an active wrestler, the belt was resurrected in 1996 for "The Ringmaster" Steve Austin. The championship was not recognized by the WWE, just as the FTW belt isn't recognized by AEW.
The "Money Belt" angle was an attempt to salvage the Million Dollar Corporation after all of its members had vanished from WWE, leaving Austin as the sole flag bearer of the group. The experiment failed, but the future Rattlesnake went on to bigger and better things.
1 The Stable Disbanded When DiBiase Left For WCW
Sometimes a stable can continue, even without its founder: Bullet Club without Prince Devitt, DX without Shawn Michaels, the Nation of Domination without Faarooq, etc. But when the group is named after its leader, as the Million Dollar Corporation was, there isn't much choice but to disband.
This worked out for the best for everybody, as DiBiase went on to the nWo, and "The Ringmaster" went on to become arguably the biggest box draw in wrestling history as "Stone Cold".