On Boxing Day in 1958, before 8,250 fans, "Terrible" Ted, as he was now known, defeated McKigney at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto.

[7] In 1960–61, Ted wrestled primarily in the southern United States, losing only twice in 24 matches, to Gypsy Joe and Man Mountain Managoff.

[citation needed] On May 6, 1960, he won an 8-on-1 handicap match over a team including NWA Hall of Famer Angelo Savoldi and Don Kent.

[citation needed] He wrestled twice more at The Gardens in December, first winning a rematch with DeBois, then pinning Skunkman on New Year's Eve.

On Christmas Day in 1969, he returned to the United States to wrestle an exhibition match with Debois in Cleveland, Ohio.

[10] On October 15, 1971, Ted made his World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) debut against The Beast at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena.

Earlier that year, he wrestled for the first time in the Maritimes (Halifax) and California (where he defeated future WWWF Champion, Superstar Billy Graham).

The challenge was accepted and met by John Szigeti (a 36-year-old welder who wanted the money for truck repairs), who pinned Ted "for maybe 15 seconds" before McKigney pried him free.

McKigney had offered a $1,500 prize to anyone who would wrestle Ted, which was accepted by a 350-pound (160 kg) construction worker named Ed Williams.