"This guy has to be a megastar" - Legend recalls his first meeting with Batista (Exclusive)

Bill Apter recently recalled meeting Batista for the first time when he worked for Ohio Valley Wrestling and instantly recognizing his potential as a major star.

Debuting in 2002, The Animal quickly rose the ranks in WWE thanks to his association with Evolution. He went on to headline WrestleMania 21 in 2005, where he won the World Heavyweight Championship from Triple H.

For the next decade, Batista remained one of the biggest names in the company until he shifted his focus to Hollywood, where he became a bankable leading man.

On Sportskeeda's The Wrestling Time Machine podcast, Bill Apter recalled the 54-year-old performer's early days in OVW, where he was known as Leviathan.

The veteran journalist added that he recognized The Animal's potential and knew he had it in him to become a 'megastar" in the global juggernaut.

"Now Batista, by the way, was Leviathan back in Ohio Valley Wrestling. And I remember meeting him first in the office camp and then OVW, and I was like, 'My god, this guy has to be a megastar.'" said Apter. [3:18 - 3:34]

Check out the full video below:

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Rene Dupree on his real-life heat with Batista

A few months back, on his Cafe de Rene podcast, Rene Dupree detailed his real-life feud with The Animal when they were part of the same locker room in WWE.

Dupree claimed that Batista was jealous of him for the female attention he was garnering backstage. The wrestling veteran even recalled an instance when the former WWE Champion refused to shake hands with him.

"I had heat with him because he was a pr*ck to me. I remember one time now, like he's gone on record said his addiction was women, right? And he slept with a lot of the Divas, right? Well, before I left when I started growing my hair out and I got like not as heavy, not as bulky, and more... Yeah, a lot of the girls were giving me attention and he didn't like that. I remember one time like right before I left, it was me, I think Spanky that's Brian Kendrick, maybe Paul [London], a bunch of young guys, right? He goes and shakes everybody's hand but he doesn't shake mine. Yeah, f**k you Dave. F**king idiot. You suck as a wrestler," he said.

Batista last wrestled for WWE at WrestleMania 35, where he lost to former Evolution stablemate Triple H. Following the show, he retired from the business.

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