What’s the story?
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WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon took to social media to congratulate former multiple-time WWE World champion Batista on his 15-year WWE anniversary.
The Animal responded!
In case you didn’t know...
Batista (David Bautista Jr.) made his on-screen debut in the WWE on May 9th, 2002 as Deacon Batista. The 6’6” powerhouse was later renamed as Batista and rose to prominence in the WWE after joining Evolution back in 2003. After a run that saw him win several titles in the WWE including the World Heavyweight and WWE Championship, he left the company for greener pastures in 2010.
On October 6th, 2012 Batista made his Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) debut – a fight that to date is his only MMA bout – defeating Vince Lucero via TKO in Round 1. The 48-year old returned to WWE in 2014, winning the 2014 Royal Rumble, but would part ways with WWE once again owing to creative differences backstage.
The heart of the matter
Dave Batista and the WWE higher-ups haven’t been on the best of terms as of late however, the professional wrestler-turned-Hollywood star was recently spotted hanging out with Smackdown Live Commissioner Shane McMahon.
In hot pursuit of that very happening, the WWE big boss, Vince McMahon himself, has apparently extended the olive branch to The Animal.
Not one to shy away, Batista reverted back:
What’s next?
Batista has previously stated that although he’d be interested in making appearances for WWE, it would be only for non-televised events, and in fact had even reportedly turned down an offer to appear at Wrestlemania 32 in 2016.
Besides appearing in several prominent Hollywood movies including a James Bond franchise-film, Batista recently reprised the role of Drax ‘The Destroyer’ in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, that was released in May of this year.
Author’s take:
It’s no secret that Batista and the WWE had heated differences when his last run with the company ended 3 years back. Nevertheless, be it professional wrestling or any other business, everybody loves a comeback, and the recent re-acquaintance, if I may, between WWE and Batista, seems to point toward a potential return of The Animal.
The only problem with his comeback would be the snarky pro-wrestling fans, who prefer full-time performers such as Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens rather than part-timers like Batista. I, for one, would love to see the former champ make one last run with WWE, perhaps culminating in a match at Wrestlemania 34 with his old friend Triple H.
