One heart emoji. That’s all it took. WWE legend Batista has stirred speculation online after Bulgarian actress Maria Bakalova's latest Instagram post and his reaction to it. Co-stars in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the two recently grabbed attention when Bakalova shared an adorable picture with The Animal on Instagram. This, of course, fueled speculation regarding a possible romantic angle between the two.As if that weren't enough, Batista then responded with a “heart” emoji; a rather small gesture that has nonetheless sent fans buzzing on social media, especially with Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's recent engagement announcement pushing forward this kind of discourse on Instagram and X. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostSo, are the two simply close colleagues-turned-close friends, or is there something more brewing between them? After all, despite their significant age difference, the possibility of a romantic connection cannot be ruled out, especially considering Batista's earlier relationship with a significantly younger former WWE star (which will be discussed in this article).With Batista once again in the news for his possible romantic exploits, considering the public nature of his past relationships with fellow wrestlers, in this article, we shall take a look back at four women with whom the legendary wrestler-turned-actor Dave Bautista has been romantically linked.#4. Batista dated former WWE Divas Champion Kelly Kelly in 2008Kelly Kelly, one of the most recognizable faces of WWE’s Divas era, debuted in 2006 as part of the “Extreme Expose” dance troupe in ECW, before evolving into an in-ring competitor who won the WWE Divas Championship in 2011. Beyond her wrestling career, Kelly became a crossover star with appearances through modeling projects and media work that kept her in the public eye long after leaving the squared circle.Batista was briefly linked to the former Divas Champion in 2008, and she wasn't the only wrestler in WWE he was romantically involved around the late noughts. At the time, however, the relationship particularly caught the attention of fans due to the noticeable age gap between the two.Their romance lasted only a few months before the pair split up, with Batista revealing that their age difference played a major role in their breakup. While speaking on the WJFK Radio Morning Show, he explained that Kelly was still quite young in terms of maturity, saying, "She's just a young girl. She was a little immature for a 21-year-old." The Animal, then 39, was already a multi-time World Heavyweight Champion and an established main-eventer at that time, while Kelly Kelly was only 21.#3. Batista was in a brief relationship with former WWE Superstar Rosa MendesIn a 2009 interview, Batista revealed that he and Rosa Mendes, who had first entered WWE through the 2006 Diva Search contest (and despite not winning, was later signed to WWE), dated for a few months. Their relationship ultimately did not work out.Not long after their breakup, Batista left WWE for the first time, while Mendes remained with the company until announcing her retirement in 2017. Besides Batista, Rosa Mendes also reportedly dated a few more superstars during her career, including Santino Marella and Jackson Andrew. Much like some of his other relationships, Batista and Rosa Mendes did see each other for a bit, but it fizzled out pretty quickly.#2. Batista seemingly dated reigning TNA Knockouts World Champion Ash by Elegance (Dana Brooke) amid much interest in 2019In late 2019, former WWE Superstar Dana Brooke (now known as Ash by Elegance in TNA) and the former World Heavyweight Champion sent fans into a frenzy online after openly flirting with one another on X/Twitter, which led to a ton of speculation by fans. The playful exchanges thus quickly escalated into rumors of a budding romance between the two, and a few months later, Brooke confirmed in an interview with Forbes that she and the WWE legend had indeed gone on dates.Brooke shared that while there was mutual interest and genuine affection between herself and Dave, their hectic schedules kept them from pursuing a serious relationship. The former WWE Champion was, of course, leading a busy Hollywood life, while Brooke’s commitments in WWE often kept her on the road. Despite things not working out romantically, she clarified that the two remained very much in touch and on good terms. Since leaving WWE in 2023, Brooke has reinvented herself in TNA under the name "Ash by Elegance." Recently, she made headlines by capturing the TNA Knockouts World Championship at WWE NXT Battleground. Defeating Jacy Jayne (also the reigning NXT Women's Champion) and fellow TNA wrestler and former Knockouts World Champion Masha Slamovich, Ash by Elegance brought the title back home to TNA.#1. Batista's romance with Melina initiated controversy amid the latter's on-off relationship with fellow former WWE Superstar John MorrisonOne of the most talked-about off-screen stories in WWE’s mid-2000s era was the rumored relationship between Melina and The Animal. At the time, Melina was part of the popular MNM faction alongside John Morrison, with whom she was also romantically involved off-screen.Around this time, however, speculation began circulating as to a possible romance between Batista and Melina. The Animal went on to address these rumors in a 2007 interview with the Charleston Post-Courier, sharing,“He [Morrison] knew everything from day one. From the day we started talking. That was one of the things that a lot of people didn’t realize and didn’t bother to ask. Melina and John weren't together anymore. He was always aware of what was going on, and she was very honest with him. They split up and moved apart, and we started dating each other.”In a major twist, though, in a 2015 appearance on The Ross Report with Jim Ross, the former WWE Women’s Champion denied ever having dated the legend in the first place, instead insisting that the two were simply great friends. This revelation fueled further gossip that Melina’s relationship with John Morrison was strained because of the situation.