5 former teammates turned rivals in WWE history

#2 Triple H vs. Batista (WWE 2003-2005)

The word #Evolution took on whole new meaning on this day in 2003...@TripleH @RicFlairNatrBoy @RandyOrton @DaveBautista pic.twitter.com/vXHzyKD0z1

— WWE (@WWE) February 3, 2017

Another stable that has stood the test of time in WWE has to be Evolution. Triple H headed this faction up himself this time, putting together a group to help him retain the World Heavyweight Championship. He already had the past in his corner with Ric Flair, but he recruited two young prospects to complete the faction. Randy Orton and Batista were taken under his wing to reach their full potential.

Evolution ran roughshod over WWE Raw for their entire run. After cutting loose Randy Orton and taking the World Heavyweight Championship from him, it seemed Triple H wanted to avoid Batista going down the same path as The Legend Killer. Tensions seemed to simmer underneath the surface between The Game and The Animal for months.

Batista achieved the biggest win of his career, winning the 2005 Royal Rumble Match to earn a guaranteed shot at the title of his choosing. Triple H wanted to dictate which title that was by manipulating Batista to believe WWE Champion JBL was targeting him. When it came time for Batista to finally make his choice, Triple H unintentionally exposed his devious plan.

BATISTA BOMB vs. PEDIGREEWhich would be the key to victory as @DaveBautista battled @TripleH at WWE Backlash 2005?FULL MATCH: https://t.co/JFDijYBvbfCourtesy of @peacockTV & @WWENetwork. pic.twitter.com/I6wVi7XmA9

— WWE (@WWE) May 3, 2021

In a shocking turn, Batista gave Triple H the same infamous thumbs down that The Game had given to Orton months earlier and beat down both Flair and Hunter. This led to WWE WrestleMania 21 where Batista defeated Triple H in the main event to win the World Heavyweight Championship. The Animal retained his gold over Triple H in a rematch at Backlash, but this didn't end things.

Triple H and Ric Flair devised a plan to weaken Batista in a brutal attack after The Game had taken weeks away to regroup following Backlash. He then made the challenge for one final encounter at Vengeance 2005 inside Hell In A Cell. It was Triple H's signature match in WWE that he ended the career of Mick Foley with and looked to end Batista's next.

At Vengeance 2005, Triple H and Batista put on a brutal and bloody affair that stands up as one of the best Hell In A Cell matches of all time. Batista would once again defeat The Game and finally put a close on their rivalry for now. They would restart hostilities 14 years later at WrestleMania 35 where Triple H finally beat The Animal. Their initial feud made Batista a superstar in WWE and beyond.