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Batista has been an influential part of WWE since his debut in the early 2000s. The Animal made massive contributions to the company's heavyweight division and had notable feuds against The Undertaker, The Great Khali, Triple H, and many more.
The 54-year-old rose to prominence in 2003 when he aligned himself with Triple H, Ric Flair, and Randy Orton to form the heelish faction Evolution. The group dominated the industry and sent a statement to other members on the roster. Orton was the first to depart from the group, followed by Batista.
This also laid the foundation for Hunter and The Animal's rivalry over the years. The two men collided in a hellacious battle at WrestleMania 35, following which Batista announced his retirement from in-ring competition.
On this week's edition of RAW, it was highlighted that Ric Flair would announce the next inductee into the Hall of Fame. Given his close association with Batista, it would seem fitting that he be the one to announce and possibly induct The Animal into the Hall of Fame this year. The two worked well in the tag team division and held the WWE Tag Team Championship several times.
Last week, Rey Mysterio was announced as the first inductee into the Hall of Fame. However, his address was interrupted by Dominik Mysterio, who taunted and cited his displeasure on the matter.
Why has Batista not been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame yet?
With Batista's expansive career and contribution to WWE, many in the wrestling fraternity wonder why he has not yet been inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Like many others, The Animal pursued a Hollywood career and has not looked back. The 54-year-old has many movies, including Guardians of the Galaxy, Army of the Dead, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Knock at the Cabin, and many more credited to his name. He also had a brief MMA career in 2012.
The Hall of Fame, class of 2020, was set to be inducted the following year, given the commencement of the pandemic. However, the multi-time World Heavyweight Champion cited he could not attend and had to step down due to 'prior obligations' and had requested a postponement:
While WWE granted his request at the time, many in the wrestling fraternity are convinced The Animal will be added to the Hall of Fame this year.
One of Samoa Joe's colleagues had harsh words for him HERE
