Batista gets a message from a 7-time WWE champion he last faced 15 years ago: "Thanks for not kicking my a** too bad"

Popularly known to the WWE Universe as "The Animal," Batista recently turned 55, and he received tons of messages from the wrestling community, including one from Chavo Guerrero.

It's been a few years since Batista ended his in-ring career. He has steadily established himself as a legitimate superstar in Hollywood, widely considered one of the best actors to emerge from professional wrestling.

While he is a highly accomplished WWE star with multiple title accolades to his name, Batista is also quite a loved and respected name in the business. He has built great relationships with his on-screen rivals outside the ring, and Chavo Guerrero recently sent a message to the former Evolution member.

Batista, who celebrated his 55th Birthday on January 18, got a special message from Chavo Guerrero on Instagram, whom he last faced on an episode of RAW in 2009. Guerrero himself has been working behind the scenes in Hollywood in recent times, and beyond their interactions as pro wrestling colleagues, Chavo felt Batista was like a brother to him.

Here's the 7-time champion from WWE's message to Batista:

"Happy Birthday my brother @davebautista Thanks for all the good times, & thanks for not kicking my a** too bad in the wrestling ring! Through all the ups & downs of this crazy business, you've always been an OG & my brother. Happy Birthday Big Davo! 🥂 #davebautista #wrestlingfamily."

Chavo Guerrero shared a couple of throwback photos.

Chavo Guerrero had special praise for one WWE star when he spoke to Sportskeeda in 2023

The former ECW Champion sat down for an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda Wrestling's Bill Apter in May 2023, and he was asked about the revival of the Latino World Order (LWO) and the influence of Eddie Guerrero.

Chavo Guerrero Jr. specifically shone the spotlight on Santos Escobar, whom he previously worked with in the now-defunct Lucha Underground promotion. Escobar has undergone massive character changes over the past few months and looks like a future top star in the making.

Chavo Guerrero has always been a fan of Santos, as he noted below, and would certainly be happy to see the former WWE NXT star's progress:

"He [Santos Escobar] was awesome in Lucha Underground. I was a huge fan of him. We still talk back and forth all the time. We love each other. He's awesome." [2:51 onwards]

Chavo Guerrero Jr. has helped produce significant projects such as GLOW, Young Rock, and the recently released The Iron Claw. The 53-year-old is gradually settling in Hollywood and dreams of now directing, amongst other major aspirations in showbiz.