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Batista (aka Dave Bautista) was one of the biggest faces in WWE when he left Evolution and started working as a singles competitor by defeating Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 21. Recently, former Tag Team Champion Titus O'Neil spoke about The Animal's absence and why he is not being inducted into the Hall of Fame this year.
In 2019, Batista had his final match with the company after he reignited his rivalry with Triple H to end his career. The two former Evolution members met at the Grandest Stage of Them All in a No Holds Barred match, which was won by The Game.
The WWE Universe expected Batista to enter the Hall of Fame, as the theme for the event was Hollywood. Speaking to Wrestling News.co, Dave's good friend and former 24/7 Champion Titus O'Neil spoke about The Animal's absence and the reason behind him not getting inducted into this year's class:
"He's in South Africa right now, so it would be hard for him to make the actual ceremony. He's shooting a movie. He's over in Cape town, South Africa, shooting My Spy 2." [H/T - WrestlingNews.co]
Check out the video down below:
In 2019, WWE announced that Batista would enter the Hall of Fame class of 2020. However, the global pandemic canceled those plans, and there is no update on when The Animal will receive the honor.
Batista's long-time friend and rival Rey Mysterio will enter the WWE Hall of Fame 2023
During the Ruthless Aggression Era, Batista and Rey Mysterio became close friends on the blue brand alongside Eddie Guerrero. The two stars once held the WWE Tag Team Championships for a while.
In 2009, the two on-screen friends feuded for the first time in their careers after they both failed to win the World Heavyweight Championship. They both exchanged victories over each other before ending their rivalry.
In 2010, Dave left the company to pursue his interest in acting. Meanwhile, Mysterio is still an active competitor on SmackDown. Earlier this month, the company announced that Mysterio will be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Apart from getting inducted, Mysterio will face his son, Dominik Mysterio, on WrestleMania 39 Night One. It will be interesting to see which superstar walks out of the Grandest Stage of Them All with a win.
What are your thoughts on the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2023? Sound off in the comment section below.
