Batista Wants To Return To WWE, Here's What Will Bring Him Back
Matthew Perez It's no secret that Batista would love to have one more run in the WWE, especially after leaving on a sour note in 2014.
Even though 'The Animal' is enjoying a successful career in the movie business right now, the future Hall of Famer wants to return to the squared circle one more time. In an interview with What Culture, Batista talked about how much he misses wrestling, and the conditions that must be met for a return.
"It’s something that I think about daily," he said. "I miss it daily. I love it. I have a passion for wrestling," Batista said. "I feel like at the core of me, that’s who I am. I’m a physical performer and I miss it every day."
Batista returned as a babyface in early 2014, but he received a cold reception from fans after winning the Royal Rumble. Thus, the creative team had no choice but to turn him heel. Batista later said he knew returning as a face, to begin with, was a mistake. He left in mid-2014 following frustration with the creative team.
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So what would it take for The Animal to put his Hollywood career on hold for another run with the company that made him famous? Simply put, timing is everything.
"I think it would have to be the right time. It would have to be the right opponent. But that’s pretty much it, it would just have to make sense," Batista said. "I feel like the last time I went back was with really good intentions and that I wasn’t delivered what I was promised creatively."
The Animal reportedly pitched an idea to WWE about teaming up with Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania 34, where they'd go up against Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. Batista said The Game never returned his call, however, and Kurt Angle wound up being inserted into the match instead of him.
Batista's last appearance for WWE was on the June 2, 2014, episode of Raw. Evolution had lost to The Shield at Payback, and when Triple H wouldn't grant Batista a World Heavyweight Championship match against Daniel Bryan, The Animal quit and walked out.
There's no doubting that Batista will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame someday. And though he turns 50 in January, he remains in excellent shape and would surely be capable of putting on fine matches. For himself, his fans and the WWE, it would only be fair for him to get one last run, with a better sendoff.
