Tag: Dave Bautista

Dave Bautista set for 2020 WWE Hall of Fame class

Posted on by F4W Staff

By Dave Meltzer and Joseph Currier

WWE is getting an early start on 2020’s Hall of Fame announcements.

In addition to the nWo (Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall & Sean “X-Pac” Waltman) being inducted, WWE has announced that Dave Bautista is going into their Hall of Fame during WrestleMania week in April.

“Vince [McMahon] called me personally to ask me, I was just … I wasn’t surprised, but I was pretty happy,” Bautista told People. “It’s a good feeling, it’s a really great feeling.”

Bautista spent his entire career with WWE. He wasn’t picked up after a WCW tryout, which, given his look, tells you about their talent judgment. He was signed for OVW and became an immediate favorite of Jim Cornette, who booked him as the monster Leviathan. As it turned out, his WWE run was completely different. After a failed debut as Deacon Batista, he became “The Animal” Batista, handpicked to be part of Evolution, with Ric Flair, Triple H, and Randy Orton. Essentially the idea was that Flair was a legend from the prior generation, Triple H was a current legend, and Batista and Orton were groomed to carry the company in the future.

While Orton was the original pick to be the breakout future star to first feud with Triple H, Batista had the more immediate success. In particular, the Batista vs. Triple H WrestleMania 21 match drew what was the most money of any pro wrestling event in history up to that point in time and is still the fourth biggest PPV event in pro wrestling history. For several years, it was Batista and John Cena who were the top full-time stars until Batista left the company to go into Hollywood.

He made two comebacks, both of which led to major WrestleMania matches and announced his retirement after last year’s show when he put over Triple H.

He’s become a successful actor, appearing in leading roles of a number of movies, and is best known for Drax the Destroyer in Guardians of the Galaxy.

The 2020 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony is taking place at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida on Thursday, April 2. The ceremony has been moved to Thursday due to SmackDown now being on Friday.

Tickets for the Hall of Fame ceremony are going on sale to the general public this Friday (December 13).

Batista episode of WWE 24, Ricochet Chronicle set to premiere

Posted on by Joseph Currier

New episodes of WWE 24 and Chronicle are set to debut on the WWE Network over the next week-plus.

After Raw on Monday (July 8), a new edition of WWE 24 called “Batista: Dream Chaser” will air. Here’s the description for the show: “Batista chased his dreams of becoming a WWE Legend and Hollywood megastar. At WrestleMania 35, he returned for the last match of his career.”

Batista returned to WWE in February and furthered his program with Triple H after it was set up at SmackDown 1000 last year. Triple H defeated Batista in a no holds barred match at WrestleMania 35, with Batista announcing his retirement from professional wrestling the next day.

Ricochet will be the subject of a new WWE Chronicle that will premiere after EVOLVE’s 10th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, July 13. The description for the episode is: “Get a look into the life of Ricochet as he captures his first title and shows why he’s one of the WWE’s fastest-rising stars.”

At Stomping Grounds last month, Ricochet defeated Samoa Joe to become the new United States Champion. He’s been involved in a program with AJ Styles since.

The WWE 24 episode is listed as being an hour long, while Chronicle is in a 30-minute time slot.

Dave Bautista announces retirement from pro wrestling

Posted on by Josh Nason

Early Monday morning after WrestleMania, former WWE champion and Guardians of The Galaxy star Dave Bautista announced his retirement on Twitter.

@WWEUniverse Thank you for letting me entertain you. I love this business and whether you cheered me or jeered me, I’m grateful for being a small part of your life. I am officially retired from sports entertainment and I am grateful for every second of my amazing journey

— Dave Bautista (@DaveBautista) April 8, 2019

The 50-year-old was part of Sunday’s show, losing a long no holds barred match to Triple H, one that received mixed reviews on social media. Given his success in acting and the five year gap between appearances, it’s no surprise that he’s calling it quits.

He began training back in 1999 and was signed to a WWE developmental deal in 2000, getting the call-up in 2003 to be an enforcer for the Reverend D’Von character. He was moved to the new Evolution stable with Ric Flair, Triple H, and Randy Orton and his career took off from there.

He would remain in WWE until 2014 when he decided to leave over creative differences and didn’t return until SmackDown’s 1000th episode in 2018 where he teased a match against Triple H. He then shot an angle in February at Ric Flair’s 70th birthday celebration to set up the match.

Over the course of his career, he won six world titles and four tag team titles. He also won the Royal Rumble.

Dave Bautista set to return to WWE Raw this week

Posted on by Josh Nason

In what is shaping up to be a big night with returning stars, our Dave Meltzer is reporting that former WWE champion and budding movie star Dave Bautista will make his return to WWE Raw Monday.

Meltzer is told Bautista is backstage at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA, but is being kept hidden.

One would assume that the kickoff for a long-discussed HHH vs. Bautista match for WresleMania would be the impetus for his return tonight with the big holdup being HHH’s recovery from a torn pectoral suffered at Crown Jewel. On a recent NXT TakeOver conference call, HHH said he was cleared to begin training as his rehab was complete.

Recently, Meltzer and others reported that both WWE and AEW were interested in the Guardians of the Galaxy star’s services, but he later confirmed that AEW wasn’t going to be a reality.

Currently scheduled for Raw is the return of Roman Reigns and an expected positive announcement on his recovery from leukemia in addition to Ric Flair’s 70th birthday celebration. Shawn Michaels teased on social media that he would be on the show, and Wrestling Inc. reported that Sting and Ricky Steamboat are also backstage.

Dave Bautista in talks with WWE, AEW for return

Posted on by Josh Nason

Image: LA Times

According to Pro Wrestling Sheet, former WWE star and popular actor Dave Bautista is talking to both WWE and AEW about a return to wrestling.

Dave Meltzer confirmed the accuracy of the story.

PWS reported that Bautista and WWE are talking about a return at this year’s WrestleMania but according to their sources, he is “50-50” about a comeback there based on how the negotiations are going. AEW has also shown interest in bringing in Bautista, and he is listening to what they have to say.

The 50-year-old left the company in 2014 to pursue acting, landing notable roles in Spectre, the Guardians of The Galaxy movies and the Blade Runner sequel. He was last seen on WWE TV during the SmackDown 1000 show last October teasing a match with Triple H, something that has been rumored for several years. 

His last in-ring action was when he teamed with HHH and Randy Orton against The Shield at Payback in 2014.