10 Biggest Breakout Stars Of WWE's Original Brand Extension
2. Batista
Dave Batista was never meant to be one of the biggest stars in professional wrestling. He had a great look but was really only supposed to excel as the muscle of Evolution. He would oppose Goldberg and Kane, beating them down with great ferocity and finishing them off with his unmatched power.
As attention was turned to teammate Randy Orton, though, Batista demonstrated character traits that made him far more interesting than anyone could have imagined. He was smart and calculating and he understood that every decision Evolution leader Triple H was self-serving. The Game was concerned only with his own best interests and Batista was no longer interested in supporting him.
After winning the 2005 Royal Rumble, Batista opted to challenge Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship in the main event of WrestleMania 21. At the Showcase of the Immortals, he defeated his mentor and captured the coveted title, kicking off an improbable run that saw him eventually evolve into the franchise player of SmackDown, one of WWE's greatest Ruthless Aggression competitors and a bonafide Hollywood player.