10 Crucial Steps In Batista's WWE Evolution

1. Returning To Fan Derision

There were not a lot of people expecting Batista to return to WWE. In interviews, the man had been pretty outspoken against the 'PG' stance the company had taken in 2008. He expressed zero interest in making a comeback, and looked to launch both a film and MMA career in the interim. When he was announced as returning in late-2013, a fair few eyebrows were raised. Entered into the 2014 Royal Rumble match, Batista promised to win and take the WWE Title from Randy Orton at WrestleMania XXX. He did win the Rumble, but fans were terribly unhappy with the result. The unrest was clear, people didn't want Batista, they wanted Daniel Bryan in the main event slot on the biggest show of the year. This didn't seem to sit well with 'The Animal'. He did appear in the main event of 'Mania, but had turned heel again before the bout. Bryan left the show with the WWE Title, beating both Batista and Randy Orton in the headline bout. After the event, Evolution was briefly reformed without Ric Flair, but Batista elected to leave WWE once more in June. Since then, he has intimated interest in returning, but only for non-televised events. It appears he still hates the reaction he received upon his big comeback. What other big moments would you consider crucial to the evolution of Batista? What are your thoughts on his career overall? Let us know what you think down in the comments section below!