Dave Batista returned with some significant fanfare to the place where hed made his name, on January 20th 2014 on Monday Night RAW after a month of solid hype. Despite leaving in 2010 on the biggest roll of his career as a fantastically egotistical heel, he returned as a babyface WWE having this thing about bringing back big stars on a high, despite their storyline past misdeeds. Initially, plenty of WWE fans were pleased to see the big man back again: probably because they actually did have fond memories of his previous run as a blinged out, arrogant bad guy, and were looking forward to what he might do next. When it became apparent that Batista was back, but playing a nondescript, generic babyface role, the tide swiftly turned on the Animal. Fans saw straight away that this was the WWE offices idea of a Wrestlemania main event, Batista versus Orton for the WWE championship, and there was a major problem there.. that was Daniel Bryans spot. When Batista appeared in the Royal Rumble at number 28, he was met with jeers that quickly turned to boos when it became apparent that Bryan was not entering the match after him, and that Batista was clearly earmarked for the win and the accompanying title shot at Wrestlemania. The name Bootista and an accompanying hashtag spun out from there, and poor old Big Dave was stuck being heavily pushed into a babyface challenger character that he couldnt get over with and suffering enormous heat in the process. A heel turn was inevitable, and took place on the February 28th edition of Smackdown, just shy of six weeks after his triumphant babyface comeback.
Professional writer, punk werewolf and nesting place for starfish. Obsessed with squid, spirals and story. I publish short weird fiction online at desincarne.com, and tweet nonsense under the name Jack The Bodiless. You can follow me all you like, just don't touch my stuff.
