10 Wrestling Legends Whose WWE Returns Hurt Their Legacy
8. Batista
Batista has always had his critics, but he remains one of the most convincing power wrestlers that WWE have produced in recent decades. A six-time world champion, Batista accomplished more in WWE than most wrestlers could ever dream of, and while never the flashiest wrestler, he was hugely popular and a legitimate draw.
Batista left WWE in 2010 after stating that the company was heading in a direction that he didn’t like. The time off allowed him head to Hollywood and start building an acting career, but he returned to Raw in January 2014, and announced his participation in the forthcoming Royal Rumble.
A few weeks later, Batista became one of the most unpopular Royal Rumble winners of all-time. Daniel Bryan was at the height of his popularity at the time, and fans were clamouring for him to win the match and head to WrestleMania. Instead, the fans were handed Batista as a winner, and Bryan didn’t even feature in the match.
The crowd turned on him immediately. Boos rained from every corner as Batista eliminated competitor after competitor, and his babyface status plummeted. WWE eventually turned Batista heel and he wrestled Bryan and Randy Orton for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania XXX, but the damage was already done. The WWE Universe had forgotten how to care for Batista, and he left two months later.