Exclusive: Batista Talks Potential WWE Return
Speaking to WhatCulture, Dave Bautista reveals what would it would take to get him back in the ring.
Despite being away from WWE for over four years, and carving out a successful Hollywood career in the process, Dave Bautista has revealed that he thinks about a return to wrestling on a daily basis.
Speaking exclusively to WhatCulture.com at the press junket for his upcoming movie Final Score, Bautista was asked not only if he would return to WWE, but what it would take to make that happen.
“It’s something that I think about daily" he said. "I miss it daily. I love it. I have a passion for wrestling. I feel like at the core of me, that’s who I am. I’m a physical performer and I miss it everyday”.
Batista walked away from the company over a number of creative differences in 2014, and has since had starring roles in Guardians of The Galaxy, James Bond's Spectre, and Blade Runner 2049. Despite this the question of a potential in-ring return is something that has been frequently put to him.
"I think it would have to be the right time. It would have to be the right opponent. But that’s pretty much it, it would just have to make sense. I feel like the last time I went back was with really good intentions and that I wasn’t delivered what I was promised creatively".
"So that would be it, I’d have to have a strong say in who I worked with and it would have to make sense in terms of time. Not only do I have to be free but I have to factor in the fact that I could be injured and if I did get injured I’d need time to rehabilitate myself so I have to factor those things in".
Despite returning to win the Royal Rumble in 2014 and main event that year's WrestleMania, Batista found himself in a feud with The Shield - being on the losing side in two consecutive PPVS - and left the company almost immediately after.
He was allegedly approached to appear at WrestleMania 2016, but turned down the offer due to scheduling difficulties. His admission that he still sees wrestling as being at the core of who he is, does leave the door open for a return in the future.
Final Score is released in cinemas in the UK on September 7th, and in the US on September 14th. The full video interview will be available on WhatCulture next week.