Dave Bautista Reportedly In Talks for WrestleMania 35 Match
Former WWE Champion Dave Bautista and the WWE are in talks for 'The Animal' to make an in-ring [...]
Former WWE Champion Dave Bautista and the WWE are in talks for "The Animal" to make an in-ring return at WrestleMania 35, according to a new report from Pro Wrestling Sheet.
"According to multiple sources, the 'Guardians of the Galaxy' star is deep in talks with WWE about a return on 'The Grandest Stage of Them All,'" Pro Wrestling Sheet's Ryan Satin wrote. "However, we're told he's 50/50 on returning at this point based on how talks have gone."
Satin added that new promotion All Elite Wrestling has also reached out to Batista for a potential deal, and that "he's listening to what both companies have to offer."
The Avengers: Endgame actor originally left the WWE in 2010 to pursue careers in mixed martial arts and acting. While his fighting career was short-lived (one TKO victory in 2012), his career as an action star quickly took off as Drax the Destroyer in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, Mr. Hinx in the 2015 James Bond film Spectre, Sapper Morton in Blade Runner 2049. Along with a role in the new Avengers film in April, Bautista is also set to star in the Dune remake directed by Academy Award winner Denis Villeneuve.
Batista initially returned to the WWE in 2014 prior to the release of the first Guardians movie, and was quickly added into the world championship picture by winning the 2014 Royal Rumble match. However fans severely rejected the original Batista vs. Randy Orton title match, and along with CM Punk's sudden departure the WWE opted to change up plans by turning Batista heel and adding Daniel Bryan into the title match at the height of the "Yes! Movement."
After losing in the main event of WrestleMania XXX, Batista realigned himself with Triple H and Randy Orton to reform Evolution. Together the three took on The Shield in a pair of pay-per-view matches but lost on both occasions. "The Animal" left the company all together soon after, citing creative differences.
In the following years Batista campaigned for a WWE return multiple times, saying he had reached out to the company for some type of WrestleMania match. In one interivew in April 2018 he claimed that the company originally had him penciled in to team with Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania 34 to face Triple H and Stephanie McMahon, but Kurt Angle was eventually chosen for the role.
Batista made his onscreen WWE return in Ocotber for the SmackDown 1000 special, and teased a one-on-one match with Hunter during an Evolution reunion.
