Triple H must take 35-year-old star under his wing and make him the 'Next Batista' of WWE
Nobody in WWE's recent history has seemingly been able to fill the shoes of Batista, who dominated the company during the 2000s. But perhaps Triple H could turn a top AEW star into the modern-day version of The Animal.
The star in question is the current AEW TNT Champion, Wardlow. He has been compared to the Guardians of the Galaxy star many times since making his first appearance in All Elite Wrestling in 2019.
Both men share similar finishing moves, physiques, and even turned babyface similarly. While Batista broke away from his mentor Triple H, Wardlow split from MJF to embark on a solo run.
“It just organically happened. My career just seems to be mimicking a little bit of Batista’s.
You can compare The Pinnacle to Evolution and you can compare myself and Max to Triple H [and] Batista. It has really unfolded very similar to how that did.”
- Wardlow
(via CBS) https://t.co/akmveX6pwp
Wardlow could potentially reach the highest level in WWE rather than AEW because the former has a history of favoring wrestlers who are bigger than the average man.
Wardlow can not only perform the powerful moves that a young Batista did but can also do things you'd only see from someone like prime Jeff Hardy. This would make him the perfect hybrid of a "work rate" wrestler and the stereotypical WWE Superstar that fans have grown to love.
Veterans like Arn Anderson have already claimed that Wardlow has been held back in his career. Hence, before Mr. Mayhem gets too "old" to be the top guy in either WWE or AEW, the TNT Champion should consider his options if he wants to follow in the footsteps of The Animal.
Wardlow has commented on being compared to Batista
The discourse surrounding Wardlow being compared to the former WWE Superstar isn't limited to fans online. The AEW star himself has even commented on the comparisons.
During a recent interview with Bill Apter for Sportskeeda Wrestling, Mr. Mayhem stated that he had been flattered by the comparisons to The Animal. He cited the former world champion as a big inspiration when he first got into wrestling.
Wardlow has yet to reach The Animal's level of success, as he has yet to win a world championship in a major promotion. But one thing is sure, that time will undoubtedly come if Mr. Mayhem continues to perform at the highest level.
Do you think Wardlow could be the next Batista? Let us know in the comments section below.