4-time World Heavyweight Champion got rejected by WCW before joining WWE; was told he'll never make it as a wrestler
WWE has become synonymous with the pro wrestling world. The company has helped many stars grow over the years, and a former World Heavyweight Champion recently detailed how he was rejected by another company before being picked up by WWE.
Dave Bautista, fka Batista, has become a household name in Hollywood. He was one of the toughest men in the Stamford-based wrestling promotion during his time there before he switched to the acting world.
In a recent appearance on Jimmy Fallon’s The Tonight Show, The Animal spoke about how he was unsure of his career choices.
"I thought I wanted to body-build," Bautista said. "Thirteen years later, I had nothing to show for it. I was just big and jacked, and I was broke, and I thought, 'What am I going to do?'"
He initially tried out at WCW to become a pro wrestler, but the company sent him away. This was a big blow to the man who is waiting to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
"My first tryout was miserable," said Bautista. "They told me to leave and that I'd never be a pro wrestler. That was in Atlanta, Georgia. It's a place called the Power Plant, which was WCW at the time. They literally told me to leave. 'You're not gonna make it, you're never going to make it,'" Batista said. [H/T - Wrestling Inc.]
The four-time World Heavyweight Champion tried out at WCW’s Power Plant in 1999, where the trainer DeWayne Bruce, who reportedly had quite a notorious reputation, told him he would never make it in the wrestling business.
WWE then advised him to train with Afa Anoaʻi at the Wild Samoan Training Center, and things turned around for The Animal from thereon.
Dave Bautista (Batista) will likely never compete in WWE again
Dave Bautista is still in great shape at the age of 55. He is working in several action-packed movies that likely take a toll on his body.
Batista retired from WWE following his loss to Triple H at WrestleMania 35. The match between the two real-life friends and on-screen rivals was a treat for diehard wrestling fans.
He was announced to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020 but asked to postpone his induction as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s unclear when Bautista will be added to the list of Hall of Famers after his proper induction.
While many stars have returned to the ring for final matches even after their retirement, it looks like Batista is done with wrestling. He has built a legacy that will ensure that fans remember him forever.