"Nobody talked to me, but you did" – Details on Batista's heartfelt moment with WWE Hall of Famer
Dave Bautista, aka Batista, once went out of his way to thank Diamond Dallas Page (DDP) for helping him earlier in his WWE career.
The six-time world champion was known as Leviathan in WWE's Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) developmental system between 2000 and 2002. During that time, he teamed up with DDP in a losing effort against Kane and The Undertaker at an OVW show.
In an interview with Film Snob Reviews, DDP recalled how he wrestled Chris Kanyon in a comeback match in 2006. While he was at the show, the WWE Hall of Famer shared a heartfelt conversation with his one-time tag team partner:
"Somebody stuck their head out and said, 'Hey, D, Dave wants to say goodbye,'" DDP stated. "I said, 'Oh, cool.' I walked through the curtain, and he said, 'Hey, man. I just want you to know a lot of the people at the WWE, those first couple of years, nobody talked to me, but you did, and I appreciate your advice. I just want you to know I appreciate you,' and gave me a big hug." [13:19 – 13:53]
Batista joined WWE's main roster a year after his OVW tag team match with DDP. He went on to become one of the company's biggest stars of the 2000s before focusing on his acting career.
DDP on Batista, John Cena, and The Rock's movie success
A small number of WWE Superstars have successfully swapped sports entertainment for the silver screen. While The Rock is the most well-known wrestler-turned-actor, Batista and John Cena have also earned praise for their work in Hollywood.
Bad people. Beautiful places. Brilliant detective.
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DDP, who recently starred in the action film High Heat, is pleased to see all three men doing so well outside of WWE:
"That was super cool, and I've loved watching him [Batista] do everything that he does. He's multi-faceted, like The Rock. They're both similar in the way that they can play a lot of different types of characters. Very talented, both of them. And John, too, I think he's doing a hell of a job." [13:54 – 14:20]
Batista is one of the main characters in the new Netflix film Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. Rian Johnson, the movie's director, believes The Animal is the best actor from the wrestling business.
Are you a fan of the former WWE Superstar? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Please credit Film Snob Reviews and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.