Dave Bautista
David Michael Bautista Jr. is an American actor and retired professional wrestler. Regarded as one of the most prolific professional wrestlers of the Ruthless Aggression Era, he rose to fame for his multiple stints in WWE between 2002 and 2019.
Bautista began his wrestling career in 1999 and signed with WWE in 2000. From 2002 to 2010, he gained fame under the ring name Batista, initially as a member of Evolution. Amongst other championships, Bautista would go on to win the WWE Championship twice and the World Heavyweight Championship four times. His first reign as World Heavyweight Champion was the longest in the title's history. He also won the 2005 and 2014 Royal Rumble matches and subsequently headlined WrestleMania 21 and WrestleMania XXX, with the former being one of the top five highest-grossing PPV events in wrestling history. He retired from professional wrestling after WrestleMania 35 in 2019.
As an actor, Bautista is known for portraying Drax in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Rabban in Dune and its 2024 sequel. Bautista has additionally starred in Spectre, Blade Runner 2049, Final Score, Master Z: Ip Man Legacy, Army of the Dead, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Knock at the Cabin and Parachute, and The Last Showgirl.
Early life
David Michael Bautista Jr. was born in Washington, D.C., on January 18, 1969, the son of Donna Raye and hairdresser David Michael Bautista. His mother is of Greek descent, while his father was born to Filipino immigrants. His paternal grandfather served in the Philippine military, worked as a taxi driver and barber, and held other jobs to feed the family. Bautista's mother later came out as a lesbian. He has said that he lived in poverty and had a hard life which included exposure to violent crime at an early age. Before reaching the age of nine, two bodies had been found on his front lawn and another one nearby. As young as age 13, he had begun stealing cars. By age 17, he was estranged from his parents and living on his own. However, he later said, "I am proud of my parents. They are good, honest, hard-working folks. They taught me the values of working hard."Bautista worked as a nightclub bouncer until he was arrested after a fight that left two patrons injured, one of whom was knocked unconscious. After a trial, he was sentenced to one year of probation. He worked as a lifeguard before deciding to pursue a career in bodybuilding, which he credits with saving his life. At the age of 30, after having a breakdown from the shame he felt for having to ask a co-worker to lend him money so he could buy Christmas presents for his children, he saw how lucrative a career in professional wrestling could be and decided to pursue it.
Professional wrestling career
Training and early career (1999–2000)
Bautista tried out at World Championship Wrestling's Power Plant, where trainer DeWayne Bruce told him he would never make it in the wrestling business. He then went to the World Wrestling Federation, who advised him to train with Afa Anoaʻi at the Wild Samoan Training Center, where he trained and later competed in Anoaʻi's World Xtreme Wrestling promotion. He wrestled his debut match under the ring name Khan on October 30, 1999, less than three months before his 31st birthday. He also trained with Marrese Crump in Muay Thai and Eskrima.World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Entertainment / WWE (2000–2010)
Ohio Valley Wrestling (2000–2002)
Upon signing with the WWF in 2000, Bautista was sent to Ohio Valley Wrestling, a WWF developmental territory. He made his OVW debut later that year under the ring name Leviathan, where he immediately joined forces with Synn. As a member of the "Disciples of Synn" stable, he went undefeated until being beaten at Christmas Chaos by Kane with help from Stone Cold Steve Austin. He later won the OVW Heavyweight Championship from "The Machine" Doug Basham before losing the belt to The Prototype. A few months later, Bautista left OVW after he was promoted to WWE's main roster.Early storylines (2002–2003)
While still in OVW, Bautista began appearing on non-televised WWE events. He began his televised WWE career on May 9, 2002, on an episode of SmackDown! as Deacon Batista, a heel enforcer for Reverend D-Von. He made his WWE in-ring debut in a tag team match teaming with D-Von against Faarooq and Randy Orton, pinning Orton. Over several weeks, Orton tried to beat D-Von and Batista with different partners, but ultimately lost each time. Batista suffered his first loss in a match against Rikishi after D-Von accidentally punched him, allowing Rikishi to take advantage and pin Batista. Batista and D-Von argued over the forthcoming weeks, with Batista eventually turning on D-Von. On the November 14 episode of SmackDown!, Batista defeated D-Von to end their feud. After splitting with D-Von, he was assigned to the Raw brand and was renamed Batista. He aligned himself with Ric Flair and feuded with Kane, whom he defeated at Armageddon on December 15.Evolution (2003–2005)
In January 2003, Batista joined Triple H, Ric Flair and Randy Orton to form the heel stable Evolution. Batista, however, was sidelined for much of 2003 after he tore his right triceps muscle at a Raw live event in a tag team match alongside Orton against The Dudley Boyz. While training after the injury, Batista re-tore his triceps, extending his stay on the sidelines. Batista made his return on the October 20 episode of Raw, interfering in a match between Goldberg and Shawn Michaels. At Armageddon on December 14, Batista and Ric Flair became the World Tag Team Champions after winning a Tag Team Turmoil match, while Triple H won the World Heavyweight Championship and Randy Orton the Intercontinental Championship. Batista and Flair held the titles until the February 16, 2004, episode of Raw, when they were defeated by Booker T and Rob Van Dam. They later defeated Booker T and Van Dam on the March 22 episode of Raw to regain the titles before losing them to Chris Benoit and Edge on the April 19 episode of Raw.In late 2004, the relationship between Batista and Triple H began to deteriorate in kayfabe. After a loss to Chris Jericho, Triple H verbally insulted Batista. Batista teased leaving Evolution that night, but declared that he was still part of Evolution and that they tricked everyone. Despite this ploy, Batista began behaving more like a face over the next few weeks in comparison to Evolution's heel tactics. One particular moment saw Batista express disgust as Triple H and Ric Flair boasted about how they had intimidated and/or beat up Jim Ross, Danny Hodge, and Stacy Keibler. Regardless, he continued to show his loyalty to Triple H and Evolution by running down to the ring and assisting them in matches.
As 2005 began, Triple H realized the possibility of Batista becoming a threat to his World Heavyweight Championship. Triple H suggested that he not enter the Royal Rumble on January 30, claiming that it would be selfish of him to do so, and to simply focus on Triple H retaining the title. Batista entered anyway and went on to win the Rumble earning the right to participate in the main event of WrestleMania 21 on April 3 against the World Champion of his choice. On the February 14 episode of Raw, in an attempt to persuade Batista to challenge WWE Champion John "Bradshaw" Layfield and challenger John Cena in a triple-threat match rather than him, Triple H concocted a scheme to have Batista run over in a limousine resembling the one used by JBL. Initially, Batista did not want help from Evolution and wanted to confront JBL by himself. Triple H insisted that Evolution stick together and accompanied Batista anyway, saving him from the oncoming vehicle. Batista became aware of the plot while sneakily eavesdropping on fellow Evolution members and signed a contract guaranteeing him a match with the World Heavyweight Champion Triple H at WrestleMania 21, thus leaving Evolution and officially turning face. Batista initially pretended that he would sign with SmackDown!, giving Triple H and Flair the "thumbs up", but turned it into a "thumbs down" before attacking the pair. He emphasized his departure by powerbombing Triple H through the table used for the contract signing.
World Heavyweight Champion (2005–2008)
Batista won the World Heavyweight Championship on April 3 by defeating Triple H in the main event of WrestleMania 21. WrestleMania 21 received 1.09 million pay-per-view buys worldwide – the then-highest ever number of buys for any non-boxing pay-per-view. Batista's match with Triple H was described by sports journalist Dave Meltzer as "the peak of one of best storylines in years". Batista won a rematch with Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship at Backlash on May 1. After Batista retained his title against Edge on the May 23 episode of Raw, he was betrayed by Ric Flair, who helped Triple H viciously attack Batista as Triple H challenged Batista to a Hell in a Cell match at Vengeance on June 26. Batista won the match at Vengeance, retaining his title yet again. With this win, Batista became the first wrestler to pin Triple H in a Hell in a Cell match.On the June 30 episode of SmackDown!, Batista was drafted to the SmackDown! brand as the last pick in the 2005 WWE Draft Lottery, making a surprise appearance to thwart John "Bradshaw" Layfield, who was celebrating his victory in a six-man elimination match to crown the inaugural "SmackDown! Champion". This resulted in Batista bringing the World Heavyweight Championship to SmackDown!. JBL defeated Batista at The Great American Bash on July 24 by disqualification after the referee saw Batista use a steel chair. They had a rematch at SummerSlam on August 21 in a No Holds Barred match in which Batista pinned JBL. The feud culminated in a Texas Bull Rope match on the September 9 episode of SmackDown! with Batista retaining his championship. Soon after retaining the title in a feud with Eddie Guerrero at No Mercy on October 9, WWE.com reported that Batista suffered a muscle tear in his back at the taping for the November 11 episode of SmackDown! due to a double chokeslam from Big Show and Kane. Plans had been made for Batista to defend the title in a Triple Threat match with Eddie Guerrero and Randy Orton on the November 18 episode of SmackDown!, but the match did not take place as Guerrero unexpectedly died on November 13, the date of the taping. Batista paid homage to Guerrero during the Raw and SmackDown! tribute shows dedicated to Guerrero's memory.
Batista led Team SmackDown! against Team Raw in an inter-brand feud before Survivor Series on November 27. The feud saw Big Show and Kane chokeslamming Batista several more times in the weeks leading up to Survivor Series in an on-camera explanation for Batista's injury. Batista ultimately helped his team win the match at Survivor Series. After Batista saved Rey Mysterio from Big Show and Kane on the December 2 episode of SmackDown!, leading to a match with Mysterio teaming with Batista to face Big Show and Kane at Armageddon on December 18.
On the December 16 episode of SmackDown!, Batista and Mysterio defeated WWE Tag Team Champions MNM to win the titles in a match they dedicated to Eddie Guerrero, and thus Batista became a double champion. After this, the clash with Big Show and Kane at Armageddon turned into a Champions vs. Champions encounter. Batista and Mysterio lost to Big Show and Kane at Armageddon. Two weeks later on the December 30 episode of SmackDown!, MNM defeated Batista and Mysterio after help from the returning Mark Henry to regain the WWE Tag Team Championship. During the interference, Henry attacked Batista, and performed his World's Strongest Slam. The teams met again in a steel cage match on the January 6, 2006 episode of SmackDown! that Henry also became involved in, and Batista and Mysterio were defeated again. Batista tore his right triceps during a match with Mark Henry at a house show on January 6, forcing him to vacate the World Heavyweight Championship at the SmackDown! tapings on January 13, two days after surpassing Triple H's previous mark of 280 days for longest reigning champion. In his book, Batista Unleashed, Batista said that he believed that Henry was "careless" during their match as he never gave Batista any warning that the move was coming. Batista went on to have successful surgery on his arm on January 12.
Batista made an appearance at No Way Out on February 19 and told the crowd that once his arm had healed he would return to regain the World Heavyweight Championship. At WrestleMania 22 on April 2, he interrupted a Randy Orton interview, putting SmackDown! on notice that the World Heavyweight Championship would return to him by WrestleMania 23.
Batista made his official return during the July 7 episode of SmackDown! immediately calling out and entering into a feud with Mark Henry. At Saturday Night's Main Event XXXIII, Batista won a six-man tag match with teammates Rey Mysterio and Bobby Lashley, defeating World Heavyweight Champion King Booker, Finlay, and Mark Henry. Henry was legitimately injured and was ruled out of the scheduled match between the two at The Great American Bash on July 23, thus further delaying a potential feud between the two after being delayed by Batista's initial injury.
Batista put out an open challenge to replace the injured Henry, which was answered by Mr. Kennedy. At The Great American Bash, Batista lost this match via disqualification for failing to stop choking Kennedy into the turnbuckle with his boot, but continued to attack Kennedy resulting in a laceration on his forehead so severe that it exposed his cranium and required more than 20 stitches to close. Batista lost another match with Kennedy via count out in a rematch on the July 28 episode of SmackDown! before finally defeating Kennedy by pinfall on the August 4 episode of SmackDown!.
Batista faced Big Show for the ECW World Championship on the August 1 episode of ECW, winning the match by disqualification but failing to win the championship as titles cannot change hands by disqualification. He then set his sights on King Booker's World Heavyweight Championship, with the two facing in a match for the title at 2006 SummerSlam on August 20. However, Batista also won this match by disqualification. During a commercial shoot for the SummerSlam pay-per-view, Booker T and Batista reportedly got into a legitimate fistfight, with Booker T accusing Batista of considering himself superior to the rest of the roster due to his quick climb to main-event status. It was also reported that some wrestlers on the SmackDown brand agreed with Booker T. Batista continued his pursuit of the championship, failing to capture it once again in a fatal-four way at No Mercy on October 8 also involving Finlay and Bobby Lashley, before finally defeating King Booker to regain the World Heavyweight Championship at Survivor Series on November 26. The following month at Armageddon on December 17, Batista teamed with John Cena to defeat King Booker and Finlay, putting an end to the rivalry.
Going into 2007, Batista began a short feud with Mr. Kennedy over the championship. Batista retained the championship over Kennedy at the Royal Rumble on January 28. Batista's next challenger was The Undertaker, the winner of the Royal Rumble match. The two formed a reluctant alliance to face John Cena and Shawn Michaels at No Way Out on February 18, which they lost after Batista turned on The Undertaker midway through the match. At WrestleMania 23 on April 1, Batista lost the World Heavyweight Championship to The Undertaker. They continued their feud with a Last Man Standing match at Backlash on April 29, which ended in a draw. The two wrestled again in a Steel Cage Match on the May 11 episode of SmackDown!, which also ended in a draw. Following the match, Edge took advantage and won the title from The Undertaker by cashing in his Money in the Bank contract. Afterward, Batista challenged Edge unsuccessfully for the World Heavyweight Championship at Judgment Day on May 20, One Night Stand on June 3, and Vengeance: Night of Champions on June 24. The loss at Vengeance stipulated that Batista could no longer get another chance at the World Heavyweight Championship while Edge remained champion.
Batista accepted an open challenge from The Great Khali at The Great American Bash on July 22. Edge relinquished the title due to an injury the week before The Great American Bash, and Khali became the new World Heavyweight Champion, winning a Battle Royal and eliminating Batista. Batista and Kane, Edge's title opponent, faced Khali at The Great American Bash in a Triple Threat match where Khali retained the title. Batista received a disqualification victory against Khali at SummerSlam on August 26 after Khali used a steel chair, thus Khali retained the title again. Batista finally claimed his third World Heavyweight Championship after eight consecutive attempts, by defeating Khali in a triple threat match that included Rey Mysterio at Unforgiven on September 16. His first challenge was from The Great Khali in a Punjabi Prison Match at No Mercy on October 7 where Batista retained his title. He won the match by leaping from the inner bamboo structure to the outer one, shortening his escape route and beating Khali to the floor.
After the return of The Undertaker at Unforgiven, the duo reignited their feud at Cyber Sunday on October 28 where the fans chose Stone Cold Steve Austin as the Special Guest Referee. Batista pinned The Undertaker after two Batista Bombs. The feud continued with a Hell in a Cell match at Survivor Series on November 18. During the match, Edge returned and interfered by giving The Undertaker a con-chair-to. He then pulled an unconscious Batista on top of The Undertaker for the pinfall to retain the World Heavyweight Championship. At Armageddon on December 16, Edge won a Triple Threat match, alongside The Undertaker for Batista's World Heavyweight Championship.
Batista appeared in the Royal Rumble on January 27, 2008 and made the final three before being eliminated by Triple H. At No Way Out on February 17, he was part of the SmackDown Elimination Chamber Match and eliminated Big Daddy V, but was last eliminated by The Undertaker. At WrestleMania XXIV on March 30, he defeated Umaga in an interpromotional match. After Shawn Michaels defeated Ric Flair in a Career Threatening match later that night, Batista began a feud with Michaels, calling him selfish and egotistical. The two faced off at Backlash on April 27 with Chris Jericho as the special guest referee. Michaels won after faking a knee injury and performing Sweet Chin Music. Batista then defeated Michaels at One Night Stand on June 1 in a stretcher match, thus ending their feud.
On the June 23 episode of Raw, Batista was drafted to the Raw brand during the 2008 WWE Draft. After failing to win the World Heavyweight Championship from Edge at Night of Champions on June 29, Batista attacked Edge the following night on Raw, allowing CM Punk to cash in his Money in the Bank contract on Edge and win the World Heavyweight Championship. This set up a title match between Batista and Punk at The Great American Bash on July 20 which ended in a double disqualification after Kane interfered and attacked both men. The following night on Raw, Batista and Punk had a rematch, Batista won by disqualification after he was attacked by JBL. As John Cena came to the ring to fight JBL, he inadvertently punched Batista as JBL ducked. This started a program between Cena and Batista leading up to SummerSlam on August 17, for which a match was made official by Raw general manager Mike Adamle. This was the first time a match between the two would occur as they had each been on separate brands since they both debuted in 2002. On the August 4 episode of Raw, Batista and Cena won the World Tag Team Championship from Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase, making Batista a three-time World Tag Team Champion. The next week on Raw, Batista and Cena lost the World Tag Team Championship back to Rhodes and DiBiase. After losing the titles, the two had to be separated by multiple officials. Batista defeated Cena at SummerSlam, legitimating injuring Cena's neck in the process.
Batista then competed in the World Heavyweight Championship championship scramble match at Unforgiven on September 7 and was eight seconds away from being a four-time world champion, but Chris Jericho snuck in and pinned Kane in the waning seconds. On October 26 at Cyber Sunday on October 26, Batista defeated Jericho for his fourth World Heavyweight Championship in a match in which Stone Cold Steve Austin was voted in as the special guest referee. Batista's reign, however, only lasted eight days when Jericho won the title back in a Steel Cage match on the 800th episode of Raw on November 3.
Batista then entered a feud with former Evolution partner, Randy Orton; at Survivor Series on November 23, Batista led a team of himself, CM Punk, Kofi Kingston, Matt Hardy, and R-Truth to face the team of Randy Orton, Shelton Benjamin, William Regal, Cody Rhodes, and Mark Henry. Orton's team won with Orton pinning Batista, winning the match for his team. His feud with Orton continued up to Armageddon on December 14 where Batista defeated Orton. On the December 15 episode of Raw, Batista was put into a handicap match against The Legacy with John Cena as his partner. During the match, Orton struck Batista with a punt to the head. Batista was knocked out and put out of action indefinitely due to a storyline head injury. WWE.com later reported that Batista elected to undergo surgery to repair a hamstring tear. His hamstring was injured at SummerSlam, in the same match that John Cena was forced out of action with a neck injury. He was expected to be out of action for six to eight months.