Batista performed in WWE between 2002 and 2010, then indulge in a few further appearances in 2014 and 2019. Dave is a six-time world champion, having clinched the heavyweight title four times and the WWE Championship twice.
His first reign as World Heavyweight Champion, which lasted a full 282 days, is the longest in the history of the belt. As if that were not enough, he has won the World Tag Team Championship three times and the WWE Tag Team Championship once, as well as having won two different editions of the Royal Rumble.
His wrestling career officially ended at WrestleMania 35, after he was defeated by his old friend and rival Triple H in a No-Holds-Barred match. In the latest edition of the ‘Cafe de Rene’ podcast, former tag team Champion Rene Dupree heavily criticized ‘The Animal’
Dupree struggled on the main roster between 2003 and 2007; in those years, Batista transformed from a novice talent into a WrestleMania main eventer.
“Batista was physically bigger than Triple H, but he never had a good work ethic” – Dupree began.
“He has never been as committed as he should have and his wrestling style of him was terrible. He had neither grace nor timing. I confess I’ve never seen any of his films. I hope that as an actor he is better than as a wrestler, otherwise, it means that those films are a shit” – added Rene.
A few days ago, Buddy Lee Parker revealed why Dave was dropped from WCW in the late 1990s: “It’s true he auditioned way back in 1999. I was a little curt towards him because I knew the WCW had no intention of taking it.
I had already sensed at the time that he would be better off in WWE. Analyzing his career development, I think it was the best thing that happened to him”. Recently, Shelly Martinez has highlighted Batista’s backstage behavior towards her in WWE.
“I would go to shake his hand like we’re supposed to, and he wouldn’t shake my hand,” said Shelly Martinez. “And I’m like, ‘What the f am I supposed to do?’ Whatever! So, Johnny Ace [John Laurinaitis] kind of followed up with me a few weeks later.