Batista

Career Batista tried out at the WCW Power Plant but was told he would never make it in the wrestling business by Sgt. Buddy Lee Parker. He then went to the WWF who sent him to work with Afa Anoai. He wrestled in Anoai's WXW promotion under the name Kahn.[edit] Ohio Valley Wrestling (2000-2002) He made his Ohio Valley Wrestling debut in 2000, joining forces with Synn. During his tenure in OVW he was called Leviathan. As a member of the Disciples of Synn stable he would go undefeated until being beaten at an OVW supercard, Christmas Chaos by WWF's Kane (with help from Stone Cold Steve Austin). He would later go on to win the OVW Heavyweight Championship from 'The Machine' Doug Basham. After losing the belt to The Prototype, Synn felt Batista was getting too independent and "sold" him to Reverend D-Von to begin his WWE (then still WWF) career.[edit] World Wrestling Entertainment He began his WWE career on the May 9, 2002 episode of SmackDown! as Deacon Bautista, a heel enforcer for Reverend D-Von on the SmackDown! franchise. Batista made his WWE match debut in a tag match teaming with D-Von against Randy Orton and Faarooq with Batista pinning Orton after using his spinebuster. Over a sequence of weeks, Orton would try to beat D-Von and Batista with different partners, but ultimately losing each time to Batista's spinebuster. After splitting with D-Von (and defeating D-Von after a Batista Bomb), he went to RAW and was rebranded as Dave Batista (or simply Batista).After establishing himself as a monster through a couple of squash matches, he aligned himself with Ric Flair and feuded with Kane. Batista's pay-per-view debut was at Armageddon 2002 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he defeated Kane, only after heavy interference from Flair.[edit] 2003 - 2005 In January 2003, Batista joined with Triple H, Ric Flair, and Randy Orton to form the stable Evolution. However, Batista was sidelined for much of 2003 after he tore his right triceps at a house show in a tag team match against the Dudley Boyz that saw his tag team partner, Randy Orton break his foot as well. During his recuperation after surgery to reattach his tricep, Dave was out jogging with his wife running wind sprints (which he learned from his fellow wrestler and friend Brock Lesnar) he slipped while slowing down and instinctively used his right arm to break his fall, retearing his tricep. He faced another setback when after his second surgery to reattach his tricep he suffered an infection that required a third surgery to clean out the infection. He made his return on the October 20, 2003 episode of RAW, interfering in a match between Goldberg and Shawn Michaels and "shattering" Goldberg's ankle by inserting it in a folding chair and then jumping off the second rope on to the chair. After the interference, Evolution came out and Triple H rewarded Batista with a guaranteed payment of $100,000. On the November 10, 2003 episode of RAW, Goldberg defeated Batista by disqualification when Triple H interfered and attempted to hit him with a sledgehammer.At Armageddon 2003, Batista took part in two matches, losing to Shawn Michaels in a singles match but winning a tag team turmoil match along with Ric Flair, eliminating the Dudley Boyz to become one-half of the World Tag Team Champions. By the end of the PPV, all four members of Evolution held championships on RAW, with Triple H winning the World Heavyweight Championship and Randy Orton winning the WWE Intercontinental Championship.They held the titles until the February 16, 2004, episode of RAW, when they were defeated by Booker T and Rob Van Dam. They later regained the titles for a short period. After SummerSlam 2004, Batista would enter into a losing streak which would last most of the year and would see Batista get pinned by mid-card wrestler Maven on one occasion.In late 2004, after Randy Orton defeated Chris Benoit for the World Heavyweight Championship, Triple H evicted him from the group, claiming that the title which Orton held was rightfully his. It was Batista who delivered an electric chair to Orton after Triple H gave Orton a "thumbs up" before turning it into a "thumbs down." Batista as a member of Evolution with Triple H and Ric Flair.At the 2004 Survivor Series, Triple H, Batista, Gene Snitsky, and Edge were to face-off against Maven, Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit, and Randy Orton in an 8-Man Elimination Tag Match for control of RAW over the following month (the members of the winning team would each be the RAW general manager for a week). Prior to the pay-per-view, Edge, Snitsky, and Triple H all had an argument in the locker room regarding Triple H's championship, with each wrestler claiming that they should hold the title. Batista, who was present at that time, did not say a word but rather took a brief look at the belt as everybody was leaving the locker room, adding into the growing fan speculation and interest in his character. They ended up losing, causing much unrest within Evolution. In the first week following Survivor Series, Triple H had offered Maven a spot in Evolution (rather than have Maven challenge him for the World Title) which was turned down.Throughout the next two months, the relationship between Batista and Triple H began to deteriorate. After a loss to Chris Jericho by disqualification, Batista was verbally insulted by Triple H. Batista teased leaving Evolution that night, but he declared that he was still part of Evolution and that they tricked everyone. Still, Dave began behaving more like a face in the next few weeks, despite Evolution's heelish tactics. One particular moment showed a disgusted Batista as Triple H and Ric Flair boasted about how they had intimidated and/or beat up Jim Ross, Danny Hodge, and Stacy Keibler. He continued to show his loyalty to Triple H and Evolution by running down to the ring and assisting him in matches. However, despite this, fans started cheering for Batista.[edit] 2005 As 2005 began, Batista's growing popularity was becoming more and more evident, especially to Triple H. Triple H soon realized the possibility of Batista, much like Randy Orton the year before, becoming a threat to his World Heavyweight Championship. Triple H suggested that Dave not enter the Royal Rumble, claiming that it would be selfish of him to do so, and to simply focus on Triple H retaining the title. After defeating La Resistance in a handicap match, Dave entered anyway and went on to win the Royal Rumble, last eliminating John Cena, earning the right to participate in the main event of WrestleMania 21 against the World Champion of his choice.In an attempt to persuade Batista to challenge WWE Champion John "Bradshaw" Layfield rather than Triple H, Triple H concocted a scheme that saw him attempt to have Batista run over in a limousine resembling the one used by Layfield. Initially, Dave didn't want help from Evolution and wanted to confront JBL by himself. Triple H insisted that Evolution stick together and accompanied Dave anyway. In fact, it was Triple H that saved Dave from the oncoming vehicle. Batista became aware of the plot while sneakily eavesdropping on fellow Evolution members, and on the February 21 episode of RAW he signed a contract guaranteeing him a match with World Champion Triple H at WrestleMania 21, thus leaving Evolution and officially turning face for the first time in WWE. He emphasized his departure by powerbombing Triple H through the table used for the contract signing. 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, much to the delight of the crowd, who became unglued upon the thumbs-down.Batista went on to win the World Heavyweight Championship on April 3, 2005 at WrestleMania 21. The show ended with confetti falling through the air as Batista celebrated his title win with the fans chanting his name.At Backlash, on May 1, 2005, Batista once again faced Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship. Batista retained the title but continued to feud with Triple H. Along the way, he even helped commentator Jim "J.R." Ross gain an upset victory over Triple H on RAW.On May 23, 2005, Batista successfully defeated Edge to retain his title. After the match, Batista was betrayed by Ric Flair, who helped Triple H viciously attack the champion. During the brutal attack, Triple H challenged Batista to Hell in a Cell, setting up a match at Vengeance 2005. Batista survived the pedigree and won the match, retaining his title yet again. With this win, Batista became the first wrestler to pin Triple H in a Hell in a Cell match. This also made him the first wrestler to defeat Triple H at three consecutive pay-per-views.On June 30, 2005 Batista was revealed as the last pick in the 2005 WWE Draft Lottery, making a surprise appearance while John "Bradshaw" Layfield was celebrating his victory in a six-man elimination match to win the new SmackDown! Championship. With this, Batista became the first World Heavyweight Champion after its post-WCW/Alliance re-incarnation on SmackDown!. With Batista as the new face of SmackDown!, there was no need for the new belt and a feud between Batista and JBL was set up. They faced off at the Great American Bash on July 24, 2005 where JBL defeated Batista by DQ after the referee saw Batista use a steel chair. They had a rematch at SummerSlam on August 21, 2005 in a No-Holds-Barred match which saw Batista pin JBL following a powerbomb on the steel steps. The feud culminated in a match between the two on the first episode of SmackDown! broadcast after the show's move to Friday nights, with Batista retaining the title in JBL's signature bull rope match.Soon after retaining the title in a feud with Eddie Guerrero, WWE.com reported that Batista suffered a muscle tear in his back at the taping for the November 11, 2005 edition of SmackDown! due to a double chokeslam from The 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, 2005 episode, but the match didn't take place due to the unexpected death of Eddie Guerrero on November 13, 2005. Batista paid homage to Eddie Guerrero during the SmackDown! and RAW tribute shows dedicated to Guerrero's memory. Batista was great friends with Eddie GuerreroBatista would lead Team SmackDown! against Team RAW in an interbrand feud before 2005's Survivor Series. The feud would see the 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 would help his team win the Survivor Series main event.On the December 2, 2005 edition of Friday Night SmackDown!, Batista saved Rey Mysterio from a double team attack by RAW 's reigning World Tag Team Champions The Big Show and Kane. It was later announced that Mysterio would team with Batista to face Big Show and Kane at Armageddon 2005, a SmackDown! exclusive pay-per-view.On the December 16, 2005 edition of SmackDown!, Batista and Mysterio received a title shot at the WWE Tag Team Champions MNM. The two defeated MNM to become champions in a match which they dedicated to Eddie Guerrero. With Batista and Mysterio becoming the WWE Tag Team Champions, the clash with the Big Show and Kane at Armageddon turned into a Champions vs. Champions encounter. At Armageddon on December 18, 2005, Batista and Mysterio lost to Kane and Big Show when Kane pinned Mysterio after a chokeslam.On the December 30, 2005 edition of SmackDown!, MNM defeated Batista and Mysterio after help from the returning Mark Henry to regain the WWE Tag Team Championships. During the interference, Henry attacked Batista, and performed his World's Strongest Slam.[edit] 2006 On January 9, 2006, WWE.com announced that Batista had torn his right tricep following a match with Mark Henry at a live event on January 8, 2006 in Verona, New York. The following day, WWE.com announced that, due to his injury, Batista was forced to vacate the World Heavyweight Championship at the SmackDown! tapings in Philadelphia on January 10, 2006, two days after surpassing Triple H's previous mark of 280 days for longest reigning champion. Later that night, Kurt Angle won a battle royal to become the new World Heavyweight Champion. (These events were aired on the January 13, 2006 edition of SmackDown!.) Dave went on to have successful surgery on his arm on January 12, 2006.On February 19, 2006, Batista made an appearance at No Way Out 2006 and told the crowd that once his arm had healed he would return to regain his World Heavyweight Championship. At WrestleMania 22, Batista once again made a brief appearance. This time he interrupted a Randy Orton interview, putting SmackDown! on notice; the World Heavyweight Championship would return to him by WrestleMania 23. Batista made his official return during the July 7, 2006 edition of SmackDown! in Philadelphia immediately calling out and entering into a feud with the man who put him out with the arm injury, Mark Henry.At Saturday Night's Main Event, Batista won his first televised match since his return, a six man tag match with Rey Mysterio and Lashley taking on King Booker, Finlay and Mark Henry. In a bizarre twist of fate, during the match Mark Henry was legitimately injured, and was ruled out of the scheduled match between the two at The Great American Bash (thus further delaying by at least eight months a potential feud between the two, which was already delayed by Batista's injury).Batista would put out an open challenge to replace the injured Henry which was answered by Mr. Kennedy. Batista would lose this match via DQ for failing to stop choking Mr. Kennedy into the turnbuckle with his boot, but continued to attack Kennedy which resulted in Mr. Kennedy suffering a laceration on his forehead so severe that it exposed his cranium and required 20 stitches to close. Batista would go on to lose another match with Kennedy via count out in a rematch on SmackDown! before finally defeating Kennedy by pinfall on the August 4, 2006 edition of SmackDown!.During this time Batista would try to regain a world title, facing both Big Show for his ECW World Heavyweight Championship during an ECW show, and King Booker for his World Heavyweight Championship during SummerSlam and SmackDown!. Batista won these matches but not the titles as the contests ended via disqualification. Batista continued on as a top contender to the World Title; competing against King Booker on several occasions while feuding with Finlay, before finally defeating King Booker to regain the World Heavyweight Championship at Survivor Series 2006; in the same arena where he surrendered the title to become the first man to challenge for, and win, the World Heavyweight Championship on both RAW and SmackDown.Batista would continue to feud with Finlay and King Booker over the title throughout the end of 2006, and during Armageddon 2006 even teamed with WWE Champion John Cena to defeat both King Booker and Finlay in a tag match that saw the very first time in WWE history that 2 reigning World Champions ever participated in a tag-team match as partners.[edit] 2007 At the beginning of the new year, it was announced that Batista would defend the World Heavyweight Championship at the Royal Rumble against an opponent to be decided through a time trial style tournament called the SmackDown Beat The Clock Sprint