Former WWE Champion Reveals His Hollywood Goal: “I Deserve To Be Here”

This former WWE champion has laid out his goals in Hollywood.

Former World Champion Dave Bautista, aka Batista, was a full-time wrestler for the promotion from 2002 to 2010. He later returned for a brief push in 2014 and won the Royal Rumble that year, and earned himself a World title match at WrestleMania 30. However, he again left the promotion that year before making several sporadic returns in the future.

A part of several successful movies, Batista recently appeared in an interview with Sports Illustrated and opened up on his goals in Hollywood. Desiring to earn a similar respect in the film industry like he did in wrestling, The Animal said,

“In wrestling, the respect I earned from people like The Undertaker, Triple H, and Eddie Guerrero meant everything to me. It’s the same in Hollywood. I want to feel like I deserve to be here, that I’ve earned my place among the best.”

Batista’s last wrestling bout was against Triple H at WrestleMania 35, in a no-holds-barred match, which he lost.

Batista Discusses The Harder Grind Between WWE And Hollywood

Recently, while promoting his upcoming film ‘In the Lost Land’ with Film Inside, Batista compared the grinds between WWE and Hollywood.

“I have a strong work ethic, and my work ethic really came from the WWE, if nothing else, they’re not only durable people, but it’s just the hardest grind that I could ever imagine. Being in Hollywood and being on a film set, it’s long hours, but compared to the grind of being a professional wrestler, it’s just a cakewalk. I mean, it’s night and day. I’m in this business, and I find it hard to relate to people who are just always unhappy on set and always complaining about something. I don’t relate to that at all. So that’s it.”

“I grew up and with not much, and I’m always grateful for everything I have, and I really didn’t make a dime till I was in my mid-30s, so I remember what it’s like to not have anything. So I’m grateful for what I have, but also with my work ethic, I don’t feel like this is a constant grind. I’m happy to be here. I’m happy to have opportunities. I’m grateful to be in this business, you know? I’m grateful to be able to do what I love. I was a very developed adult before I ever got into this.”

A celebrated multi-time champion, Batista is a future Hall of Famer and was once almost a part of the list, before his induction plans had to be scrapped.

In other news: NJPW star Gabe Kidd has challenged this former WWE champion.