When it was announced that Dave Bautista had signed up to play 'Drax' in Guardians of the Galaxy, some comic book fans were worried. With the exception of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, it never usually works out when a wrestler decides to tackle a major movie role. However, Bautista showed off his talent on the mic for years in the WWE and would later hone his acting skills with roles in various TV shows and movies. Marvel Studios are also known for making unusual and unexpected casting decisions which have all so far worked out brilliantly (did ANYONE think that Iron Man would make Robert Downey Jr. one of the biggest box office draws in Hollywood?) and I believe that will be the case with the former WWE Superstar. There's a lot more to 'Drax' than his muscles and I have no doubt that "The Animal" is the best possible choice to effectively show that on the big screen. Here are what I consider to be just a few of the best moments in the illustrious career of Dave Bautista. There are many, many more which could be added of course, but for those of you not familiar with his work, I hope this makes a difference...
"I Walk Alone" By Saliva - Batista's Entrance Theme
This is more an honourable mention more than anything else. Batista arguably had one of the best entrance themes in the WWE and so here's a good example of it in case you've never seen it.
Batista vs. Triple H - World Championship Hell in a Cell Match (Vengeance 2005)
In 2003, Batista joined the villainous Evolution stable alongside Triple H, Ric Flair and Randy Orton. While they initially dominated the roster, Batista would later turn on his fellow team members as he became increasingly disgusted by their actions and plots to keep him from becoming World Heavyweight Champion. His feud with Triple H made him a fan favourite, gave him main event status and came to an end in this bloody Hell in a Cell match in 2005.
Batista vs. The Undertaker - World Championship Match (Wrestlemania 23)
2007 would see one of the greatest rivalries of all-time emerge as Batista took on The Undertaker in a series of gruelling matches. It's difficult to choose just one, but perhaps their Wrestlemania 23 bout is arguably one of the most memorable. If anyone could break the undefeated streak of "The Deadman", surely it would be "The Animal"? Sadly not, but it's a hell of a match!
Batista Confronts Shawn Michaels (Backlash 2008 Promo)
When Shawn Michaels retired Ric Flair in their match at WrestleMania XXIV, there was one man who wasn't happy about it; Batista. He would confront Michaels the following night on Raw in what would soon prove to be one of the most interesting storylines of that year which led to a series of great matches and promos between the two.
Batista vs. John Cena - WWE Championship Match (Wrestlemania XXVI)
In 2010, Batista had an epic feud with John Cena which began at the Elimination Chamber PPV and continued with the below match at Wrestlemania XXVI. While the two would later meet in a brutal Last Man Standing match at Extreme Rules and an "I Quit" match at Over The Limit, the two headlined the biggest WWE event of the year in arguably one of the best matches of their respective careers.
"I QUIT!" - WWE Raw (05/24/10)
In his final WWE appearance, Batista would leave the company after his brutal treatment at the hands of John Cena in a brutal "I Quit" match. His actual reasons for leaving were to pursue a career in Hollywood, although this storylined farewell was not only extremely memorable, but also extremely funny as "The Animal" showed off his comedic abilities which we will hopefully once again see in James Gunn's
Guardians of the Galaxy.
Chuck - "Chuck Versus the Couch Lock"
Bautista's first major acting role - not including
Smallville - would be on the fan favourite TV series,
Chuck. While the role of 'T.I.' didn't give the former WWE superstar the opportunity to show off too much of his acting abilities, he still managed to use his appearance here to effectively get across just what an impressive and intimidating presence he could be outside of the ring.
Dave Bautista Is 'Brass Body' In...The Man with the Iron Fists
Following appearances in the likes of
House of the Rising Sun and
The Scorpion King 3: Battle for Redemption, it was the role of 'Brass Body' in
The Man with the Iron Fists which showcased Dave Bautista's true acting and action ability and led to him receiving praise from critics and fans alike. With a starring role in
Riddick on the horizon, it quickly became clear that he was set on establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood.