Why does WWE ignore Batista?
 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Surprise surprise!! I wasn’t invited! And it’s in my hometown.! ��.. guess by now I shouldn’t be shocked anymore. <a href="https://t.co/r1NwUNlRnf">https://t.co/r1NwUNlRnf</a></p>&mdash; Dave Bautista (@DaveBautista) <a href="https://twitter.com/DaveBautista/status/1040067940433973248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Batista's not been invited to SmackDown 1000 when he was a pretty big part of that show for a few years.

Moreover though, Batista's been open about wanting to come back for one more program - specifically with Triple H, but WWE have never shown any interest in working with him again.

Given WWE's raging hard-on for working with celebrities to get them mainstream headlines and doing anything they can to appear pop culturally relevant, why would WWE not want to book a movie star who apparently wants to do business with them?

I think they think he's not really a draw. And honestly, after his last stint with the company (where, through not fault of his own) they fucking killed him dead... they may be right.

And also he's constantly shitting on them LOL. literally tweeted to steph about how when she slaps people it's dumb because she's the only one that gets over.

lol bringing him back as a babyface was so fucking dumb. Everyone except Vince knew that heel was the way to go and that he'd be way better in that role.

And yet had they waited a year and brought him back in 2015 instead, he would've been over as fuck

The Rock was popular enough already in the mainstream as a wrestler that he's always referred to as 'wrestler-turned actor Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson' and Vince was even listed as an Executive Producer on his first few films.

Similarly, if Cena ever lands in blockbusters you can bet that WWE will promote the hell out of it.

Batista, while important in the WWE landscape, had his run during a time when wrestling was barely ever in the mainstream and the few mainstream ops they had went to Cena. More people probably know him as an actor than a wrestler and a lot probably don't even know he used to wrestle at all.

So since WWE didn't create movie star Dave Bautista, they don't seem to have any interest in promoting him even when he's willing to do business.

He should go in as Drax.

For WWE not to be on their knees for that Hollywood attention, Batista must have fucked Stephanie in the ass with a rusty chainsaw.

Show up in NJPW and watch those fans over there go insane. American movie star showing up would do well I think.

Probably a swerve.

Batista doesn't need WWE. He walks ALOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONE.

Something about Triple H being condescending and looking down upon on him.

Supposedly Triple H holds a grudge against him for some reason and Batista has shown plenty of times before he's not the type to constantly be signing the praises of the WWE nor holds back his complaints against them.

https://uproxx.com/prowrestling/bati...of-the-galaxy/

The ballad of Little Dave Batista continues

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Batista plays a comic relief character in a very good comedy but that doesnt make him a star.

an over simplification but not entirely wrong.

No it isnt. But i welcome you to actually say something we can discuss if youd like

While he's not a needle mover like the Rock, Drax is a pretty big character and does give Batista a little added oomph in the "mainstream". Especially with the kiddy market who are SURELY big on Drax and own his action figure.

So no. Dave isn't going to walk onto Smackdown and create absolutely massive buzz like when the Rock shows up. But there's a fuckload of upside if he's used correctly because of his history with the company and cache as Drax.

Does his name have more value than Bryan Danielson. Yes. Absolutely. Does his name turn heads on red carpets? No...he's a bit actor. He has a notable role in a truly huge movie but until he has success as anything other than Drax in not convinced that its anything more than the character being popular and not him himself.

Im not saying there lacks a single positive in booking him im saying...is it really that big of a deal if they do or dont? Not really.

I don't think we disagree. I just think there's positives they're missing out on, and you're undervaluing the success even of the one character. Other than Drax he's totally a bit actor, but Drax connects with WWE's target market so it's a good marriage IMO.

Now if we paint him green and call him dracks maybe weve got something

I just dont think he's established that he has any carry when he's not playing that roll. And tons of actors have had that issue. Huge money doing a certain part and no money doing anything else.

I think thats Batista.

Though admittedly id love to put that to the test

In fairness (although irrelevant and kind of proves your point), he was great in his bit role in Bladerunner. He's a good actor...but not A NEXT LEVEL STAR. IMO similar to who he was as a worker. Acquired great success in a certain role, but he doesn't have the extra oomph to elevate him to the next level.

Yeah i can think of tons of roles he'd be good in...none are going to get substantial screen time but im definitely not saying he has no value...its just really specific and kind of limited

And i dont believe anything he's doing has anymore value to the gate than any other part time act would except he's probably going to cost more.

My guess is WWE can't leverage Drax so it's pointless to them. It's one of those things where you'd really have to push him playing that character to bring any value.

Nah I don't think he'd cost more than the other part-timers. They all get the plum deals cuz Vince "needs" them.

It's cause Batista didn't want to do a stupid WWE movie, which pissed Vince off, then he went and became a big star on his own, proving Vince wrong, pissing Vince off again.

They ignore him because Vince McMahon is a petty egomaniac.

Possible. I dont know for certain so i cant say @dale

He was a Bond villian, he has a solid role in Riddick, and was in Blade Runner with Harrison Ford. Yes, he is not a leading man, but he is still a star and is far more successful at the box office than anyone from WWE but The Rock.

I dont think you really grasp what a star is. You just listed reasons why he is an actor not a star.

Also, just looking at him as an actor and not former wrestler, dude is WAY more famous in Hollywood than half of the guest stars WWE used to book.

"Bruce Cambell played a waiter in spider-man 2. Guy is a total star."

I mean i love Bruce Campbell but i wouldnt trust him to draw 70,000 people

If a guy has been in movies that have grossed $1.7 Billion at the box office, then yeah he is a star. Not a superstar, not a leading man, but he has booked parts in enough big movies that he certainly isn't just a dime a dozen actor either.

good point. I was kinda trying to say that.

I think a fairer comparison would be Orlando Bloom. He is not a leading man, but he has been in big movies that were better because of him. That is how I view Batista as an actor.

what about Mr. T? Not exactly able to be anything other than Mr. T but wrestlemania was built largely on his back.