Batista Blows

[Marc the Smark]

Young Black Country wrestling fans were left disappointed when an American wrestling superstar refused to speak to them or have pictures taken, it was claimed today.

Hundreds turned out to see wrestler Batista appear at Woolworths in Wolverhampton yesterday.

The store had been running a promotion where youngsters were given a prized ticket to meet the 6ft 5in giant after buying any WWE merchandise from there.

Queues snaked outside the store, with many youngsters taking the afternoon off school to catch a glimpse of the former WWE heavyweight and tag team champion just hours before he appeared in the ring in Birmingham as part of the WWE world tour.

But one of those, Sedgley youngster Kyle Peplow, went home in tears after his meeting with his wrestling idol.

Kyle’s dad Colin, of Sedgley Hall Avenue, said the way youngsters had been treated was “disgraceful”.

He said: “Kyle got a ticket and couldn’t sleep the night before, he was so excited at meeting Batista and he had the afternoon off school. All his mates were telling him how jealous they were.

“But when he got there we were told Batista would only be signing WWE merchandise. We queued for nearly two hours and he signed a WWE book, didn’t even look at him or say a word and that was it. His mum was trying to take a picture of the two on the mobile phone but his bouncers kept standing in the way to stop it.

“And he refused to sign a birthday card that Kyle had taken in because it is his birthday in three weeks.

“I think it is absolutely disgraceful for a man who is loved by so many kids to behave like this. We go down to the Wolves training ground all the time and they can’t do enough for us. If they can make the effort I don’t see why a jumped-up bloke in tights can’t do the the same. Kyle couldn’t stop crying.”

The 6ft 5ins hulk was promoting last night’s Wrestlemania Revenge Tour at Birmingham’s NEC Arena which saw Batista take on perennial favourite Undertaker. Limited tickets were available for the meet and greet session at Woolworths with the first 500 shoppers to buy WWE merchandise gaining access to see the star in the flesh. Amy Miller, 17 and Pete Stevens, 21, were one of the first to arrive outside Woolworths at 5am.

Pete, from Sandwell said he had waited for years to meet Batista, but admitted he did seem a little “jetlagged” when signing his autograph. “I didn’t say much and he looked a bit jetlagged to be honest.” Woolworths spokesman Daniel Himsworth said: “Woolworths is extremely disappointed that its customers were disappointed by the WWE superstar.”

But WWE’s Ross Walker said said two hours would normally be allocated for such a signing, but yesterday’s session had to be cut to an hour because of transport problems.

http://www.expressandstar.co.uk/2007...blow-for-fans/