STW - Batista Unleashed [Show Notes] (Patreon)

We are continuing our discussion on Batista - and where we left off at was Dave was injured wrestling with Mark Henry and had to forfeit the World Title…and boy did we leave off at a great part in his career…

Dave would come out at WrestleMania 22, interrupting a Randy Orton interview, putting SmackDown on notice that he’ll have that title by WrestleMania 23. There was probably no doubt in anyone’s mind that wouldn’t be true right?

Before Batista would make his return…there’s the infamous fight with Booker while filming the SummerSlam commercial:

From the Observer

“Here is a more detailed eye-witness account of what happened on 5/15 during the filming of the SummerSlam commercial between Booker T and Batista. There was apparently an underlying issue between the two, which neither would talk about. There has been speculation this stems from the problems Melina had with Sharmell on the Australian tour, which led to the guys giving up their final night in Australia for wrestlers court to sentence Melina for her behavior, although Booker has told friends it was Batista's attitude that caused it, as he perceived, and still does, that Batista feels like he's superior to the rest of the guys and perceives the only people he respects are the top guys like HHH and Ric Flair.”

Was this an issue you think at the time?

As said by Booker on the WWE website, it did have to do with his belief that Batista didn't respect the history of the business, but the belief is there was something personal that had gone down, including Booker's claim that Batista said things directly to him that he took as being told he was nothing but a jobber, and in the course of the argument, Batista told Booker that if he didn't like it, they could settle it, and he could take him out at any time. Batista hadn't been around much in months since he had been rehabbing his surgically repaired triceps and his torn lat. Booker felt that Batista had been bragging about what a big draw he was, while the rest of the guys didn't like it because the Smackdown guys felt they weren't earning any more money last year than they did the year before.

Booker is not the guy to be messing around with at this point was it?

“When Batista came to the commercial shoot, it was said he only went up to certain guys to shake their hand, which were top guys and Fit Finlay. For better or for worse, given locker room etiquette, the guys he didn't come to, who went to him, some of them felt that was a slight, which probably would have meant nothing in the long run except things quickly compounded. Anyway, the major rule of thumb if you are in a WWE locker room—walk up to every person there and introduce yourself the first time, and every other time, shake everyone's hand. Apparently, Booker was one of those and felt Batista was being a big shot and had no respect for business and cut a promo on him.”

Is Batista out of line here - regardless of his position?

“The only thing we were told directly is the two argued, when Batista told Booker he could take him out at any time, Booker responded by saying why not try right now and step into an empty room, close the door behind us and go for it. There were a lot of underlying negative feelings when he came over. Things went back and forth because Batista's first program was with JBL, and Batista confided in Eddie Guerrero that he felt JBL was sandbagging him in their program that didn't click. During the argument back-and-forth, which Booker was getting the better of, Batista apparently insinuated he was a draw and pointed to Smackdown ratings going in the toilet since he left.”

Do you believe that JBL was sandbagging Batista?

“There were people who tried to talk Batista out of it, not just because either or both could get hurt needlessly and both are old enough to where they should know better and not be fighting. Plus with Batista, given his triceps injury, after three operations, he was risking his career over something stupid. By that point he appeared to have felt he had to save face because everyone was watching. At the same time, before they ended up fighting, when they were just arguing, it was said Batista should have let it go, but wouldn't, which is one of the reasons he was the one viewed negatively. Mysterio was said to be the last person Batista talked with before the guys left the two of them alone in the room, and he tried to talk Batista out of it.”

Bruce - its commendable you got people in the locker room trying to talk these guys out of it - but was this shoot missing someone from the office that could’ve stopped this and put this to bed?

“The first fight saw the two actually in a room. Everyone left and they shut the door. Booker's version was that he put his hand on the doorknob to close it, and got sucker punched. Booker came back and was doing some real damage. People heard the sound of fists meeting flesh, and after a very short period of time, maybe 30 seconds, the door was opened and people saw Booker on top pounding on Batista, and the wrestlers broke it up. Batista was screaming to let it continue, so they did, and Booker was again getting the better of it. Batista in the second round grabbed Booker's braids and tried to throw knees from the clinch like you'd see in a Muay Thai style fight, well, aside from the fact you can't pull someone's hair but you can drive their head down and throw knees up, but the best they could do was hit Booker's elbow. Booker was taunting him, saying, "Is that all you've got" and "Your hitting my elbows." One version is Sharmell kicked Batista low and he went down, which may have been a factor in the later Melina-Sharmell incident. When it was pulled apart by Angle, JBL, Finlay and others, it was said that was when Batista got a good punch in, described as a sucker punch, which was the punch that swelled Booker's eye.”

Chat me up Bruce - is this how you heard it went down?

“After that, it was said Booker was really furious and vowing that some time and some place he'd get him back, saying, "I'm an OG," (slang for Original Gangsta), while Batista claimed Booker was a cancer to the locker room.

Booker said, in front of everyone, that if anyone thinks he's a bad influence in the locker room to say it, and nobody would. Batista was apparently surprised that none of the wrestlers agreed with him. The general feeling is Booker is a laid back guy who doesn't bother anyone, and has no reputation for starting trouble. Booker looked at Lashley in particular and asked him, and Lashley said to Booker that he'd always helped him out and given him good advice. Sharmell also cut a promo on Batista somewhere in there. There was a general feeling coming from several different sources that Batista deserved what he got.”

Bruce - what do you remember of the fight? The reaction internally? What’s Vince’s reaction?

Batista made his return to TV on the July 7 episode of SmackDown, after being out for approximately six months, calling out Mark Henry. Were there issues that had to be squashed for these two to work together again?

Then, at Saturday Night’s Main Event XXXIII on July 15, Batista, Lashley & Mysterio defeated Finlay, then-World Heavyweight Champion King Booker and Mark Henry in a six-man tag. And, in a turnabout, Henry gets injured in this match. The feud between the two was even further delayed. Was this just never meant to happen…the way this all shook out?

Batista is transitioned to Mr. Kennedy which never really went anywhere as Batista would be DQed and counted out - is it odd that Dave wasn’t put right back into the title picture or was the hope to slow build him back to the title again?

Somehow - and yes this is real - Batista challenges Big Show for the ECW title from the Hammerstein Ballroom. This is one of the more infamous moments in the short ECW run when the crowd just rips these two apart. Who in the hell thought this was a good idea in front of an actual ECW crowd?

Eventually Batista meets KING BOOKAH~! at SummerSlam and everyone expects him to regain his title but Booker keeps it when he gets disqualified. Almost a Lex Luger type moment wouldn’t you say?

How was everyone able to put Batista & Booker back together to work a program after the fight?

At Survivor Series Batista regains his title over the King - but this isn’t the same Batista that left was it?

Do you think he was still a little tentative?

Batista would take on Kennedy at the Royal Rumble again and get the win to retain his title…but the Deadman himself - Undertaker - wins the Royal Rumble.

You’ve told us multiple times about how the Undertaker was very vocal with you specifically about the opponents you asked him to work with. What did he think of working with Batista?

At WrestleMania 23 on April 1, Batista lost the World Heavyweight Championship to The Undertaker. It has long been said that these two were pissed that they were not the main event and Cena & Shawn were. What do you remember of talking to the two of them about this decision - and do you think they had the best match of that show?

They would continue on in their feud with a Last Man Standing match ending in a draw before Undertaker would get hurt and the decision is made to put the title on a jumping from Raw Edge and cashing in his money in the bank contract after Dave & Taker go to another draw - this time in a cage match - and Batista has a fresh feud to go into now. Do you think Dave cared about being champion or top guy?

Batista would challenge Edge for 3 consecutive title matches that were unsuccessful - and the stipulation for the last one was a Last Chance match where if Batista lost - he wouldn’t be able to challenge Edge for the title again. Edge though gets hurt - and is forced to vacate the title. Was the SmackDown title at this point snake bit?

With no champion - the WWE turns to - who else - the Great Khali! He would win a battle royal to become champion - infamously holding up upside down after winning it - and it’s Batista who draws his first feud. Was Dave happy about working with Khali?

Batista would not win the title at SummerSlam - which was a theme for him - before winning the title in a 3-way with Khali & Rey Mysterio. This set up the infamous Punjabi Prison Match at No Mercy in October. In a pretty remarkable ending, Batista jumped from the inner structure of the bamboo “cage” to the outer, then escaped the cage before Khali.

Bruce, can you describe for someone that might not know what the Punjabi Prison is and where did the concept for the match come from?

Did you feel like you were trapped in a prison watching some of these matches?

The Undertaker would return to reignite the feud between him and Batista. At Cyber Sunday 2007, on October 28, the fans voted Stone Cold Steve Austin to be the special referee, when Batista beat the Undertaker in 17:25. The next month at Survivor Series, the two fought in a Hell in a Cell match. During the match, Edge returned with a con-chair-to, allowing Batista to pick up the win. That set up a Triple Threat Match at Armageddon in December, resulting in Edge reclaiming the title he had to forfeit months earlier.

So, this represents another transition in Batista’s career. He’d been to the top of the mountain multiple times. By early ‘08, was he giving you any indication that he was interested in acting and other pursuits? When did you first learn that Dave had other goals?

At the Rumble, Batista entered at number 8 and lasted a whopping 37:46, eliminating Tommy Dreamer, Umaga, Mr. Kennedy, and co-eliminating Kane with Triple H. But Triple H ends up being the one that eliminates Batista. Did you see Batista and Hunter as another possible program - or no?

Batista then completes the following month at No Way Out in the SmackDown Elimination Chamber match. He eliminates Big Daddy V, but is himself eliminated by the Undertaker. It feels like Dave is treading water and it is more obvious at WrestleMania where he has a match with Raw’s Umaga and gets the win. It really does feel like he’s stalled at this point - did his window up top shut with his various injuries and being on SmackDown?

Was he ever the #1 guy on SmackDown compared to Undertaker?

During this time - and it is a brand split mind you - Shawn Michaels had retired Ric Flair at that WrestleMania. Now it turns into Batista coming for revenge for his friend Ric being retired - but Shawn is a Raw guy and that’s where Batista has to go to engage with him. Was there a point of a brand split at this point?

Their match at Backlash really ended up setting the table for the Michaels & Chris Jericho story for 2008 as Jericho is the special guest referee and Michaels fakes a knee injury to sucker Batista in and hit him with a super kick for the victory.

Batista & Shawn worked well together here didn’t they?

At Extreme Rules they would rematch in a stretcher match where Batista would gain the win to make it even 1-1. A stretcher match that ends when you put your opponent on a stretcher and wheel them past a line - is that your favorite kind of stretcher match?

Coming off that - and back on SmackDown - Batista teams up with Funaki, Nunzio & Colin Delaney to take on Edge, Chavo & the Edgeheads and if Batista’s team wins - he gets a shot at Edge at Night of Champions for the World Title. Since he’s an animal - regardless that he’s teaming with Funaki, Nunzio & Colin Delaney - they win and he gets the match. GM Vickie of course doesn’t want Batista to take on Edge - so the only way he will is if he beats Khali in a singles match - which he does…

AND THEN BATISTA GETS DRAFTED TO RAW. Bruce - what in the hell is going on here?

Vince announces that Edge will still have to defend the title against Batista at Night of Champions…and there’s a ton of interference, Chavo as a referee to help Edge retain the title. The next night - Batista would beat up Edge on Raw and lead to CM Punk cashing in his Money in the Bank contract to cost Edge the title. Dave needed to move to Raw at this point didn’t he?

He would be programmed with Punk coming off a #1 contenders 4-way that Batista won over Kane, JBL & John Cena. Did Punk need the win over Batista to help boost his credibility as champion?

Kane attacks Batista & Punk at Great American Bash making it a double DQ. This wasn’t the best use of Dave was it?

The next night on Raw - JBL is running away from John Cena…yes that’s real - and during the rematch between Batista & Punk, Cena goes to hit JBL and when Bradshaw ducks he hits Cena and it’s time for one of the bigger programs…Cena & Batista. Why now? Were both ready for it?

Is it odd that these two - are both babyfaces at this point?

The match is six years in the making at SummerSlam 2008 - how big a deal was this?

From the Observer

“Batista vs. Cena saw Batista win a very good match, clean in the middle. The logic behind it actually was said to have partially stemmed from the text voting during Raw a few weeks back where fans, by a large margin, voted Cena as the bigger star. The feeling is, since they want Batista to be at Cena’s level, is that it was the message people don’t see it that way, so therefore Batista is the one that should go over. Plus, the feeling is Cena’s fan base of kids will be not see Cena as any weaker for losing, and they made sure to give him a strong win, beating the tag champs by himself by submission in the middle on Raw the next night. Cena wasn’t hurt in the slightest by losing. Really, no top guy today gets hurt by losing because people don’t take winning and losing as part of the entertainment show. It was pushed that Batista was better for three seconds on that night, and clearly was meant as the first of what will be a series of matches. At some point, one of them probably should go heel and because of Cena’s merchandise sales, Batista would make more sense, even though Batista is probably top three or four as far as popularity among kids. The crowd on this show was clearly for Batista, with Cena booed a lot.”

Was this how it was? To get Batista on the same level as Cena?

Cena is hurt coming out of this match - what do you remember about that?

This would lead to the Scramble match at Unforgiven - where 5 men enter and the last guy would leave as champion. What did you think of this concept?

It’s JBL, Batista, Kane, Rey Mysterio & CM Punk. Punk is attacked before the match by Randy Orton & Legacy, and taken out of it and Chris Jericho replaces him.

From the Observer:

“Batista speared Kane and gave a spinebuster to Kane at 16:39. At this point they said there was less than a minute left. Mysterio tried a huracanrana spot on Batista, who caught him in mid-air and power bombed him. As Batista’s back was turned, Jericho, who had been out of the ring selling most of the way, jumped into the ring onto Kane and got a three count in 17:08 while Batista went to pin Mysterio but time ran out at 17:15. **¾”

Where was Dave at this point - the Cena program went away due to the injury - here he is being second to Jericho and he’s kind of a marginalized babyface - the ups & downs of his career - were they effecting him?

Batista would become the #1 contender for the World Title at No Mercy by defeating JBL. How do you think those two worked together?

As you finished up your run in the WWE - what was your relationship like with Batista?

Batista would become World Champion over Jericho with Steve Austin as referee at Cyber Sunday and it would lead to an infamous cage match for the World Title. Were you at the Raw with Batista & Jericho in a cage?

Supposedly Batista was the last guy to purposely cut himself in a match for the WWE and Vince fined him, Jericho, Dean Malenko (the agent) & Mike Choida and Batista paid all the fines. His fine alone was $100,000. Does that just show who Batista is?