WWE legend Batista recalls being told he would never make it as a wrestler

Batista recalls his early years in professional wrestling and being told it wasn’t for him.

One of the biggest stars of the Ruthless Aggression era and one of the most successful wrestlers turned actor, The Animal was a hit with fans and his induction into the Hall of Fame seems inevitable despite only being released in 2020. However, despite the former world champion’s popularity in and out of the ring, there was an alternate world in which Batista never made it to WWE.

On The Jimmy Fallon Show, the Hollywood star talked about his passion for bodybuilding as a child and how he trained to become a wrestler at the famous WCW Power Plant. During his first tryout, The Animal was told to leave and told that professional wrestling was not for him:

“So that’s what I did. I just wanted to lift weights. I thought I wanted to bodybuild. 13 years later, it was no good to me. I was just big and muscular. I was broke and I thought, ‘What am I going to do?’ (Pro wrestling) I failed at that. My first tryout was miserable. They told me to leave and I was never going to be a pro wrestler. That was in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s a place called the Power Plant, which was WCW at the time. They literally told me to leave. They said you’re not going to make it. You’re never going to make it.”

Fortunately, WWE saw potential in Batista, including mentoring Triple H and Ric Flair, multiple world championships and WrestleMania main events.

Batista speaks out on faction split

Although he has been away from the company since his retirement in 2019, the former world champion has frequently shared his thoughts on his time in the industry and the modern product. Commenting on a recent storyline, Batista admitted he was confused.

Thanks to Fightful.