Batista Explains Why He Will Never Come Out Of Retirement

Batista retired from the ring following his defeat to Triple H at WrestleMania 35, having not announced beforehand it would be his final match. Yet, while he is now firmly established as an actor, it’s always been thought that, like so many before him who had retired, he could be tempted back for one more match.

However, during a recent interview with Chris Van Vliet , the former WWE star has spoken about his decision to step away from the ring on his own terms and confirmed he won’t wrestle again as it would tarnish his “storybook ending.”

“I just didn’t tell anybody else because I didn’t want it to be a big ordeal. I didn’t want to go out and do a tour and give a speech. I wanted to have my match and call it a career on my own terms. The way I wanted to go out was like a dream for me, it was perfect and romantic.

Wrestlers don’t usually get to choose their exit, but I did. I went out on my own terms, with the opponent I wanted, and I will never tarnish that. It’s not that I don’t miss it, I do. I miss the crowd, the energy, and I dream about walking out and hearing my entrance music. But I know that if I were to do that, I would just tarnish my storybook ending.”

55-year-old Batista, whose real name is David Bautista Jr., initially tried to break into the wrestling business in 1999 via the WCW Power Plant but was told by trainer Sgt. Buddy Lee Parker that he didn’t have what it takes. Obviously, he would prove the former enhancement talent wrong by winning six world championships and headlining WrestleMania twice in two different decades. And while he was set to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2020, this would be postponed due to worldwide events, with him since being unavailable to commit to a date due to his filming schedule.