Dave Bautista, better known by his stage name Batista, is an American professional wrestler, actor, and mixed martial artist. He signed with WWE in 2000, and over the course of his wrestling career, he has won World Heavyweight Champion four times and the WWE Champion twice. He has also won the Royal Rumble twice, the World Tag Team Championship three times, and the WWE Tag Team Championship once. He holds the record as the longest-reigning World Heavyweight Champion at 282 days. He is one of the most successful actors in the industry today with his breakout role as Drax the Destroyer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films such as Guardians of the Galaxy series and Avengers: Infinity War.
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Batista Biography
Batista was born on the 18th of January 1969, in Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America. He is currently 53 years old.
| Birth Name | David Michael Bautista Jr. |
| Nickname | Batista, Dave Batista, Deacon Batista, Leviathan, Kahn / Khan, The Animal, DJ |
| Date of Birth | January 18, 1969 |
| Place of Birth | Arlington, Virginia, U.S. |
| Age | 53 years old |
| Sun Sign | Capricorn |
| Profession | Professional Wrestler, Actor, Mixed Martial Artist, Bodybuilder |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Greek and Filipino |
| Religion | Christianity |
Family
- Father – David Michael Bautista
- Mother – Donna Raye (née Mullins)
- Siblings – Donna Raye Bautista (Sister), Michael (Younger Half Brother)
Education
Batista attended Wild Samoan Training Centre.
Batista Personal Life
Bautista was married to his first wife Glenda from 1990 to 1998, with whom he has two daughters, Keilani (born in 1990) and Athena (born in 1992).
He married his second wife Angie on October 13, 1998, however, this relationship also didn’t last long and they divorced in 2006.
He married his third wife Sarah Jade, a competitive pole dancer, in October 2015. The couple parted ways in 2019. He has two grandsons: Jacob and Aiden.
Physical Statistics
| Height | Feet – 6 feet 6 inches Centimeters – 198 cm Meters – 1.98 m |
| Weight | Kilograms – 132 kg Pounds – 290 lbs |
| Body Build | Bodybuilder |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Distinctive Features | Gravelly voice His tattoos Towering height and broad frame |
Professional Statistics
Wresting Debut
While pursuing a bodybuilding career, Bautista decided to become a wrestler and got trained at the Wild Samoan Training Center wrestling school by Afa Anoa. He made his wrestling debut as Khan on 30 October 1999. He signed with the WWE in 2000, eventually adopted his ring name Batista, and made his WWE in-ring debut in a tag team match teaming with D’Von against Faarooq and Randy Orton in 2002.
Titles
- World Heavyweight Championship – 4 times
- World Tag Team Championship – 3 times – with Ric Flair (2) and John Cena
- WWE Championship – 2 times
- WWE Tag Team Championship -1 time – with Rey Mysterio
- Royal Rumble – 2 times (2005, 2014)
Finishing Moves
- Batista Bite
- Batista Bomb
Signature Moves
- Big Boot
- Elevated single leg Boston crab
- Hammerlock/armbar combination
- Vertical suplex/Front/Swinging Side Powerslam Variations
- Running clothesline
- Shoulder block
- Spear
- Spinebuster
- Turnbuckle thrust
- Two-handed choke lift
Film Debut
Batista had his first acting role as a wrestler in the 2006 comedy film, Relative Strangers. His role was uncredited in the film.
His first credited acting role came in 2009 when he was cast as a Police officer in the American-German film, My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done?
Television Debut
In 2006, he appeared as Aidar in an episode of the television series, Smallville.
Famous For
His stint in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), where he was crowned World Champion six times
His role as Drax the Destroyer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, portraying the character in the films Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), and Avengers: Infinity War (2018).
Brand Endorsements
Batista has done endorsement works and ad campaigns for WWE SummerSlam (2004), Nutrabolics (2007), Muscle and Fitness.
Batista Favorites
- Food – Steak
- Band – Metallica, Linkin Park
- Music – Unleashed by Saliva
Batista Net Worth
As of 2024, Batista has a net worth of $16 million.
Trivia
His parents divorced when he was young and he was raised by his mother. His mother was a lesbian and he had considered himself as “a proud son of a lesbian”.
He left home at the age of 17 and started living on his own. He worked as a bouncer for various nightclubs and also worked as a lifeguard before taking bodybuilding as his career full-time.
Batista entered the wrestling world in 1999 and fought for the brand WWE for over a decade. He was a former member of Evolution with Triple H, Randy Orton, and Ric Flair.
He holds the record for having the longest reign of 282 days as the World Heavyweight Champion.
Before the age of 40, Batista had already become the grandfather of 2 grandsons Jacob and Aiden by Keilani (his first daughter).
He holds a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under the tutelage of Cesar Gracie.
Bautista made his MMA debut against veteran journeyman fighter Vince Lucero on October 6, 2012, and eventually won the match via technical knockdown.
Bautista published his autobiography titled ‘Batista Unleashed’ on October 16, 2007, via Pocket Books. He recorded some of the most controversial issues in his life, including his relationship with Chris Benoit in the book.
He appeared on the cover of the April 2005 Flex and Muscle & Fitness for September 2008.
He is a collector of vintage steel lunchboxes.
Batista has many tattoos on his body, including a dragon on his back, the word “Angel” written in red Kanji lettering on his upper left biceps as a tribute to his former wife, Angie, a signature design on his upper right biceps, and the sun on his stomach, surrounding his belly button. He also has the flags of the Philippines and Greece tattooed on his arm.
Batista reunited with the rest of Evolution for an appearance on SmackDown’s 1000th episode on October 16, 2018.