Does Batista love the wrestling business?

[WhyTravisFelt]

http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/article/former-wwe-head-of-security-speaks-on-batista-his-status-103297

Here's the link (place up arrow here) in which this thread is referencing.

The question I posit is, of course, doe Batista really love the business?

My answer, and please feel free to argue, is no, and here is my reason why: I have a couple of friends who have met the guy, I've met plenty of people who have met the guy, and I've encountered a very large amount of people on the internet who have met the guy and NOBODY has had a positive thing to say about him in person. In my mind, this means that he doesn't like wrestling fans and I believe wrestling fans ARE the business.

This isn't a REAL sport so you aren't going out there to achieve a title in the way someone would achieve a Stanley Cup or a Lombardi trophy. In which, yeah, you may have fans, but your JOB is to go out and out-perform your opponent, not so people like you, but so you can win games (or, at the very least, to get paid lots of money to outperform others, but still not really to garner a fanbase, which of course might naturally follow...unless you're T.O.)

In fake sports the single, solitary reason to perform is for the fans, whether you're a face or a heel, that's the ONLY goal is for the fans. Batista has spent the majority of his career in the main event as a face, so I can't see an argument of treating fans like garbage to keep your heel rep.

If you've met Batista and he was great, drop a line to counter this argument. If you believe loving the business isn't necessarily about the fans, explain why you feel that way.

I don't think you need to be a great wrestler to be a wrestler who loves the business, so I won't include that in my argument. In fact, I think for somebody who is obviously on their way out to risk going through a stage like he did at the last PPV, speaks something of some determination or appreciation for his time in WWE, even if I don't think Batista has put on a good match since 'Mania three years ago and not many before then. I think HHH seriously and desperately loves the business, and I don't think I've ever enjoyed a HHH match; I say this just so you don't think I'm looking at it from the opinon-based point of view that 'he doesn't love the business because I don't appreciate him as a wrestler.'

I know the argument will arise that I don't know him personally and I accept that fact; my points are admittedly hearsay from others I know who have had direct contact with the guy. Within the wrestling business a number of women, Shelly Martinez and Melina, have had some bad things to say about him, but alot of that can be attributed to him writing a book essentially admitting that he treats women like garbage. Maybe Batista is truly a misanthropist who just hates EVERYBODY: fans, female companions, etc. Is it appropriate for me to construe that as not loving the business? Does that mean he still loves wrestling and the wrestling business even though he seems to hate the people the business is FOR or the people also involved in the business? Or can the two not be reconciled?

Please share your thoughts.

 

[wushady]

I agree with you I don't think he loves anything but making money. I saw him about 5 years ago in a Sprint store near we he leaves in Tampa. I didn't approach him, but he was total dick to this kid that asked for a autograph. The kid was about 6 or 7 and cried when he said no. It wouldn't have killed him to sign something for the kid he was a top babyface at the time. He was also a dick to the employees in the store cause he felt he shouldn't have to wait.

I've also seen Jericho around town once he was nice to everyone and signed many autographs for kids and even took pictures. He was out with his family and still took time for fans, and he was a top heel as he is now.

 

[WhyTravisFelt]

Nice seeing another Tampon like myself posting to the same effect and reinforcing what I've heard of Batista. Your story made me feel bad for the kid, but it's unfortunately not even close to the first story I've heard of the same thing i.e. Batista making a little kid cry by refusing to sign an autograph.

Strangely enough, I went to an FCW show about a year ago and we had showed up early because we knew Batista was signing autographs. Batista no-showed, and who was the kind-hearted guy who took his place? Chris Jericho. He was awesome. I got up to his table and, totally star-struck (in my stupor, I bypassed Kelly Kelly's autograph table altogether), all I could think of to say was, "if I knew you were going to be here, I would've brought your book to sign." To which Jericho said, "You should have it with you at all times." And of course, all I could think of in response was "It won't fit in my pocket." He laughed like crazy. He was absolutely awesome.

 

[zackattack]

Batista came to my hometown once to sign autographs at a fitness store. There were 2 lines the general admission which I was in and the VIP for those who payed 50 bucks at the store. I was the first in line at the gen admission line a mom kept going back and forth between the 2 lines giving us updates as the VIP line got to go first my buddy was VIP and said Batista was awesome and nice and I thought this is odd as Ive heard reports hes a dick. There were about 10 ppl left in VIP he had only been there for an hr and a half and what happens? he leaves for a dinner break I had been in line for 6 hrs and had to leave to make a supershow that night so i didnt get to meet him I was so pissed

 

[CuddleBuns84]

No one really ever know this question. Not also that, but stating how he treats fans is a bad way to provide the reason why he doesn't love the business. A lot of wrestlers were pricks. The Warrior was a complete ass to his co-workers but okay with his fans.

He spent a lot of years wrestling, so he must of had some love for it. No one really sticks with a job for 10 plus years, and makes a lot money while doing it, and not enjoy. Hell after 5 years of his WWE debut, he could of just left when he had a enough money.

So from what most people saying, yea, he is a prick. Does that mean he doesn't love the business? No one really knows. Jim McMahon, QB for the bears was a real prick, but he loved football. Jordan is a douche off the court, but he loved basketball.

 

[BatistrioFlyPunt]

I actually met him last year in Florida. And I know I am going to get hell because I am a fan, but he actually was a nice guy when I met him. We met him in the hotel and he had his bags with him, he actually talked to us for an hour and a half without giving us a sign that he was annoyed. The reason I think people are even in the thread is that they hate him, in any way possible. I have been looking at comments on different things and it is obvious of the fact that he has more haters than fans, which explains why there are stories that he hates the fans.

To answer your question, yes he loves the business, the former head of security Jimmy Noonan expanded on this at this link http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/art...-security-speaks-on-batista-his-status-103297

And the statement that he "hates everyone, and treats women last trash" were completely wrong if you read his book fully and thoroughly.

 

[WhyTravisFelt]

What an awful story, Zackattack.

However, I would say part of that sounds like a problem with the fitness store not configuring a reasonable balance between the two lines. Spending fifty dollars at a fitness store should give you a pretty good bye for the line, but not in front of anybody who's been waiting six hours. Batista taking a "dinner break" after only being there for an hour and a half, though, is absolute crap. I can't imagine any job, especially one as remedial as sitting at a table scribbling with a sharpie, necessitating a break after an hour and a half of work; granted that's about forty times longer than his average match.

 

[OutsiderDX]

Quick story, me and my buddies hit a Denny's after a wrestling show, and Batista and ref Mike Chioda got seated 2 tables away from us. And Batista was just an abosulote prick to the waitress. And i wish i could remember exactly what he said, but it was obvious he thought he was the greatest thing in the world. He kept his sunglasses on and its almost 1 am. When they left, Mike Chioda apologized to the waitress which was super cool.

Batista > A-Hole
Batista = Huge A-Hole

 

[LadyBrawler]

Hi people.

This is my first reply on here. I couldn't help but noticed this thread so I had to respond.

If you look in WZ facts regarding Batista, his mother is a lesbian. Correct me if I'm wrong because I'm not a therapist and I'm certainly NOT defending him but I think he's the "angry heterosexual" male that probably was teased about his mother and is taking his anger out on women, children, etc.

Other than that, I don't like him and to me he abuses his star power and connections over people.

 

[WhyTravisFelt]

I'm not going to give you hell, Batistrio. I'm looking for reasons, and I'm glad you're offering. The link you posted, though, is the very link I started this thread in response to and is the very first line of the thread, so I would appreciate if you followed my initial post more thoroughly.

I do hate him as a wrestler and I have explicitly stated this opinion on other threads, but that isn't the basis of this thread and I have tried to distance myself from the comparisons by admitting to this off the bat.
I posed the potentiality of Batista as a misanthrope ("hates everybody") as a "maybe" and as a question to others, not as a statement, and while I have not read Batista's book myself I've read plenty of reviews accusing it of misogyny and of Batista having alpha-male minded "conquest" mentality. Again, this view is reinforced by both Shelly Martinez and Melina both coming forward to extents about Batista as a person. Again, neither of these are really attributes as to whether or not Batista loves the business, just insights into who Batista is and whether he could be the type of person who does love the business, using Martinez and Melina as people in the business, and fans as to to whom the business is for.

Your second and terciary posts concerning Jericho are a touch off mark. He was assaulted by fans who apparently don't quite understand the notion of "fiction" and swung out, perhaps rashly under the provocation of expectorants on his face, at the crowd and ended up hitting a woman. I watched the video five times, and honestly, I have no problems AT ALL with his reaction. Those dumb effs who acted like ayeholes should all be sat down, forced to watch a movie sometime and have a person explain the idea of protagonists and antagonists in basic common storylines starting with an easy one, say, Cinderella and her wicked Step-mother.


To CuddleBuns...haha, I love the name, but, can I call you something cooler, like Legarrette Blount. I honestly don't mean any offense by that, I think he'll be awesome in the NFL...and that other guy probably deserved it. Anyway, my only problem with your post is it completely contradicted part of my initial post about REAL sports without even any reference to it. Wrestling business isn't sports business; I think part of loving the business is loving the fans and you did not offer a rebuttal to that.

To tackle your argument of Ultimate Warrior, I have to say...unfortunately, I don't see the argument here. He does CURRENTLY hate the business, he IS a prick, he DOES hates his fellow wrestlers and his fellow wrestlers hate him BACK (ask me about the time I met Ed Leslie), and his fans, if he has any left, are radical right-wing homophobes, which if anybody reading this IS one, don't be offended if I fail to recognize your response or your existence in general. Did Warrior love the business when he was there? Yeah! He got hundreds of thousands of dollars, was completely effed to mars on steroids, pain-killers, and cocaine at the time, and did hardly ANYthing in the ring. But that was the business then, and if the business of NOW is comparable, than the argument in and of itself is meaningless and, Jeez, Blount, maybe you have a point. I mean, Batista maybe wasn't too much different; He made millions of dollars, did hardly anything in the ring (but still, I'll grant, much more than warrior), and he was probably effed up on at least one of those three things I mentioned through his career if not a couple of other, newer things. BUT, I'm going to have to cut this argument short; that isn't loving the "business", that's enjoying the paycheck and the fame. Jericho, HHH, Chavo Guerrero, these are people that love the BUSINESS; these are people that love Professional Wrestling, and now the distinction will probably have to be made as to who loves it as an artform (Jericho, Guerrero), who loves it as an economic device (Batista, Warrior) and who loves it as a bastardized, carnie-like love-child between the two (HHH, Cena, and Mr. MacMahon)

I agree, we're never going to know if he for sure loves the business, or how he loves the business if he does, or if the way in which he does love the business isn't some depressingly glorified money-tacular variation of Carnie BS. But let's try to tackle the question in accordance with my initial preponderances.

 

[BatistrioFlyPunt]

I did not click on your post. And in all honestly I think the people who are posting negative comments and stories hate him. I am a fan but I would be honest and if he was nasty towards me I would turn against him. But he was a sweetheart towards me and my brother when we met him.

 

[MelodicLullaby]

It was not self defense, he was spat at yes, but that doesn't give him the right to punch a girl. And it was brought to court.

If you actually knew what happened, you'd see that he wasn't really aware of who he was punching. Jericho was getting into his car (leaving his back exposed and him unaware of who was behind him), and some woman spat on his neck. He just acted out of instinct and punched behind him without looking. In all, it's not really his fault, since he had no idea who did it. She shouldn't have been ignorant enough to spit on someone just because she didn't like him. Hell, I applaud him for doing it, and I'm a girl. She should have known better.

As for Batista loving the company, I say that he DOES like the "company" -- but not that which pertains to the fans. The matches, the heats of the moment, the co-workers, maybe even McMahon. But just because he likes the business on the inside doesn't mean he'll always like the fans on the outside. Why should he like the fans when they so obviously post their spite of him on the internet? They do check these things, as much as people might not think. Seriously, if I were working somewhere for 10+ years, there would definitely have to be a major reason other than money to keep me there, if I didn't like it.

 

[WhyTravisFelt]

Batistrio, please take heed. I genuinely like you, if nothing else you have proved some stand-up grammatical skills and legible sentences which I don't always get on these forums. I understand you are a Batista fan, your name and picture are very evident of that, but you need to understand alot of these stories, particularly the first two that came after my initial post, have not been from people who HATE him on solely the circular-reasoning of HATING him, they have been people "burned" if you will by him and so are the other people that we, like me and Silver66, are talking about.

I understand your feelings, but please don't be presumptious about what other people have to say. Again, I do admit that I hate Batista, but I'm not holding any predispositions here, I'm solely talking about whether or not he loves the business and what I know and/or have reliable hearsay sources in accordance to. It isn't a chicken-or-egg story here, the negative stories DO NOT under any circumstance I am yet aware of follow AFTER the discontent people have with him; from what I have gathered largely, it is the other way around entirely nearly all of the time.

 

[gd]

Who really cares if he loves it or not? He's already made millions of dollars and worked for what, like 10 years? Seems like a pretty sweet gig to me. If he wants to step away and do whatever the hell he wants to do with his life, then so be it. Better retire early then end up like the countless number of other wrestlers that wind up with major problems later in life.

 

[BatistrioFlyPunt]

I understand that fully, but like other people have said. Maybe he is mean towards fans because fans are nasty on the internet. He said in his book (which you said you haven't read already) that he does not get on the internet because of the sole negativity that comes out of it. I don't know if that is the whole reason he was nasty towards those fans, but it plays a heavy part on the scenarios.

 

[BatistrioFlyPunt]

And I truly do believe he loves the business. He might have turned heel so he didn't have to play into fans, but he always seemed to do it. And I do not know him personally so I couldn't say whether or not he loved it, but people have said he was aways loyal and willing to try things in the business.

 

[WhyTravisFelt]

I'm glad you brought that point up, Batistrio! I like you more and more every time you post; I genuinely feel me and you could have hell of a round of beers together. I have wondered myself if his treatment towards fans may take into account his cognizance of internet bashing, but it still doesn't excuse his maltreatment of various young kids who have asked for his autograph of which I had heard or read numerous stories therein.

I think it's a rough argument, which is exactly why I posited it to begin with. I struggle to understand what he exactly did FOR the business; who has he helped build, what storylines has he adequately pushed forward that weren't more based on how the other guy performed than himself? His first heel storyline with Misterio did close to nothing for Misterio; as a face, who has he helped build? Jericho was already beyond him in their storyline, going back to Kennedy at Royal Rumble in 2007, he did nothing to help build Kennedy (aside from getting out-wrestled like crazy). He had a good bout with Danielson, but that was, like the aforementioned Kennedy match, all about the other guy performing exceptionally and making himself look good. What, really, has Batista done with his career that honestly did anything for the business? Give me a point, here's the opportunity, and I mean name something in which the majority of the leverage was in Batista helping anybody else or a storyline against anybody in which that other person didn't more adequately contribute.

 

[wushady]

Silver66 the people who you have talked to more than likely hate him, hence the reasons for the negative stories.

I hate him because like I said in my first post I saw him make a little kid cry. There's no excuse for that how can someone love the wrestling business if they can't take a minute to sign a autograph for a child. The WWE's main audience are kids.

That's the reason I hate him I was a fan of his up until that day. I get wrestlers/celebrities get annoyed with fans hassling them while they're eating etc. but it was one kid.

 

[WhyTravisFelt]

Thank you again, Wushady, for backing up what I've asserted to Batistrio. I'd love to have a beer with you too sometime, and I see you live in Tampa, so that might be a possibility at some point.

I hoped someone would have already brought this up, but to argue against my own point, Batista went on record talking about how he felt about wrestling and about other wrestlers not being as dedicated as him, even going so far as to point out how Christian was under-utilized (and heavily implying underrated) back right before Christian went to TNA: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/wrestling/article226357.ece

This gives me some appreciation for Batista who, like I stated initially, while I don't like him as a wrestler, or even much as a human being from what I've been able to gather, has demonstrated to a particular consistency a certain love for aspects of (maybe the business included) professional wrestling.

Still, like my initial question, this doesn't adequately answer the question of whether or not somebody loves the business. It doesn't factor in the fans, doesn't imply any hopes or helps in, and certainly none yet of any up-and-comers, of other wrestlers.

In answering the question on Batista loving this business, I still believe something on Batista's accord needs to demonstrate an in-rink and/or on-mic motivation for wrestling's future, which he hasn't, a solid feud helping out the up-and-comers of today, which he hasn't, or some feasible, reliable account of him doing anything but mistreating the fanbase, which I have not yet heard except from this good man, Batistro.

 

[BatistrioFlyPunt]

There have been two instances that stood out to me that he was a genuinely nice person. One a boy from Orlando was dying of cancer and his last wish was to meet Batista. So Batista went to his house and spent the day with him. Two he was in the Phillipines for a tour and he met a little boy named Pyro who was also sick and Batista invited him to spend a day with him on the tour.

 

[El Rev sXe]

well we have seen Batista grow as wrestler and as an entertainer specially when he joined Evolution. I read what WhyTravisFelt and all I can say is that Batista as a person is a dick! Does he love the wrestling biz??only if he is champion...

What Im trying to say is that the guy used to love the company, but since he won the WHC til this day his ego has also grown ALOT. He clearly think he is the man and the only way wwe can use him is as a champion. in my book that doesnt mean that you love what you do. I mean if you love your jod, your gig, what you do you are almost willing to do anything. the example I can give is a bit extreme (pun intented) like Tommy Dreamer. he was able to job someone if he was asked for, Batista cant do that.
he couldnt make anyone look better than him!

so NO he doesnt love the biz in my book, but once upon a time he did it!

 

[Adam08]

Well I just watched the Batista dvd and wanted to give my input on this thread. I think Batista loves the wrestling industry in his own way. He may not be a friendly type of person but on the dvd and in his book he did state that he is a quite and shy person and doesn't really liked to be bother as much. Which mostly likely explains why he comes off as a dick somtimes to people.

Also I am not sure if this willing but he did help Edge a lot and helped him hit stride as a single competior. You can say John Cena did that but I belive Batista helped him out a little more because back in 2007 Batista rarely lost and when he did it was two those selective few wrestlers.

 

[WhyTravisFelt]

Sorry, Batistrio, in assuming gender. Get to talking on a wrestling forum and it goes that way; I have some spanish background from high school, so I figured a girl would be more of a Batistria. Then again, I should've figured an intelligent, grammatically-decent, and respectful person I'm arguing against would be one of the XX variants. I'll still have a beer with you, gladly at any rate, if you enjoy a good Yuengling or two.

I'm glad to hear about Batista's meetings with these children, but in those circumstances you would probably have to assume that was a WWE move, not a Batista move; not at all to downplay the damn-good decency in doing so, but, and I really can't say this without coming off as kind of a dee, but it is strongly assumable that these are something pre-arranged by the WWE, in at least the first instance. Again though, that is playing on the heartstrings, again, not to DOWNPLAY IT ALL, but it isn't comparable to how he's treated other fans. That is to say, and not trying to be intentionally insensitive, being nice to a terminally-ill kid should not be considered more-than-adequate recompense for being snobby-and-pigheaded to other kids.

 

[BatistrioFlyPunt]

That is an assumption, both were on time off due to injury. And as the name goes it its a mix of Batista , Rey Mysterio, Randy Orton, and Evan Bourne. Also should I say that it would be quite illegal for me to have a beer. Lol

 

[WhyTravisFelt]

Great post Adam08, but you have to take into account that the Batista DVD (I assume, I Walk Alone, but you didn't specify and I know no others) is based out of Batista's point of view and how WWE wants him to be portrayed.

I know plenty of "quiet and shy people" and my knowledge of every introvert I've ever met, in any fathomable spectrum of socialization, has been one of "polite submissiveness" which none of Batista's track record vis-a-vis fan interaction has come anywhere close to. Again, I'm looking for an argument no one's given me yet; if it isn't about his constant dismissal of fans, what is it about professional wrestling that we can attribute a measure of love for the business in Batista's favor? I need something, from someone, I've already offered his last PPV match against Cena which I think he did an admirable bump for, his praise for Christian, I've offered more against my OWN argument than anybody but Batistrio has. Give me something.