After over a year of ongoing rumors, Batista finally made his second return to the WWE this week on Monday Night Raw, attacking Ric Flair backstage and thus foiling the Nature Boy's 70th birthday celebration.

Batista then stared into the camera and asked Triple H if he had his attention, teasing a match between the two former Evolution pals at WrestleMania 35. But even though The Animal is set to make another return to the ring, don't expect this go-around in the WWE to last long.

According to Felix Upton of Ringside News, Batista's contract with the WWE is very short, and he's not expected to have any more matches after WrestleMania. Upton did say that Batista could appear at the Raw after 'Mania to address the crowd, but it seems like The Animal is only going to wrestle the one match before he heads back to Hollywood.

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Things could always change, and as Upton notes, it's possible WWE offers Batista plenty of money to stick around even longer. But as of now, the signs point to the future Hall of Famer having a very brief stay in the WWE. And for all we know, WrestleMania 35 could mark the final match of Batista's illustrious career.

The Animal returned to WWE in 2014 after a four-year absence but left a few months later, due in large part to disagreements over the direction of his character. No matter how long his third tenure in WWE lasts here, the main point is that the former World Champion will finally be able to end his career the way he wanted to.

What This Means

As Upton notes, Batista's now 50 years of age and is making some blockbuster movies in Hollywood, so it'd be a surprise if he wound up staying in the WWE over the long run. All signs point to this being a very short stay for Batista, but at least he'll be able to end it on a much higher note than he did in 2010 and 2014.

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