The wrestling career of Batista has been nothing short of extraordinary. The six-time World Champion has headlined multiple WrestleManias, and he has won many big matches throughout his WWE career. Whilst, Batista started as a wrestler, he has gone on to become one of the most successful actors in Hollywood.
Batista has been a part of a memorable faction, and he has won tag team championship gold in his career. The Animal has predominately featured in the main event scene for large portions of his career, which is a testament to his greatness. Not all of his moments were great, but these photos paint a picture of his iconic career.
12 OVW
Before Batista became a household name in the wrestling industry, he made a name for himself in WWE's developmental territory, OVW. His in-ring name was Leviathan. He was going to have a big future in WWE as he had a decent look.
He had a successful run in OVW as he captured the OVW Heavyweight Championship. Ironically, he dropped the title to The Prototype, who would become John Cena, and he would feud with Cena over the WWE Championship in later years. Batista would be promoted to the main roster in 2002, and the rest was history.
11 Deacon Batista
When Batista moved from OVW to SmackDown in 2002, he worked alongside Reverend D-Von as Deacon Batista. Batista had a great look here, but he was only used to serving as a henchman for D-Von in an enforcer-type role.
Deacon Batista had a few matches on SmackDown, and it was evident that he was still green. Nevertheless, Batista couldn't be trapped in this gimmick forever, and towards the end of 2002, he moved from SmackDown to Raw.
10 Evolution
Moving to Raw was one of the best things to happen to Batista. Ric Flair took Batista under his ring, and you don't get a better mentor than Ric Flair. However, in February 2003, Evolution was born with Triple H leading the faction with Flair and Randy Orton joining the group.
Unfortunately, Batista sustained an untimely triceps injury. He returned eight months later and he laid out Goldberg in October 2003. Evolution did wonders for Batista's career as he developed his in-ring skills, and he clinched his first piece of silverware, the World Tag Team Championship twice alongside Flair.
9 First Royal Rumble Win
Batista began to outgrow Evolution, and Triple H could see that Batista was going to become a threat to his World Heavyweight Championship. The Animal was still a heel, but there were signs of his first major babyface run on the horizon. Batista competed in the 2005 Royal Rumble match, and he was hellbent on winning the Rumble.
The Animal entered the Rumble as the 28th entrant and he cleaned out the house. Batista and John Cena were the final two entrants, despite both going over the top rope which was unplanned. The match restarted and Batista went on to win the Rumble for the first time in his career.
8 Maiden World Championship Reign
Triple H and Ric Flair's plans failed to try to get Batista to move over to SmackDown to target JBL's WWE Championship. Batista left WWE, turned face, and he used his Rumble opportunity to challenge Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 21.
Their World Title match was decent, and it was a huge moment in Batista's career as he defeated Triple H to become World Heavyweight Champion for the first time. The tears flowed, and Batista went on to hold the World Heavyweight Championship for nine months.
7 Relinquishes World Heavyweight Title
Batista did an exceptional job in his maiden World Heavyweight Championship reign. He was drafted from Raw to SmackDown in the 2005 draft lottery. Before he moved over to SmackDown, Batista cemented his spot as a big-time player as he scored three consecutive wins over Triple H.
The Animal had an entertaining rivalry with Eddie Guerrero before Latino Heat's untimely passing in November. Moreover, the injury bug struck again and Batista was forced to relinquish the World Heavyweight Title. Batista was tearful as he held the gold for 282 days, and he missed WrestleMania 22.
6 Reclaims World Heavyweight Championship
Batista never lost the World Heavyweight Championship in the first place as he relinquished it but he was desperate to take it away from King Booker. The Animal had several near misses, as he came up short at SummerSlam 2006, No Mercy, and in some matches on SmackDown.
That all changed at Survivor Series as Batista managed to put Booker away after he clocked him with the Big Gold Belt to become a two-time World Heavyweight Champion. Batista was pleased as he was the man on top once again.
5 Feud With The Undertaker
Just like he did in 2006, Batista started the year as World Heavyweight Champion in 2007. The Undertaker won the Royal Rumble match, and the feud between Batista and Undertaker kickstarted at WrestleMania 23 with Batista's World Heavyweight Championship at stake.
Undertaker prevailed, and their feud lasted almost one year. They went to a draw at Backlash in a Last Man Standing match. However, Batista earned successive wins over Undertaker at Cyber Sunday and in a Hell in a Cell match at Survivor Series. Two big men going head-to-head can be a recipe for disaster but Batista and Undertaker made it work in some breathtaking matches.
4 Heel Turn Before Departure
For the first time in four years, Batista turned heel in the fall of 2009 when he brutalized his former tag team partner Rey Mysterio. It was well long overdue that Batista returned to the dark side. Nevertheless, he was teasing his acting career in Hollywood as he requested the spotlight with the arena going dark and no pyro.
Batista captured his sixth and final World Championship reign when he was awarded a WWE Title match at Elimination Chamber 2010. Batista went on to defeat Cena for the WWE Championship. He dropped the title back to Cena at WrestleMania 26, and Batista failed to reclaim the gold. Batista quit WWE and he was gone for almost four years.
3 Return To WWE
Batista finally returned to WWE on the January 20, 2014 edition of Raw. He was a face once again, and he entered the 2014 Royal Rumble match. Ironically, just like he had done in 2005, Batista clinched his second Royal Rumble win and it was from the 28th position.
The "Boo-tista" chants had begun because of Daniel Bryan's popularity, and Batista turned heel shortly after. He headlined WrestleMania for just the second time in his career at WrestleMania 30 but he failed to take home the WWE Championship as Bryan forced him to submit to the Yes Lock.
2 Evolution Reunited
Evolution sans Ric Flair returned in April 2014. Batista, Triple H, and Randy Orton were once again a force to be reckoned with. It was nostalgic for fans to hear "Line In The Sand" by Motorhead, but the reunion was short-lived until the early months of the summer.
The trio was going head-to-head with The Shield but they came up short in two six-man tag team matches at Extreme Rules and Payback. Batista's return to WWE only lasted five months before he quit again.
1 Retirement
Batista has always been intense and he brings a lot of physicality to his matches. However, Batista decided that enough was enough and he was ready to hang up his pair of wrestling boots. Before he rode into the sunset, Batista battled Triple H in a match where the Game's career was on the line at WrestleMania 35.
Before Batista could battle the Game, he tripped up in the ropes which was hilarious to see. Nonetheless, Triple H defeated his former Evolution stablemate, and Batista announced his retirement shortly after. He was scheduled to go into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2020 and 2021 but because of COVID-19 restrictions, he will wait for future induction.