Batista anxious to make WWE return by Phil Speer Aug. 13, 2003
After three surgeries on his right triceps over the last five months, Batista hopes and believes that he’s on the cusp of a full recovery.
“I think (it’ll take) another month at the very most, just for safety,” Batista told WWE.com in a telephone interview. “I honestly feel like I can come back at any time now.”
It’s great news for 6-foot-5, 275-pound powerhouse, who has been as unlucky as any Superstar, injury-wise, since March 1, when he first ruptured his right triceps, during a match at a non-televised event. Batista traveled to Birmingham, Ala., and had surgery three days later, performed by the renowned Dr. James Andrews. Recovery time was estimated at three months.
At the two-month point, Batista was ahead of schedule. “I was pretty much healed up,” he said. “I was all gung-ho ready to go.” He was training aggressively to come back. In late April, while running wind sprints -- “which actually I learned from Brock Lesnar,” he said -- he slipped as he was slowing down, and instinctively used his right arm to break his fall.
“It didn’t hurt or anything,” he said. “I just felt it pop. My wife was there with me. I said to her, ‘I think the damn thing popped off again.’”
The next day, he flew back to Birmingham, where Dr. Andrews confirmed that, indeed, the muscle had re-torn, and another surgery would be required. That operation was on May 1, and Batista was told it would take four to five months to recover, longer because “they really wanted to make sure it was healed up this time” and also because surgery was more complicated, with doctors having to cut through scar tissue.
Six weeks ago, Batista had another minor operation to help clear up an infection that had developed. Today, he says he feels great and, to say the least, is anxious to return to WWE television.
He feels like he was just hitting his stride, learning from veterans like Ric Flair and Triple H, when he originally became injured. He says Evolution (with Flair, Triple H and Randy Orton) “has really developed without me,” but he’d love to return as the enforcer of the group, and have the opportunity to perform alongside those veterans again. “Hopefully it’s not too late for me to get back in there,” he said, although he realizes nothing is guaranteed.
Batista is scheduled to return to Birmingham for a checkup with Dr. Andrews on Monday. In the best-case scenario, he’d receive full medical clearance.
But Batista is hoping that he’ll at least get the green light to intensify his training, and then, perhaps, get clearance when he returns to Birmingham a week or two later.
A rehabilitation stint in Ohio Valley Wrestling -- WWE’s developmental territory, where Batista competed for two years before getting the call-up to the “majors” -- is a possibility. “I’m all for it,” he said. “I need to get in the ring and work out.”
In the meantime, Batista is working out at home and doing the occasional appearance on behalf of WWE. He says that he’ll one day begin doing wind sprints again, as it’s the only type of cardiovascular workout that helps prepare him for the ring, but he hasn’t done any since he re-tore his triceps.
“Hell no,” he said with a chuckle. “For a while, if it rained outside, I was paranoid. I was so afraid I was going to fall. I was wearing my brace when I didn’t have to. I was in the shower holding the rail.”
As the paranoia slowly wears off, his anticipation for returning to the ring only grows. “I’m just dying to get back,” he said.
To be honest I wasn't massively impressed with Batista pre injury. He was pretty good but not great and I certainly think Orton looked the more promising of the 2 (go easy Jeb ).
Having said that Evolution is sorely lacking an enforcer character and hopefully he'll make a succesful come back soon. In spite of his faults I don't really see a better alternative (hey it looks like him or Nash, c'mon).
I'm all for Batista to return to Evolution, if only to slow the tide of the Orton push from hell...
From where I sit, after sending Batista after Goldberg (you KNOW it's coming; just play it out better by giving him the Spear and Jackhammer as well), they could team up Orton and Batista, giving them the tag titles in short order, instead of thrusting Orton into the uppercard, where he'll either flounder or hold back other more deserving guys who need to be in the IC title scene...
Or, they could have Batista be all "What about me?" and turn face to combat Evolution. He could start a stable called Creationism or...wait, this idea is getting silly.
Creationism, eh? Could they be managed by Rev. Slick?
Batista absolutely needs to go back into Evolution. He's not getting over on his own with that look/shtick, not on a show with Goldberg, Steiner, and Kane. And while I was certainly higher on Orton than on Batista, he fits in a group dynamic. Evolution's lacking someone in that muscle role, and Batista is a perfect fit for it. It also means we can limit Flair's in-ring performances and make them seem special, like they should have been doing all along.
Soon to be penciled in for Unforgiven: Batista vs Kevin Nash
Be afraid. Be VERY afraid!
LS: You're sure going into the women's locker room will get us on TV? GD: Absolutely! And if it doesn't, I've got Max Mini ready to come out of retirement. HE'LL get us on Raw! Nothing spells ratings like MIDGETS!
You guys are mean. Come on he was ORPHAN, Remember!--[ping]-- There's that pin again LoL
He did show me about a solid handful of moves, 4 of them clotheslines but still.
I guess he'll fit in the enforcer role, he an okay at best big man. But his look and moveset is so generic and cookie cutter from the back tattoes to his attire... But after seriously seeing the heel reaction Nash got powerbombing Goldberg on Raw, I wonder if that might go to WWE's mindset in thinking "Hmmm maybe Nash would fit in this heel stable pretty well?". He certainly had a more legit reaction in the last 2 minutes of Raw then I can remember since he came back.
(edited by Net Hack Slasher on 21.8.03 0133) Me fail English? That's unpossible
Originally posted by tomvejadaI agree with the last poster about Orton and Batista as a tag-team. They could be a very good tag-team.
Raw doesn't have a very deep tag division. If Batista and Orton become a tag-team again, they'll mainly be wrestling the Dudleyz. Do you think Vince wants to put Batista and Orton back in the ring with the people who sloppily put them on the shelf in the first place? Would HHH with whatever pull he has let that happen to his stable *again*? Could you imagine what would happen to Bubba's career if he accidentally fucked up Orton again?