Will Batista Compete At WrestleMania Next Year?

The latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter has provided an update on whether Batista will be competing at WrestleMania 32 or not. As has been reported, WWE desires as many “big name” legends to return to the company and work the 32nd edition of the annual event, and “The Animal” was one of the names discussed for a return “retirement” match.

Batista himself has said that he would love to wrestle at least one more match for WWE. He wants that match to be a retirement match with Triple H on the grand stage of WrestleMania, but not necessarily next year’s show.

According to the report, Guardians of the Galaxy 2 is set to begin filming next February, which would likely mean Batista would be unable to appear on WWE programming much to build towards a significant bout at WrestleMania 32. If a retirement match with Triple H is what he would want to do, a program would definitely need time to develop on television

Triple H is said to most likely be taking on Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson at WrestleMania 32 anyway, leaving no obvious opponents for Batista otherwise. Dave Meltzer even says in the report that he believes Batista may be done for good when it comes to professional wrestling.

“There will be a second Guardians of the Galaxy movie that will be filmed starting in February. That was a given. That would seem to make it a lock that Dave Bautista won’t be back for Mania season. With the way his career has been going in Hollywood of late, with the possible exception of a one-time retirement match, I think his days as an active wrestler are over.”

Could Batista return for one more match? It’s quite possible. However, it may not be for a match at WrestleMania 32.