4 non-wrestling roles Batista could have in sudden WWE return

One WWE legend many fans are anticipating to return, even if not as an in-ring superstar, is Batista. It has been a while since The Animal was involved in anything related to wrestling, but that could change soon.

Fans last saw Batista in WWE in 2019 after five years away, immediately beginning a feud with former mentor and Evolution groupmate Triple H. Their feud concluded at WrestleMania 35 in a No Holds Barred match with their careers on the line. After an interference from Ric Flair, The Game defeated The Animal, marking the latter's last match.

He was set to be inducted into the 2020 Hall of Fame, but the COVID-19 pandemic postponed the event, he was about to be inducted into the following years but his busy schedule in Hollywood prevented him from doing so. Recently, he was asked about a possible return, which he turned down as he didn't want to tarnish his "storybook ending." However, Batista could be involved in other ways for the company, and we will look at the four roles he could portray if he returns.

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#4. Batista could be a temporary General Manager for one of WWE's brands

From left to right, the General Manager of SmackDown, RAW, and NXT [Image Credits: WWE.com]

In recent years, General Managers have become more important and involved in feuds and storylines whether on RAW, SmackDown, or NXT. This means that they are featured more prominently and frequently, but that also means they could be tired from all of the events happening in WWE recently. With this in mind, The Animal could step in to manage one of the brands for a while.

The main manager who could call in for some reinforcement is Adam Pearce, who has been dealing with a lot on RAW recently. After sending this request to Triple H, The Game could say that he found a close friend who is interested and introduce Batista. It would be interesting to see how the former champion will interact with familiar and new faces in the company, along with the many changes from the past few years.

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#3. Welcome fans into the new stage of WWE

One of the things WWE fans are looking forward to for 2025 is the new deal between the Stamford-based promotion and Netflix. The streaming platform will be the new home of RAW, which means there will be less censorship and will no longer have to think about the PG-13 rating.

As a Hollywood actor, and someone who has acted in existing Netflix content, there would be no person more fitting to tie in wrestling and the platform than the 55-year-old. In this way, while welcoming fans into the "new" setup, they could also reminisce about the past.

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#2. Get involved in John Cena's retirement tour

2025 will mark the final year John Cena will be an in-ring performer for WWE, competing in his final appearances on several Premium Live Events and having last and first matches with different superstars. Since Batista is not looking to compete inside the ring, he could be involved in someplace else.

The Animal could shock fans by helping Cena in one of his matches, even through ringside interference. In this way, he doesn't have to commit to a storyline or ruin the one John made with his opponent.

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#1. Induct somebody into the WWE Hall of Fame

If Batista has a free schedule in 2025, it's likely that he will finally be inducted into the Hall of Fame. However, another route that he could take is by inducting somebody else instead.

One of the stars many are waiting to see to be inducted is the legendary Umaga, who has a rich history with The Animal. The Cenation Leader as well since he will be retiring next year, and the company could make it more special by having more than one speaker for him.