5 betrayals that led to great feuds in WWE

#3 Batista turns on Triple H (and Evolution) - WWE 2005

14 years ago, Batista turns on Evolution and chooses to face Triple H at WrestleMania 21 for the World Heavyweight Championship. pic.twitter.com/NteLZwLS1g

— Wrestling Access (@WrestlingAccess) February 28, 2019

Heel turns happen quite often in WWE, while a babyface turn is extremely rare. The execution of the turn is reliant on an effective buildup and how it is teased in the leadup. There has probably never been a more impressive babyface turn than Batista in 2005.

The year prior, Evolution turned on Randy Orton following his World Heavyweight Championship win at Summerslam 2004. This planted a seed of doubt in Batista that Triple H would do the same to him if he got in the way of him and the top prize in the promotion. In the months following was a slow burn buildup that created tension between the two superstars.

So @DaveBautista turns up on Monday Night Raw takes out The Nature Boy and threatens to destroy Triple H if he doesn’t get what he wants and suddenly @JamesGunn is back directing Guardians of the Galaxy 3, coincidence? I think not. #GOTG3 #Wrestlemania pic.twitter.com/s1Sz0A4to8

— Martín (@ThatSledge1981) March 15, 2019

Batista won the 2005 Royal Rumble, which gave him the opportunity to choose which champion he wanted to face at WrestleMania. Although Triple H plotted to get The Animal to choose WWE Champion JBL, he overheard the devious plan and knew which champion he would choose.

The visual of him giving Triple H and Ric Flair the thumbs down has been replayed and become synonymous with his character. At WrestleMania 21, Batista defeated The Game to win the World Heavyweight Championship. He followed this victory with two more over Triple H, including one inside Hell In A Cell at Vengeance 2005.

The subsequent feud with The Cerebral Assassin helped cement Batista as a top guy for the rest of his career. He would become a multi-time champion and go on to be successful even after his WWE career. He paid it forward at WrestleMania 35, losing to Triple H in his retirement match. It was a rivalry that allowed Hunter to always say he had made a bonafide star for years to come.