5 Things You Didn't Know About Dave Bautista

WWE legend Dave Bautista was today's guest on Lilian Garcia's Chasing Glory podcast. In the same day the Guardians of the Galaxy star announced his in-ring retirement, Bautista opened up like never before and revealed never before heard details from his twenty years in the public eye.

Bautista came clean regarding his struggles with learning challenges, why he really wanted last night's WrestleMania 35 match against Triple H, how he wasn't initially accepted backstage in WWE, his thoughts on one day going into the WWE Hall of Fame, and why he was the recent subject of widespread attacks on social media.

Join us for all this and more in 5 Things You Didn't Know About Dave Bautista.

#5 Bautista Saw The WrestleMania 35 Match As A Way To Honor Triple H

WWE WrestleMania 35 No Holds Barred Match: Dave Bautista vs Triple H

Dave Bautista wanted this match against Triple H for half a decade now, since he last appeared in a WWE ring. After leaving professional wrestling for Hollywood, something didn't sit well with the legendary WWE Superstar. Despite achieving mainstream success with Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, Bautista had unfinished business in the WWE and it "haunted" him.

He told Lilian Garcia,

"I felt like my career really got started when I started working with Hunter. I've never beat around the bush. Hunter made me a star in the company. He put a lot of stock in the company. He invested a lot in me. He put himself on the line physically for me. Not only did he put me over clean in the ring three times, but he also took the time to let me ride with him and let me pick his brain. He groomed me to be a star in that company."

Bautista always wanted to finish his career with a match against Triple H. He described the gesture in the following, "The only way I could really say thank you is to go out on my back for this guy."

The Hollywood icon believes in the old school wrestling mentality of giving back and going out on his back. He did just that last night at WrestleMania 35 in a losing effort against Triple H. The bout was later announced as Bautista's last ever wrestling match.

#4 Bautista Was Once Kicked Out Of WWE's Backstage Area

Long before Dave Bautista was a WWE Superstar, long before he was a household name, he was just a normal guy trying to live out his dreams. Bautista recounted being in his hometown Washington D.C. Capital One Arena for the very first time and how he tried to get himself noticed by the WWE.

According to Bautista, "I was trying to get a job with the WWE. They kicked me out. Security kicked me out."

Bautista had worked his way past WWE security and made his way to the backstage area where he wandered aimlessly in hopes of running into Jim Cornette, who was running talent relations at the time.

Bautista kept asking random people, "Is Jim Cornette here?" Eventually, he ran into WWE security, who promptly escorted Bautista out of the building.

The man who made the official decision was promoter Doug Sharpsburg. Bautista would later go on to become good friends with Sharpsburg, who was "mortified" over his earlier decision to have Bautista removed from the premises. According to Bautista, Sharpsburg felt so guilty that he later became his front row ticket hook up.

#3 Bautista Is A Shoo-In For The WWE Hall Of Fame

Undoubtedly, Dave Bautista, a multiple time world champion, is a WWE Superstar that should one day end up eternally immortalized all time greatest WWE legends and we know for certain that he will.

While some can speculate as to whether or not they will one day end up in the WWE Hall of Fame, Dave Bautista already knows. According to Bautista, WWE CEO Vince McMahon has already offered him the opportunity to be enshrined, but he turned down the offer due to wanting one more match against Triple H. Now that the match is in the history books and Dave Bautista is officially retired from professional wrestling, his inevitable enshrinement is only a matter of time.

According to Bautista,

"I've already asked someone to induct me. I will go into the Hall of Fame. I don't know if it will be this year or next year. Eventually, I will. Vince [McMahon] has talked to me about it years back and the reason I said I just wouldn't be interested is because I didn't feel like I had closure in my career."

#2 Bautista Is An Ardent James Gunn Apologist

Dave Bautista Promoting Avengers: Infinity War

Famed Hollywood director James Gunn was the subject of controversy this summer when he was future endeavored from Guardians of the Galaxy after disturbing social media posts resurfaced that showed Gunn using rape and child molestation in a misguided attempt at humor. Gunn's firing didn't sit well with Bautista, who openly advocated for his friend.

Bautista's support cost him dearly with some fans, who took to social media in droves to express their displeasure with the WWE legend.

Bautista goes into detail on Chasing Glory with Lilian Garcia:

"I got beaten up and I got beaten up royally to the point where it was almost intolerable. It was overwhelming how I got bashed and it was just crazy. People started accusing me of some crazy sh*t, just started pulling stuff out of nowhere."

One fan even accused Bautista of sexually harassing WWE Divas,

"One guy accused me of sexually harassing WWE Divas. I immediately said, 'If you're making a formal accusation, get a lawyer buddy. Get ready to be penniless.' That's not me. Mama didn't raise me that way.'"

Bautista went on, "I'm just not that guy." Host Lilian Garcia concurred and said that Bautista was actually one of the most respectful WWE Superstars behind the scenes.

The former WWE Superstar continued,

"People started accusing James of all this crazy stuff that he's never condoned or encouraged, but people jumped on this negative band wagon and I just defended him. If it was gonna be to my last breath, I was going to defend him because I knew I was right. I know he's a good guy."

The WWE legend attests that he would most certainly defend his friend again, if given the opportunity and promises that he will always be honest and true to himself. Bautista blames today's overly analytical politically correct climate for much of the backlash he has received.

#1 Bautista Struggles With Dyslexia, ADD, & Depression

Bautista revealed that he is missing out by not watching foreign films, but he is unable to always accurately read the captions due to his dyslexia. The WrestleMania 35 competitor has endured a lifelong struggle with learning disabilities including dyslexia and ADD.

To this day, Bautista still struggles with both,

"It is sometimes still a struggle. If I have to go to a cast reading, where you have to do a table reading sitting down, I usually apologize in advance because I get a little self conscious about it."

He told host Lilian Garcia that he struggled mightily in school and was always self-conscious about reading aloud,

"I was absolutely traumatized from school. I was self conscious. I felt stupid. I always felt I couldn't read good. If we ever had to read out loud in class, I either took off where I wasn't in class or I sat in the back hiding. Back then, there was no label for it. I'm sure it existed, but I didn't know what it was. I never heard people talk about that. I just thought I didn't read good."

His ADD became so bad on the set of Guardians of the Galaxy that he became entirely lost in it during a shoot. Co-star Zoe Saldana had to help him regain his focus and did so compassionately. According to Bautista, "She said, 'Are you OK?' I was like, 'Yeah, sorry.' Then we just went on with it."

The Guardians of the Galaxy star still struggles with ADD, dyslexia, and also depression, but does not take medication for his conditions. Instead, he has found a way to self medicate. Bautista gives credit to working out, the Florida sun, and Michael Jackson music for helping him cope with his challenges.

(Transcription Credit: Michael McClead, Sportskeeda)

Readers may listen to Lilian Garcia's interview with Dave Bautista in its entirety HERE.

Edited by Israel Lutete