Why did Dave Bautista quit WWE in 2010? Real reason disclosed

Dave Bautista, known to wrestling fans as Batista, was one of the faces of WWE during the Ruthless Aggression Era. His departure from the company in 2010 came as a surprise to many, especially considering his status as one of the top stars at the time.

In the storyline, following a brutal "I Quit" match with John Cena, Batista was shown in a wheelchair, supposedly injured. Despite this, he was asked to compete against Randy Orton the following night, which Batista refused to do, leading to his decision to quit the company.

Later, it was revealed that his departure stemmed from dissatisfaction with the direction WWE was heading in. In an interview with TalkSport, Batista disclosed that he had aspirations to develop his acting career while remaining with WWE. However, he felt that the company was not providing him with adequate opportunities to pursue this goal. Hence, he made the decision to depart and focus on his acting career.

“It came about out of spite. First, I have to say it came from me discovering I was a horrible actor and I wanted to be a better actor, and I wanted to do it while I was still with WWE. They would not give me the opportunity within the company. So I said, ‘I should be given the opportunity to do it outside of the company.’ They said, ‘absolutely not.' I said, ‘Well I’m going to let my contract run out and I’m going to leave.’ So that’s exactly what I did and I set out to be an actor,” Batista said. [H/T Wrestling Inc.]

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Cody Rhodes wants to see Batista back in WWE

Batista announced his retirement from professional wrestling after his match against Triple H at Wrestlemania 35 back in 2019.

During a recent interview, Cody Rhodes reflected on the 'Yes Movement' of 2014, which garnered overwhelming support for Daniel Bryan but also led to Batista being booed upon his return.

Rhodes expressed empathy for Batista, stating that he felt disheartened witnessing the negative reception. He went on to express his desire to see Batista make a return to WWE.

"Bryan [Danielson] is one of the most fun examples ever of a real, organic groundswell. I wish Batista would come back now because I felt so bad. Like, you're booing Batista. This is Drax [from Guardians of the Galaxy], right? He's such a lovable and wonderful character," Rhodes said.

With Batista's flourishing career in Hollywood, it remains to be seen whether he contemplates a return to the world of professional wrestling in the near future.