WWE: Batista wanted his last match to be a ‘thank you’ to Triple H
At WrestleMania 35, Batista and Triple H turned back the clock in what would prove to be The Animal’s final match in WWE.
Batista has become a legitimately great actor since leaving WWE, but his love for professional wrestling and its fans has always been an important part of his story. That’s why he returned to his hometown of Washington D.C. last fall for the 1000th episode of SmackDown and took shots at Evolution stablemate Triple H, setting up a match at WrestleMania 35 that the majority of wrestling fans wanted to see.
The Animal and The Game told this story perfectly. After losing to Batista multiple times in his career and never getting that big win back, Triple H was desperate to prove to the WWE Universe that he could beat Batista after all. Now an executive in the company, the losses to Batista likely still hung over The King of Kings’ head.
That’s kayfabe, though. Outside of kayfabe, this match was all about Batista saying “Thank You” to a man who helped his career in a way that seems almost beyond words. But Batista is, as we all know, a very articulate man, and he put it together succinctly in this heart-warming quote on another must-listen episode of Lilian Garcia’s “Chasing Glory” podcast.
"“I felt like my career really got started when I started working with Triple H. I never have been around the bush about it, Hunter made me a star. He put a lot of stock into me. He invested a lot into me and put himself on the line physically for me. Not only did he put me over three times clean in the ring to make me a star, but also took the time to have me ride with him and have me pick his brain. He just groomed me to be a star in that company, so I wanted to finish out my career for him by just saying thank you to go out laying on my back for the guy.That is what I have always believed. It is the old school belief that I have, when you go out you go out on your back. If you go out and build a star do that, and obviously Hunter is already a star, but I wanted my last match to be with him on my back, because that is literally the only way that I can thank him.”"
Thank you to Wrestling Inc.’s Ross Kelly for the transcription.
It’s so easy to get cynical in the world of professional wrestling, but quotes like this one from Batista are a beautiful reminder of the camaraderie backstage in this sport. Triple H has surely done so much for many wrestlers in the industry, and to see Batista want to pay it back to him is incredible. And, likewise, I’m sure Batista has done plenty for others who may or may not have paid it back to him, too.
“When you go out you go out on your back.”
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That is such an unselfish line that stands out perfectly, and it’s a line that rings true when recalling Kurt Angle’s final match at WrestleMania 35 against Baron Corbin. While Angle’s “Thank You” was to WWE and helped Corbin’s star power as a young competitor, Batista’s “Thank You” was equally valid. Because it was the most personal “Thank You” possible, and Triple H can pay that forward by using his win over Batista to fuel another young star’s ascension, just as he did at WrestleMania 32 and 33 against Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins, respectively.
If you wanted another reason why pro wrestling is awesome, this quote serves as a reminder.