Batista Interview from The Stranglehold.com
You look none the worse for wear after that St. Louis Streetfight last night (RAW) with HHH coming up short again…
Yeah (chuckles), I’m recovering a little bit, it was a long, hard fight though. It was exhausting, it took a lot out of me–it’s been a long weekend actually, so I’m still recuperating.
How has life changed for Batista, now that you have the bullseye on your back since winning the title at Wrestlemania?
Well, first of all, it’s a whirlwind. I’m never home. I’m constantly on the go. Also, it seems like everybody’s gunning for me, so it’s…every match I have now is like half an hour, where I used to have five minute matches now it’s 25 or 30 minute matches. It’s absolutely physically exhausting–mentally as well.
When it comes to being in the ring, are you liking the chance to–the last three or so months–you’ve been able to show off more of your in ring skills. For a while, you were just steamrolling guys, now were actually getting to see the full game…
Yeah, and well that’s what people want to see. I think when you’re at the top of the card people don’t want to see short matches, they don’t want to see Goldberg-style matches. They want to see long, hard-fought battles. That’s the drama. That’s what people pay the big bucks to see.
Last night, John Cena was the number one draft selection coming over from Smackdown. So, currently there’s two champions on RAW. If I’m Teddy Long, I’m thinking ‘you took my champion, so I’ll take yours’. Any thoughts on that?
Ummm, you know, I don’t know if really have an opinion either way on that. It doesn’t really matter to me where I wrestle, I just want to be wrestling. And you know, Smackdown is a good show and it’d be a lot of new challenges for me if I did go there. But at the same time, RAW is my home and right now I rule RAW, so…I don’t know. You know, John Cena says he’s going to come over and add his little two-cents to the game, but right now it’s really all about Batista.
I guess back in January, I saw an interview you did–you were definitely clear how you prefer the live aspect of RAW versus Smackdown being taped.
I definitely prefer the live show–there’s nothing like the thrill, the exhiliration. There’s no room for error when you’re doing things live. I appreciate that. I’m a game player–I want to be on the spot. I want the spotlight, I want to be the go-to guy when times are tough and we’re going live and need things to be right–I want to be that guy to pull it off.
At what point–if it was in bodybuilding, or training with the Samoans or at OVW, or even as Batista, you got into bodybuilding because you were kind of shy and that was something you can do on your own and excel. But you’ve got to combine showmanship to win the shows in bodybuilding and obviously as the World Champion there’s a lot more than just getting out there and being physical. Where were you able to adjust, to go from being shy to flipping that switch to turn on the electricity?
I think I always desired to be an entertainer in some way shape or form because I was so shy. I’m still making that adjustment. As people know, I haven’t had a whole lot of microphone time. So I’m still working on that–a skill I definitely have not perfected (laughs) but I’m working on it. And you know, it’s coming slowly. I don’t think I’m a natural performer by any means, but it’s coming slowly and I think I’ve learned from the best–been lucky enough to learn from the best. So, I think by the time it’s all said and done I’ll be the total package.
It certainly doesn’t hurt–when you were thanking Ric Flair the other night, those were some pretty heartfelt words.
It’s always heartfelt. And still to this day, no matter what happens on the show, I’m always going to have respect for Ric Flair and HHH as well. There’s still that respect factor–that they’ve taught me things I never could have learned elsewhere. And I’ll never forget that.
You mentioned how demanding it is being world champ. You have three daughters, two of them teenagers, how tough is that? Worrying about who might be knocking at the door while you’re on the road?
It’s actually not tough because momma’s at home taking care of business. She’s tougher than I am, she cracks the whip and I don’t have any worries in that department. She takes care of the homefront.
She is a tough lady, we know the story there. How is the health of everybody?
She’s very healthy, very spirited (laughs)–keeps my ass in check so that ought to tell you something. (laughs)
I saw something kind of strange–Batista, the big, bad, Animal, World Champion collects lunch boxes?
I do (laughs). I get a lot of grief over that, but you know I grew up through the 70′s and 80′s and lunch boxes were a real big thing, so it’s one of those childhood memories. When we were kids we used to beat the crap out of each other with our lunchboxes. That’s what we did for lunch. We’d eat our lunch and then beat each other up with our metal lunchboxes. I don’t know, I just think they’re cool.
So what’s the best one you’ve got…
I’m real into the superhero ones, a couple of the coolest ones I have–I have a Green Hornet lunch box and it’s really one of my favorites because it’s got Bruce Lee on it. From 1967, it’s an original, in real good condition. I hate to sound like a geek here, but (laughing) it’s as cool as cool gets.
I wouldn’t be surprised if RVD tries to get that into his comic book store…
Yeah, actually I have a gift from RVD. It was a Cheech and Chong lunch box. (laughs)
How appropriate…
Yeah, real appropriate (laughing) but yeah, he gave me that. It’s one of my prized possessions.
Coming up June 26th, Vengeance PPV, you guys had the contract signing last night here in St. Louis–Hell in a Cell. What are you looking forward to, what are you not looking forward to about that match?
Like you said, the deal is sealed. I’ve really got mixed feelings about this match. I’ve never participated in a Hell in a Cell match. I’ve seen them and I know they’re brutal–I know I’ll come out hurt. And I know I’ll come out bloody. The thing about Hell in a Cell matches is everybody goes into those matches willing to put their life on the line. They’re dangerous–legitimately dangerous. So, I don’t know what to expect. I’ll just go in and do my thing.
I’ll ask you one more question before we let you go to catch the flight to your next commmittment. For the rest of this year, whether it’s with the belt, or RAW or Smackdown, what do you want the fans to expect out of Batista–what can we look forward to, I know you don’t like setting high goals–but what do you want us to watch out for and see you accomplish?
I don’t ever tell people to expect anything from me. I just always ask that people know if they’re buying a ticket to see Batista, Batista is giving 100%.
06.07.05 source: http://www.thestranglehold.com/html/Batista%206-05.htm
