Master of the rings arrives
Madhur Tankha
www.thehindu.com
While his teeming fans in the country look up to him with a lot of
admiration and respect, American professional wrestler Dave Batista
himself holds the Indian-born Khali, his formidable opponent in the
ring, in high esteem.
The 6-foot-6-inch tall wrestler came calling in Delhi on Thursday to
speak about his love for India and of course the World Wrestling
Entertainment (WWE) from where he earns his bread and butter.
“I have fought against many wrestlers in the ring, but it has to be
a wrestler from your country whom I really admire. Khali is the biggest
and strongest opponent I have ever faced. In my long career, the
longest drawn out fight has been with Undertaker. More than the fight,
we also have to entertain our fans,” says Batista with a mischievous
smile. He is a three-time WWE champion.
Stating that he wasn’t expecting so many people to turn up for his
press conference, Batista noted that this is his first visit to India.
“I would like to show my wrestling skills to fans in your country but I
am clueless about my tour schedule. I am open to the idea of doing a
Bollywood film. Among Indian actors, I admire Aishwarya Rai and I would
love to do a film with her. She is among the most beautiful persons in
the world,” says Batista, who considers himself neither a leader nor a
follower.
Enrolling at Wild Samoan Afa’s wrestling school in Allentown,
Batista considered wrestling as a way to make a living. “I was a
bouncer for ten years. I used to train and compete as a bodybuilder and
also worked in clubs. But I don’t know whether bouncers can become
wrestlers because it takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears,” says the
wrestler, whose nickname is “The Animal”.
Batista loses his temper only if provoked repeatedly: “I am not the
sort of guy who beats up someone just like that. It takes a lot of
provocation to make me angry. To fulfil my dream to become a wrestler,
I have worked out really hard. Being a wrestler at WWE means constant
travelling. It is a painstaking profession and injuries are part of
everyday life.”
Batista says he has another year or two before he quits the ring. “I
love wrestling so much that I would continue doing it as long as my
body can cope and my fans want me.”
To keep fighting fit, Batista says he takes a high-protein diet. “My
diet consists of low fat. I avoid processed food. I do workout wherever
I go.”
Batista will be travelling to Mumbai where he will meet WWE officials and some Bollywood stars.
Madhur Tankha
