Batista recently appeared on Lilian Garcia’s podcast and here are the highlights:
On being out of the ring for so long and how it affected him: “I was on my way as I had landed in New York and just thinking to myself, what the hell am I doing? I was excited because I had wanted to do this for years, but this is not the way things are done. I’m 50 years old and have been out of wrestling for five years and then just get back into wrestling at a WrestleMania. I’m super excited, but I wish I was a little better prepared. I wish I was a little younger. I went and wrestled for the first time a few weeks ago and I immediately felt beat up. It’s just all the jolting around. It may be one thing if I had the time to get used to it, but when you don’t do it for years at a time and then you are being jolted around again, it’s rough.”
On things that affected his preparation for the match: “With the WWE, everything is constantly changing, or you are thrown a curveball the last minute. But also, you are so busy running around you just don’t have the time to plan ahead, which is very hectic. It’s a hectic lifestyle, but this time (especially so) because Hunter is coming off of an injury, but also because he is busier in his life than he has ever been.”
On working out at the WWE Performance Center at this age in his life in preparation for WrestleMania 35 and the added pressure an audience brings: “It felt awful. I felt beat up. It’s weird because I try to tell people, and it’s a weird thing, and unless you have been in there you haven’t realized it, but you can be in shape, but for some reason being in a wrestling ring is a different kind of cardio.
“So, I don’t know if it’s just hitting the ropes, or just up and down, but you get blown up, and it is an endurance that you have to train for and get some ring time and get used to it. I consider myself to be in decent shape, so it may be because of nerves too when you get in there and are in front of an audience. That is one of my biggest weaknesses, being nervous.”
Listen to “Dave Bautista – The Need For Closure and Showing Vulnerability” on Spreaker.
