Batista Reportedly Being Considered for 2018 WWE Hall of Fame Class

Former WWE Superstar Batista is reportedly being considered as an inductee for the WWE's 2018 Hall of Fame class.

According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Marc Middleton of WrestlingInc.com), The Animal is in the running to be enshrined two nights before WrestleMania 34 in New Orleans in April 2018.

The 48-year-old Batista is a six-time world champion, a four-time Tag Team champion and a two-time Royal Rumble winner.

He joined the Evolution stable alongside Triple H, Ric Flair and Randy Orton early in his career before breaking off and becoming a huge individual star in his own right.

Batista left WWE in 2010 to focus on MMA and acting before returning in late 2013 and winning the 2014 Royal Rumble.

The fans didn't react the way WWE anticipated, booing Batista and essentially forcing the company to turn him heel.

He played a big role in the meteoric rise of Daniel Bryan, as Batista and Orton faced Bryan in the main event of WrestleMania 30.

Batista left WWE again in June 2014, and his star has continued to rise in Hollywood due largely to his role as Drax the Destroyer in Guardians of the Galaxy and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

While Batista has been outspoken about creative differences he had with WWE since departing, he had a sizable impact on the company for nearly a decade and developed into one of the most accomplished Superstars in WWE history.

That allowed him to transition successfully to the big screen, and having him as a headline name for the 2018 WWE Hall of Fame class could be a smart way to generate mainstream buzz.

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