Batista's Best Feuds, Rivals for Potential WWE Return
The WWE landscape Batista left behind in 2014 has transformed in his absence.
When The Animal told his fellow Evolution members he was done fighting The Shield and done with the company as a whole, Braun Strowman had not yet charged up the food chain. AJ Styles hadn't yet signed with WWE.
Should Batista make his way back to the ring, those changes will give him a number of quality options for rivals.
And it continues to look likelier that he will do just that. The whispers of the big man pausing his movie career to wrestle again grow louder each week. According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t SEScoops), the former WWE champ is serious about a return to the company for a short-term run.
If Batista begins powerbombing folks again, there are a number of WWE monsters and warriors who would deliver excellent matches against him and be key components in whatever story the company cooks up for him.
Samoa Joe
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Raw and SmackDown offer Superstars who would give Batista a good match with plenty of mat wrestling and counters. Should WWE prefer to have The Animal enter a no-holds-barred meeting of predators, Samoa Joe is the right choice.
Joe has killed it on Raw. His facial expressions, hammering strikes and overall monstrous aura have been great to watch. It's easy to imagine him carrying on that roll against Batista.
The Animal vs. Joe is a never-before-seen match as their careers have yet to overlap. It would be a great battle between two men looking to force their way into Universal Championship contention.
And Joe's connections with Triple H would add quite the subplot. Rather than go after Batista himself for dissolving Evolution, The Game can send in his loyal destroyer.
Batista vs. Joe is a big-time match that would crackle with easy-to-create electricity.
Roman Reigns
2 of 5The Roman Reigns that Batista crossed paths with in 2014 is gone. The Big Dog has since evolved into one of WWE's top performers despite what his stubborn detractors believe.
In 2014, Reigns was learning to stand on his own. Today, he's a clutch main event star who has delivered time and again in the ring.
Batista vs. Reigns would benefit from building on their history and would feel fresh at the same time.
The Animal could claim that Reigns' rise wouldn't have happened had he stuck around. Reigns could refute that with a closed fist.
The battle of Royal Rumble winners would be a marquee match whether Reigns is still intercontinental champ at the time or not.
Braun Strowman
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Strowman is in the process of establishing himself as WWE's apex predator. He's devoured Big Show and is close to doing the same to Kane. Throwing Batista on that same list would be a smart way to elevate The Monster Among Men.
That pairing would be a mutually beneficial one. Strowman offers The Animal a fresh foe. Batista would give the former Wyatt Family member a top-level star to collide with after Brock Lesnar.
And the action promises to be good. Batista vs. Strowman would be an engaging slugfest and showcase of two big, powerful beasts. WWE can't go wrong sticking both warriors in a steel cage.
AJ Styles
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Styles would draw out the best Batista has to offer.
The WWE champion has made a habit out of elevating his opponents. The two top bouts of Jinder Mahal's career came against Styles. Brock Lesnar's most stirring one-on-one performance was in the ring opposite The Phenomenal One at Survivor Series. A 47-year-old Shane McMahon and Styles delivered a show-stealer at WrestleMania.
For pure in-ring entertainment, WWE can't do any better for Batista than pairing with him Styles.
Theirs would be a battle of power vs. speed, size and spunk. Styles would bump all over the ring to make Batista's offense look devastating.
Batista heading to SmackDown would be a surprise, but a welcome one. His star power would boost the blue brand and give that show's main event scene a significant boost.
Plus, WWE can drive home how great Styles is should he fend off The Animal in a series of tough tests.
Triple H
5 of 5The story of Batista vs. Triple H would write itself.
The Animal abandoned Evolution when he left WWE. He growled at Triple H, the frustrations of their feud with The Shield overpowering him. Faction loyalty dissipated as Batista walked away.
Upon his return, Batista would find an angry Triple H awaiting him.
They share acrimonious history before then, too, as rivals. Their 2005 feud saw them collide at both WrestleMania and inside a Hell in a Cell. Each man's name has since grown. Each is a bigger star.
There would be something poetic about Batista meeting his old enemy and friend again during his comeback tour.
