In 2009, Batista began a phenomenal stretch as a heel during his final stint in his first run in WWE. Early the following year, after acting on behalf of Mr. McMahon, “The Animal” received an impromptu WWE Title match against John Cena. This came after Cena had just won the championship following a grueling performance inside the Elimination Chamber.
To no one’s surprise, a fresh Batista steamrolled a weakened Cena to capture the gold.
The next night on Raw, Cena demanded a rematch. Surprisingly, McMahon
agreed, but with one condition: Cena would have to beat Batista to earn a title match at WrestleMania XXVI.
In that night’s main event, Cena charged at Batista, who immediately backed into the corner. As the referee stepped in to separate them, Batista kicked Cena in the groin, getting himself disqualified on purpose.
With the cheap win, Cena earned his championship rematch on WWE’s biggest stage — but the question on everyone’s mind was: why did Batista throw the match?
A week later, as Cena stood in the ring, Batista made his entrance — shirtless under a sleeveless vest, flanked by security, which he claimed was for Cena’s protection. The new WWE Champion took the mic and explained his actions.
Essentially, Batista was driven by jealousy. Even though both men had won world titles at WrestleMania 21, it was Cena — not Batista — who was chosen as the face of the company. That came with opportunities Batista felt he had been passed over for: movie roles, magazine covers, commercials.
So he threw their previous match because he wanted to humble Cena at WrestleMania. He reminded everyone of their history — including their 2008 SummerSlam match, where Batista walked out with the win and Cena walked away with a broken neck.
As Cena shook his head, Batista fired off a sharp line that nailed his cold confidence and showed why he was easy to hate, yet still fun to watch.
“I am here to make money. I am here to win titles. I do not care about these people. I don’t care if they cheer me. I don’t care if they boo me. I am not here for them.
“So you go ahead, you keep on kissing babies and hugging fat girls, and I’m gonna be in a gym somewhere, training and thinking about beating the hell out of you at WrestleMania.”
Batista would go on to become a Hollywood star, most notably as Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy. But in WWE, his line about kissing babies and hugging fat girls still echoes louder than any movie role. It’s a moment wrestling fans never forgot, and a reminder of just how unforgettable Batista was at his villainous peak.
