History of Dave Bautista in Timeline
David Michael Bautista Jr. is a retired professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, and actor from America. He is best known for his time in WWE from 2002 to 2019.
January 18, 1969: Birth of Dave Bautista
Dave Bautista was born on January 18, 1969.
1990: Marriage to Glenda and Birth of Daughter
Bautista married his first wife, Glenda, in 1990. Their daughter, Keilani, was born the same year.
1992: Birth of Daughter Athena
Bautista's second daughter, Athena, was born in 1992.
October 13, 1998: Marriage to Angie
Bautista married his second wife, Angie, on October 13, 1998. They later divorced in 2006.
October 30, 1999: Wrestling Debut
Dave Bautista made his professional wrestling debut on October 30, 1999, under the ring name "Khan."
1999: Bautista Begins Wrestling Career
In 1999, Dave Bautista embarked on his professional wrestling career.
2000: Bautista Signs with WWF
Dave Bautista signed with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), later known as WWE, in 2000.
2000: Debut in Ohio Valley Wrestling
Following his signing with WWF, Bautista was sent to Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) in 2000 for further development.
May 9, 2002: Televised WWE Debut
Dave Bautista made his televised WWE debut on May 9, 2002, on SmackDown! as Deacon Batista.
2002: Rise to Fame in WWE
Bautista's rise to fame in WWE began in 2002, marking the start of his successful run with the company.
2002: Batista and Cena's Parallel Debuts
Both Batista and John Cena debuted in WWE in 2002, albeit on separate brands.
January 2003: Formation of Evolution
In January 2003, Batista joined Triple H, Ric Flair, and Randy Orton to form the heel stable Evolution.
February 16, 2004: Loss of World Tag Team Championship
Batista and Ric Flair lost their World Tag Team Championship to Booker T and Rob Van Dam on February 16, 2004.
April 2005: "Flex" Magazine Cover
Bautista was featured on the cover of "Flex" magazine in April 2005.
2005: First Royal Rumble Victory
Bautista won his first Royal Rumble match in 2005, solidifying his position as a top contender in WWE.
2005: Heel Turn and Feud with Rey Mysterio
In 2005, Batista turned heel for the first time since 2005, starting a feud with Rey Mysterio. He brutally attacked Mysterio and had several matches against him, culminating in a Chairs match against The Undertaker for the World Heavyweight Championship at TLC. He initially won but the decision was reversed, and The Undertaker retained the title.
2005: Batista's SmackDown Move and Championship Pursuit
In 2005, Batista was drafted to SmackDown, where he began a feud with JBL for the SmackDown! Championship. He won the title at SummerSlam and defended it against Eddie Guerrero and other contenders. Later that year, he suffered a muscle tear in his back, sidelining him temporarily.
2006: WWE Championship Victory and Injury
In 2006, Batista suffered a torn biceps, similar to an injury he had in 2006.
2006: Divorce from Angie
Bautista and his second wife, Angie, divorced in 2006.
2006: Altercation with Booker T
During a commercial shoot for SummerSlam in 2006, Bautista was involved in a real fistfight with fellow wrestler Booker T. The incident stemmed from perceived attitude issues.
January 2007: "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" Appearance
In January 2007, Bautista appeared on "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" with John Cena and Ashley Massaro, representing WWE.
August 2007: Steroid Allegations
ESPN listed Bautista as a potential client of Signature Pharmacy, which was under investigation for illegally selling steroids, in August 2007. Bautista denied the allegations.
October 16, 2007: "Batista Unleashed" Autobiography Release
Bautista's autobiography, "Batista Unleashed," was released on October 16, 2007. The book sparked controversy for its mention of Chris Benoit.
November 5, 2007: Appearance on "Family Feud"
During the week of November 5, 2007, Bautista appeared on the game show "Family Feud" alongside other WWE wrestlers.
2007: Action Figure Collection
During his 2007 appearance on "MTV Cribs," Bautista mentioned his extensive collection of action figures, which he eventually stopped collecting due to the sheer number.
2007: World Heavyweight Championship Reign and Feuds
In 2007, Batista defended his World Heavyweight Championship against Mr. Kennedy at the Royal Rumble. He then entered into a feud with The Undertaker, which culminated in him losing the title to The Undertaker at WrestleMania 23. They continued their feud for several months, with Batista failing to regain the championship.
September 7, 2008: Guest Judge on "Iron Chef America"
Bautista served as a guest judge on an episode of "Iron Chef America" on September 7, 2008, where the secret ingredient was snails.
September 2008: "Muscle & Fitness" Cover and WWE Appearances
Bautista graced the cover of "Muscle & Fitness" magazine in September 2008. In the same year, he also represented WWE at the Democratic National Convention.
2008: Raw Move, Championship Wins and Feuds
In 2008, Batista moved to the Raw brand. He briefly held the World Tag Team Championship with John Cena and was involved in a major feud with Cena, which culminated in a match at SummerSlam that Batista won. He later won his fourth World Heavyweight Championship but lost it shortly after.
June 2009: Cameo Appearance on "Neighbours"
In June 2009, Batista made a cameo appearance as himself on the Australian soap opera "Neighbours."
October 20, 2009: "Batista: I Walk Alone" DVD Release
WWE Productions released Bautista's first biographical DVD, "Batista: I Walk Alone," on October 20, 2009.
2009: New Tattoos During Injury Break
While recovering from an injury in 2009, Bautista got large tribal tattoos on both of his upper arms.
January 2010: Royal Rumble Appearance
In January 2010, Batista participated in the Royal Rumble match, entering as the 30th wrestler. Despite a strong showing, he was ultimately eliminated by John Cena.
June 16, 2010: Interest in MMA
After leaving WWE, Batista attended Strikeforce: Los Angeles on June 16, 2010, expressing interest in competing in MMA.
2010: Departure from WWE
Bautista left WWE in 2010, a period covered in his second biographical DVD, "WWE Batista: The Animal Unleashed."
2010: Television and Film Appearances
Throughout 2010, Batista made several television appearances, including roles in "Smallville," "Chuck," "Relative Strangers," and the film "Wrong Side of Town."
2010: Shift to a Plant-Based Diet
Bautista adopted a primarily plant-based, pescetarian diet in 2010, with plans to eventually become fully vegan.
2010: Ovarian Cancer Research Fundraising
Bautista led a campaign in 2010 to raise money for the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance, inspired by his ex-wife Angie's battle with the disease.
April 2011: Strikeforce Negotiations Fall Through
Despite initial interest and negotiations, Batista's contract talks with Strikeforce fell through in April 2011 after Zuffa acquired the organization.
October 1, 2012: Opponent Change for MMA Debut
Batista's planned MMA debut against Rashid Evans on October 6, 2012, was disrupted when Evans was jailed due to a probation violation, leading to Vince Lucero becoming his opponent.
October 6, 2012: MMA Debut and Victory
Batista made his MMA debut on October 6, 2012, defeating Vince Lucero by TKO in the first round.
2012: Recognized as a Top Wrestling Villain
In 2012, Batista was named the 50th greatest wrestling villain of all time by WWE.
January 20, 2014: Return to WWE and Heel Turn
Batista returned to WWE on January 20, 2014. Despite winning the Royal Rumble, he received negative reactions from the crowd, especially after eliminating Daniel Bryan. This, along with further negative reactions in subsequent matches, led to Batista turning into a villainous character.
June 2014: "WWE Batista: The Animal Unleashed" DVD Release
A second biographical DVD about Bautista, "WWE Batista: The Animal Unleashed," was released in June 2014, covering his wrestling career and return to WWE.
2014: Guardians of the Galaxy and Other Roles
In 2014, Dave Bautista starred as Drax the Destroyer in Marvel Studios' "Guardians of the Galaxy," a critical and commercial success. He also played Tong Po in the "Kickboxer" reboot.
2014: Negative Crowd Reaction and Character Change
Upon his return in 2014, Batista faced significant negative reactions from the crowd, particularly after winning the Royal Rumble. This unexpected response led to a shift in his character, turning him into a villain.
2014: Departure from WWE
In 2014, after claiming injuries from a match with John Cena, Batista engaged in a confrontation with Bret Hart, leading to his refusal to wrestle Randy Orton and his subsequent departure from WWE.
2014: Second Royal Rumble Victory
Bautista secured his second Royal Rumble victory in 2014, demonstrating his enduring prowess in the ring.
April 2015: Interest in Limited WWE Return
In April 2015, Batista expressed interest in returning to WWE but only for non-televised events.
October 2015: Marriage to Sarah Jade
Bautista married competitive pole dancer Sarah Jade in October 2015. The couple separated in early 2019.
2015: "Spectre" Role
Bautista took on the role of Mr. Hinx in the James Bond film "Spectre" in 2015.
2016: Declined WrestleMania 32 Appearance
Batista declined an offer to appear at WrestleMania 32 in 2016.
2017: "Blade Runner 2049" and "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2"
In 2017, Bautista received acclaim for his supporting role in "Blade Runner 2049" and reprised his role as Drax in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2."
October 16, 2018: Evolution Reunion and Teased Match
On October 16, 2018, Batista reunited with his former group, Evolution, on SmackDown's 1000th episode, where he hinted at a potential match with Triple H.
2018: Avengers: Infinity War
Bautista joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe ensemble cast in "Avengers: Infinity War" in 2018.
2018: Support for James Gunn
In 2018, Bautista showed support for "Guardians of the Galaxy" director James Gunn after Gunn was fired by Disney over controversial tweets. Bautista's strong stance included a threat to leave the franchise.
February 25, 2019: Storyline with Triple H Begins
On February 25, 2019, a storyline between Batista and Triple H began, fueled by Batista's demand for a match and his attack on Ric Flair.
March 2019: James Gunn Reinstated on "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3"
James Gunn was reinstated as director of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" in March 2019 after being fired by Disney. Bautista had publicly supported Gunn.
December 9, 2019: WWE Hall of Fame Announcement
On December 9, 2019, WWE announced Batista's induction into the Hall of Fame as part of the 2020 class.
2019: Separation from Sarah Jade
Bautista and Sarah Jade separated in early 2019.
2019: Avengers: Endgame
Bautista reprised his role as Drax in "Avengers: Endgame" in 2019, marking another appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
2019: Retirement from Wrestling
Dave Bautista officially retired from professional wrestling after WrestleMania 35 in 2019.
August 2020: Physical Stats and Tattoos
As of August 2020, Bautista stood at 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighed 275 pounds. He has several tattoos, including a dragon on his back and various designs on his arms.
2020: Political Endorsements
Bautista supported Bernie Sanders during the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries and later endorsed Joe Biden in the general election, even appearing in a campaign ad.
2020: Hall of Fame Induction Postponed
The 2020 Hall of Fame event was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
May 2021: Bautista's Final Appearance as Drax
Bautista confirmed in May 2021 that "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" would be his last time portraying the character Drax.
2021: Withdrawal from Hall of Fame Ceremony
Batista was removed from the 2021 Hall of Fame ceremony due to prior commitments, with plans for a future induction.
2021: "Army of the Dead" and "Dune" Roles
Bautista starred in Zack Snyder's "Army of the Dead" and played a villain in Denis Villeneuve's "Dune," a critical and commercial success, in 2021.
2023: "Knock at the Cabin"
In 2023, Bautista starred in M. Night Shyamalan's horror film "Knock at the Cabin."