Dave Bautista Bio/Wiki
Full Name: David Michael Bautista Jr.
Date of Birth: January 18, 1969
Place of Birth: Washington, D.C., USA
Height: 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m)
Weight: Approximately 240 pounds (110 kg)
Occupation: Actor, former professional wrestler
Famous For: Role as Drax the Destroyer in the Guardians of the Galaxy series
Spouse: Sarah Jade (married 2015–2019), Angie (married 1998–2006), Glenda (married 1990–1998)
Children: Two daughters, Keilani and Athena; one son, Oliver
Education: Attended college for a brief period but did not complete a degree; trained in martial arts and bodybuilding
Years Active: 1999–present
Net Worth: Approximately $16 million (as of 2024)
Who is Dave Bautista?
Dave Bautista is a professional actor and a former professional wrestler. David is one of the successful WWE stints ever produced between 2002 and 2019. He comes to limelight by wrestling from a minimum beginning in 1999. He gained popularity under the ring moniker Batista. He even won six world titles and multiple tag team championships during his stint in the WWE. He proved victorious on two Royal Rumble occasions: one in 2005 and the other in 2014. The match he had for WrestleMania 21 is marked as one of WWE’s most lucrative activities ever. Bautista retired after Wrestling at WrestleMania 35 in 2019.
Dave Bautista transitioned from doing films such as The Man with the Iron Fists, Riddick, and Marvel Cinematic Universe as Drax. Other films are: Spectre, Blade Runner 2049, My Spy, Dune and its sequel, Glass Onion, and Knock at the Cabin.
Early life
Dave Bautista was born on January 18, 1969, at Washington, D.C. He grew in a not-so-good environment. His mother, Donna Raye, has Greek roots, and his father, David Sr. a hairdresser, was the son of Filipino immigrants. Bautista’s grandfather had multiple jobs, including service in the Philippine military, to feed his family. Poor and brutal crime characterized Bautista’s early years. At the age of 13, he started stealing cars, and by age 17, he was estranged from his family.
After being a nightclub bouncer and then spending time under probation for a violence-related incident, Bautista started doing bodybuilding, which he states transformed his life. Finding himself into professional wrestling at the age of 30 because of some financial crises was helpful to him in launching that career which later would change his life.
Professional wrestling career
Training and Early Career (1999–2000)
Dave Bautista first trained at WCW’s Power Plant but was discouraged by trainer DeWayne Bruce. He then turned to WWE (then WWF), which directed him to Afa Anoa’i at the Wild Samoan Training Center. Here, he trained and wrestled his debut match as “Khan” on October 30, 1999. Bautista also trained with Marrese Crump in Muay Thai and Eskrima.
World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment/WWE (2000–2010)
Ohio Valley Wrestling (2000–2002)
After signing with WWF in 2000, Dave Bautista joined Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) as “Leviathan” and aligned with the Disciples of Synn. He dominated until a loss to Kane, eventually winning the OVW Heavyweight Championship but later losing it to The Prototype before advancing to WWE’s main roster.
Early Storylines (2002–2003)
Dave Bautista debuted on WWE television as “Deacon Batista,” teaming with Reverend D-Von and later turning on him. After feuding with Kane and Ric Flair, he was transferred to the Raw brand and simply became “Batista.”
Evolution (2003–2005)
In 2003, Dave Bautista joined Evolution with Triple H, Ric Flair, and Randy Orton. Despite multiple injuries, he returned to win the World Tag Team Titles with Flair. By late 2004, Batista started to distance himself from Evolution and eventually turned on Triple H, challenging him at WrestleMania 21.
World Heavyweight Champion (2005–2008)
Dave Bautista won the World Heavyweight Championship from Triple H at WrestleMania 21, defending it against notable rivals like JBL and Eddie Guerrero. Later, he feuded with The Undertaker, ultimately losing the title to Edge. Dave Bautista regained the title at Survivor Series and defended it successfully before re-engaging with rivals like King Booker and The Great Khali.
Rivalries and Championship Pursuits (2008–2010)
Dave Bautista moved to Raw in 2008 and feuded with CM Punk, John Cena, and former Evolution partner Randy Orton. Briefly capturing the World Tag Team Championship with Cena, Batista then won his fourth World Heavyweight Title from Chris Jericho before losing it. His feud with Orton continued into 2009, until he sustained injuries and underwent surgery, forcing him out of action for several months.
WWE Champion (2009–2010)
Dave Bautista returned to WWE post-WrestleMania 25, aligning with Triple H and Shane McMahon against The Legacy. He contested for the WWE Championship, getting Orton during a Steel Cage match of Extreme Rules, which win allowed him his first ever WWE title. He vacated it though on 8 June due to a storyline injury sustained by The Legacy. He reemerged after some weeks and transferred to SmackDown. Batista feuded with Randy Orton and Jeri-Show. Batista turned into heel status as he attacked Rey Mysterio. He taped with Mysterio and The Undertaker in some high-profile matches hence cemented his dominance on SmackDown.
Return to WWE (2014)
Dave Bautista returned in January 2014, winning the Royal Rumble but receiving mixed crowd reactions due to fan support for Daniel Bryan. This eventually led to a heel turn. Batista joined the main event at WrestleMania XXX, where he ultimately lost to Bryan. Later, Batista reunited with Orton and Triple H as Evolution to feud with The Shield, but eventually left WWE after creative disagreements.
Second WWE Return (2018–2019)
Dave Bautista returned in 2018, reuniting Evolution and igniting a rivalry with Triple H, leading to a No Holds Barred match at WrestleMania 35, where Batista lost. The next day, he announced his retirement from professional wrestling.
WWE Hall of Fame
In 2019, WWE announced Dave Bautista Hall of Fame induction for the Class of 2020. However, the event was postponed, and Batista requested his induction be rescheduled due to prior commitments.
Professional Wrestling Style and Persona
Known for his powerful persona, Dave Bautista became a top WWE villain, particularly during his 2014 return. WWE ranked him as the 50th greatest wrestling villain and the second-best World Heavyweight Champion.
Mixed Martial Arts Career
Following his WWE departure, Dave Bautista pursued MMA, earning a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He debuted in MMA in 2012, winning against Vince Lucero by TKO in the first round.
Acting Career
The role led him to the set of Smallville, where he portrayed Aldar, a bad guy from the Phantom Zone. Later came Neighbours (2009), in which he played himself. He guest-starred in the sitcom Chuck (2010) and starred in the action film Wrong Side of Town (2010). Brass Body in the action-thriller movie The Man with the Iron Fists made him famous, while his entry into Hollywood was made with Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy in 2014 as Drax the Destroyer.
Dave Bautista also starred as Mr. Hinx in Spectre (2015) and was a key actor in Blade Runner 2049 (2017). He again reprised the role of Drax in Avengers movies and Guardians sequels in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023). His other movies include Army of the Dead (2021), Dune (2021), Knock at the Cabin (2023), and Glass Onion (2022).
Other Media
Dave Bautista has been featured on the cover of several magazine editions, like Flex in 2005 and Muscle & Fitness in 2008. He appeared on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition in 2007. He served as a guest judge on Iron Chef America in 2008. In his 2007 book Batista Unleashed, Batista made very candidly frank comments accompanied by remarks that included remarks pertaining to being friends with Chris Benoit. He produced two DVDs: Batista: I Walk Alone in 2009 and WWE Batista: The Animal Unleashed in 2014.
Personal Life
Dave Bautista, born in 1969, married Glenda in 1990, and they had two daughters. After their 1998 divorce, he married Angie in 1998, with whom he had a son, but they divorced in 2006. Bautista married Sarah Jade in 2015; they separated in 2019. Known for his tattoos, he’s embraced a plant-based diet and is a Washington Nationals baseball fan. Politically active, Bautista supported Bernie Sanders in the 2020 Democratic primaries and endorsed Joe Biden in the presidential election.
