Dave Bautista spoke with GQ while promoting his new film Stuber, and the discussion ventured into the professional realm and how “The Animal” had his retirement match at WrestleMania 35. Bautista had previously talked about finally getting closure on his career and being happy with how things turned out, and added that he’s definitely done as an in-ring competitor. He also said that while his battle with Triple H in April served as his last match, he’s not opposed to returning to wrestling as an on-air personality. Bautista says another match will never happen, but he has told WWE he’d come back as an on-air talent only.
“It was my last match. I’ve told them I’ll go back and do the show. I’ll be a personality on the show. I love the company. I love the fans and I would like to stay connected to them. But as far as going back and have another wrestling match, it will never happen. I think it’ll just never happen. I couldn’t have ended my career any better than I did this year. It was something I fought very hard for. So for me to go back and wrestle again after all that would be taking a huge dump on my career. I just won’t do it.”
Additionally, Bautista talked about The Undertaker and Goldberg’s highly-criticized match at WWE Super Showdown last month, joking that he tried to talk Taker out of the match. He said he knows Undertaker is still in WWE because he loves it, but wishes the company would use him in the right way.
“I called, man. I called ‘Taker and said, ‘Is there any way I could change your mind?’ He laughed, and I knew I couldn’t change his mind. He said it sounded good when we first started talking about it. I only saw highlights which were, you know, low lights. it was not good. It’s just bad circumstances all the way around. I feel like Taker’s there for the right reasons. I think he’s there because he still loves it. But I wish that they would utilize him in the right way. I think a novelty match with Goldberg is the wrong way. I just don’t think it’s good for anybody and especially it’s not good for the fans. I wouldn’t have gone to Saudi at all. I don’t care who they would’ve booked me with. I just would not have gone.
But I loved my final match at Wrestlemania, with Hunter [better known as Triple H]. The fans wanted to see two old guys go to war. That’s what we did. That’s the way the match was designed.”
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