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Post by CATCH_US IS the Conversation on Dec 20, 2013 22:17:12 GMT -5
The thing is, if Batista isn't above the Jericho tier... WWE's whole business strategy of recent years of relying on big name part-timers from past eras to spike profits around Wrestlemania season and a few other times over the year is really going to start falling apart in not that long... if Batista's return can't draw, bringing back post-retirement Orton and Punk for special appearances sure as hell can't either. Which leaves Cena as the only plausible candidate for a bankable star from the modern generation. And that's really sad, that no one else of this generation managed to come close to that level. Well WWE needs to suck it up and take that short term hit for its long term future. Start building new guys so that THEY can be the nostalgia acts.
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Chip
Hank Scorpio
Slam Jam Death.
Posts: 5,185
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Post by Chip on Dec 20, 2013 22:32:58 GMT -5
I could see Daniel Bryan vs. Batista as a real match-up. Or, if they decide to go that route, Big E Langston vs. Batista. Considering the horrible time Batista had last time I doubt he wants to wrestle Bryan again; {Spoiler}{Spoiler} ![](http://www.wwe.com/f/styles/ep_trending/public/video/thumb/2012/03/20100503_raw_batista_bryan.jpg)
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Post by Error on Dec 20, 2013 22:36:27 GMT -5
MAJOR, MAJOR NAME RETURNING TO WWE by Mike Johnson @ 10:12 PM on 12/20/2013
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Phil Parent
El Dandy
Your Favourite Teacher
Posts: 8,508
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Post by Phil Parent on Dec 20, 2013 22:43:58 GMT -5
Reigns VS Batista or Ryback VS Batista at Mania.
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Post by SeVeN: #TheBadGuy. on Dec 20, 2013 22:49:35 GMT -5
Damn I hope this is true, been fan of Big Dave all the way back to his days as Leviathan.
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jakes
Trap-Jaw
Posts: 269
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Post by jakes on Dec 20, 2013 22:49:54 GMT -5
Batista was a bigger draw than Brock was in his first WWE run.
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Post by JTG Fan on Dec 20, 2013 22:58:05 GMT -5
Man I'm really hoping that he ends up sticking around for a year or two (with a break here and there) instead of just a few months run until the movie comes out.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2013 22:58:06 GMT -5
You think so? I could easily see him slotting in with Triple H and Randy Orton, feuding with the new guard of guys like John Cena. John Cena called new guard? ![](http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/xECUrlnXCqk/hqdefault.jpg)
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saintpat
El Dandy
Release the hounds!!!
Posts: 7,664
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Post by saintpat on Dec 20, 2013 23:02:35 GMT -5
For a few years now, I've been sorta waiting to see what will happen if/when Batista returns, because it's going to say a lot about the modern era of WWE. Batista was built up as one of the biggest stars of this generation, and now that he's had a few years off... will he be a name who can actually be promoted in a big "whoa, BATISTA's back!" sense like Brock or Rock, or will he be on the Jericho/RVD level where he gets good pops and seeing him is nice, but doesn't really do much for the bottom line? This is what I'm mainly saying. I'm not denying that Batista was big in his prime. I know he was hugely over. I just don't think he warrants the Brock/Rock treatment, but I'm worried that WWE will try to force it, if only because he's dabbled in MMA and acting. I think they will and should make a big deal out of it, and I've never liked the guy mainly because I find his matches hard to watch. If he never came back I'd be fine with it and I'd much rather see a healthy Edge return, but that's not going to happen and it doesn't lessen the fact that the guy was a big star. The hype machine for a promotional company isn't a comparative thing. Whatever the biggest thing they have -- whether it's MMA or WWE or a boxing PPV -- they hype it to make it seem as big as they can. They don't say: "Floyd Mayweather is fighting again ... but this isn't as big a deal as his last fight." They say, "FLOYD MAYWEATHER IS BACK!!!! YOU HAVE TO WATCH." They're not trying to chronicle history, they're trying to push TV ratings and sell tickets. It's like the lead story on a news broadcast or in a newspaper. It's the lead story for that day. It's the biggest thing happening that day. Now if WW III breaks out or if there's a huge event like the Boston Marathon bombing, it's going to get bigger treatment. But if Monday has a pretty big story, say a bank gets robbed, but on Wednesday the biggest story is the local council votes to open a new junior high school -- nobody on the local news says, "Well, the bank robbery was bigger and we gave it 3 minutes and this isn't as big so we'll give it 1:15," or a smaller headline, whatever. It's the biggest thing for that day's news so it gets treated as the biggest thing. So I don't see WWE going: Well, this guy's no Brock Lesnar. Let's downplay this a bit. Let's count up how much promo time and footage that was devoted to Brock and lessen it by, say, 25 percent, because yeah, Batista's good, but it's just not quite as big. Why would they do that? If Punk beats Orton for the title, would you expect them to downplay it if there isn't a promo that goes over like the pipe bomb, and come out on Raw the next Monday and say, "Yes, Punk won the title, but settle down. It was a much bigger deal last time. Don't get excited and go buy a bunch of merch and plan to watch the next PPV." Rock's a different case. If you mean by "make as big a deal" will Batista main event the next two Wrestlemanias? I suspect not. So if he doesn't that should meet your standard of not making it as big a thing.
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Post by The Legend of Groose on Dec 20, 2013 23:02:54 GMT -5
If he comes back and the Batista Photoshops return, then that would be an amazing Christmas gift.
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Post by lildude8218 on Dec 20, 2013 23:05:42 GMT -5
@unlvtickets That's right fans, WWE Hall of Famer "The Animal" George "Batista" Steele will be appearing at this show! Get your tickets now!
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paywindah
Dennis Stamp
He's goin' to da paywindah here on da muddaship TBS.
Posts: 3,678
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Post by paywindah on Dec 20, 2013 23:07:56 GMT -5
Too old IMO. But since he's buddies with Trips he'll be given a spot higher than he otherwise deserves causing guys who work hard all year to once again be neglected during Mania season. You'd hope they learned their lesson after last WM bombed in the buyrate department.
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Post by DrBackflipsHoffman on Dec 20, 2013 23:10:41 GMT -5
f*** YES. DAVE BATISTA IS A f***ING MACHINE.
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Sparkybob
King Koopa
I have a status?
Posts: 10,995
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Post by Sparkybob on Dec 20, 2013 23:12:57 GMT -5
Batista is going to be in for a rude awakening when he first shows up and realizes his WHC rematch cheat code doesn't work anymore.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2013 23:32:31 GMT -5
It would make more sense for them to bring Batista back next year, since Guardians of the Galaxy will be out by then and he'll (probably) be a bigger mainstream star at that point than he is now.
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Post by Slammy Award-Winning Cannibal on Dec 20, 2013 23:37:41 GMT -5
Ohhh.. I think I know who he's coming back for. ![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BTuyNP5CEAAF0Ev.jpg)
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riseofsetian1981
King Koopa
"I met him fifteen years ago. I was told there was nothing left."
Posts: 10,323
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Post by riseofsetian1981 on Dec 20, 2013 23:49:46 GMT -5
I loved his last run as a heel. He was gold on the mic and was perfect in his role. If he came back as that same heel I would completely mark out for him.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2013 23:52:37 GMT -5
If Batista comes back to get that sweet Wrestlemania payday I will mark like hell. If he somehow has a cameo on Total Divas, just shut down the internet. I love that guy.
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Post by Fearless The Tank on Dec 21, 2013 0:11:36 GMT -5
I hope he comes back as HHH's new hand picked champion due to Orton's ego getting too big for HHH to check. It's true about Batista being a huge draw for WWE, I'd consider him Macho Man to Cena's Hulk Hogan. Granted, he's obviously no technical machine, but when motivated with a good story, he's entertaining (hence why we all still talk about douchetista)
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saintpat
El Dandy
Release the hounds!!!
Posts: 7,664
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Post by saintpat on Dec 21, 2013 0:39:13 GMT -5
Too old IMO. But since he's buddies with Trips he'll be given a spot higher than he otherwise deserves causing guys who work hard all year to once again be neglected during Mania season. You'd hope they learned their lesson after last WM bombed in the buyrate department. Bombed? Highest-grossing WM of all time. Didn't set the buyrate record but made more money than the year before. What lesson are you expecting them to learn?
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