John Cena’s Iconic Rival Reveals Major News Regarding His Hall of Fame Induction

Published 06/28/2023, 8:00 AM EDT

WWE icon John Cena has already made the switch to Hollywood, but it wasn’t without indulging in certain rivalries of his own. The ‘Peacemaker’ has made countless nemeses inside the ring. Among them is a six-time WWE World Champion who shared the ring with Cena at ‘The Showcase of The Immortals’.

A superstar himself, Batista needs no introduction. His near-two-decade career saw him realize World Championship glory and win the Royal Rumble twice. He earned acclaim akin to how he crafted a Hall of Fame-worthy run in the squared circle. But why hasn’t the WWE enshrined him yet? Batista has revealed the reasons himself, and WWE has little to do with it.

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Batista reveals why he couldn’t make it to the Hall of Fame class of 2023

WWE has been planning to induct Batista into the Hall of Fame for a long time. However, circumstances have kept ‘The Animal’ from enjoying the coveted honor. Back in 2020, Batista was elected to be in the Hall of Fame, but the Covid-19 global pandemic caused the ceremony to be deferred to 2021. However, Batista couldn’t attend the said pre-taped ceremony because of prior engagements.

Batista was hoping to be inducted into the Hall of Fame class of 2023, but once again he could not make it to the WrestleMania weekend. This year’s Hall of Fame ceremony was headlined by Batista’s former Tag Team partner, Rey Mysterio.

During an interview with CoolKicks, the ex-WWE superstar revealed he was originally slated to be enshrined this year, but he was busy with a film project. On being asked if he had attended WrestleMania 39, Batista relayed, “No, I was in South Africa. I was supposed to go into the Hall Of Fame, but I was on this film I was committed to. I couldn’t get out of it”.

We will have to wait and see if WWE commemorates Batista’s career in the next year’s Hall of Fame event. Given his chock-a-block schedule, it looks like he could always be busy during WrestleMania weekend; especially after renowned directors have lauded his work.

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An Oscar Nominee had high praise for Batista before the release of Knock At The Cabin

Batista’s Hollywood success was no low-hanging fruit. Despite having credibility due to his illustrious wrestling career, he had to work tooth and nail to make a name in the film industry. The wrestling legend is widely recognized for playing Drax the Destroyer.

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Earlier this year, Batista was part of the main cast in the psychological thriller Knock At The Cabin. Ahead of the release of the film, M. Night Shyamalan had nothing but high praise for him.

He told Comicbook.com: “This dude brought it.’ Right guy. Right role. Right moment in his life. He just did what you hope all actors will do for you, which is he just was completely vulnerable, completely put himself in my hands, and said ‘I trust you.’ Batista’s next project will see him play the role of a Hitman in Lionsgate’s upcoming movie, The Killer’s Game.

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Do you think Batista could headline next year’s Hall of Fame? Comment below!

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Written by:

Rishabh is an avid pro wrestling fan and a WWE writer at Essentially Sports with over a year’s experience in journalism. Having completed his Bachelor’s in Education at European International University, his research prowess is the most powerful tool in his skillset. For Rishabh, pro wrestling is not just sports entertainment; it’s an emotion.

Edited by:

Stefan Thomas

John Cena’s Iconic Rival Reveals Major News Regarding His Hall of Fame Induction

Batista reveals why he couldn’t make it to the Hall of Fame class of 2023

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An Oscar Nominee had high praise for Batista before the release of Knock At The Cabin