Dave Bautista’s journey into professional wrestling began later than most, as he only started training in his late 20s. Despite being rejected by WCW’s Power Plant, his natural talent and charisma eventually earned him a WWE contract relatively early in his career.
In the early 2000s, like many WWE rookies, Bautista was sent to Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) for development. During an interview on “Insight with Chris Van Vliet,” Bautista opened up about his doubts about progressing beyond OVW. At the time, he portrayed a monstrous character named Leviathan, which limited his growth in the ring.
“The Leviathan character held me back in OVW because I was stuck in short squash matches,” Bautista shared. “I’d hit a couple of moves, and that was it — the match would be over. It was like having Goldberg-type matches, and I wasn’t improving like the others.”
Bautista was surrounded by impressive talent during his time in OVW, including future WWE stars like John Cena, Randy Orton, Brock Lesnar, and Shelton Benjamin. He credits these peers, along with senior WWE figures, for helping him develop. As Bautista struggled and feared WWE was close to releasing him, the company decided to give him one last shot by pairing him with veteran wrestlers and trainers like Dave Taylor, William Regal, and ‘Fit’ Finlay.
“‘Fit’ Finlay changed everything for me in one day,” Bautista said. “He pulled me aside and asked, ‘What’s going on with you?’ He didn’t just work on my physical skills but also helped me shift my mindset. That conversation sparked a major change in my approach.”
Reflecting on his time at OVW, Bautista also mentioned Jim Cornette, who was overseeing the promotion at the time. Though many assume Bautista harbors ill will toward Cornette, he clarified that he actually respects him. Bautista praised Cornette for teaching him about wrestling’s rich history, which he continues to appreciate.
Bautista’s WWE main roster debut came in 2002, initially as an enforcer for Reverend D-Von. However, his career skyrocketed after joining the iconic Evolution faction alongside Triple H, Ric Flair, and Randy Orton.