Batista Interview: WCW Tryout, Interests and More

The following is an interview with Batista from The Detroit News:

When did you know you wanted to become a professional wrestler?

It was late '90s, maybe '98, I was up in Minneapolis doing some training up there, and I noticed on TV that WCW was having open tryouts. I was a big fan of Goldberg, so I watched WCW all the time, and I just thought I'd give it a try. That was my first inclination that I wanted to be a pro wrestler. It was a long time after that that I realized I might actually make it (laughs).

So what happened?

I'll give you an abbreviated version of the story: After that, I spent some time trimming down because I was very heavy. I was about 370 pounds. So I trimmed down and I went for my tryout at WCW, and they kicked me right out the door said, "You'll never make it. You don't have what it takes, get out of here!" So I called the WWE, and they didn't have open tryouts, so they suggested a private school. It was the Wild Samoan Training Center, and I went there for a year and they hooked up a tryout for me. I went for a tryout with the WWE and the next day they called me and offered me a contract.

Was the back tattoo before, after or during all this? The tattoos came along with the years and training. I had a small tattoo on my back, and the big tattoo I have now on my back is what I had on my back before, it was just very small. I said I want it bigger, so they blew it up and now it's huge.

Outside of the ring, what do you like to do?

When I am outside of the ring I am actually the most boring person on the face of the earth. I'm one of those guys who just sits at home and doesn't really do anything. I have a 14-year-old daughter, I spend time with her. I do stuff everybody else does: I go to the grocery store, I go to the gym, I go to the movies.

To read the full interview, click here.