Grading Batista's Return

Is it time to say Batista's return has flopped? Does he deserve the push he has gotten? He certainly did not return to be treated like some B+ player. He is pretty much an A player. No A+? I don't think he is back to really steal Cena's spot as centerpiece. If they wanted to develop a new centerpiece, I think it would be someone younger. And I don't see Batista as a major legend from the past that you can consider a true A+ player, like The Rock or Undertaker. He isn't getting that kind of push. And the bad reaction his return has gotten does not seem to have helped how well the WWE has decided to push him now. Triple H vs. Daniel Bryan is more important than Batista.

Let me start by critiquing Batista. If Batista was truly a great worker, you might feel some sympathy for him and say he still deserves better than this. Speaking honestly, I never liked Batista. I always thought he was a big idiot. In terms of wrestling ability, he is the typical big guy. His moves don't really stand out to me. Some say his best work was his heel work before leaving the WWE. Okay. He was a jerk. It does not seem to be a hard thing for him to do. I didn't really find him that entertaining. Since his return, he has not really done too much to impress me. He is a heel again, but his character isn't like it was back then. I pretty much don't like anything about him. I should probably try to think of something nice to say about him. Umm...skinny jeans? No, I should probably take off a few more points for that. I say he is worth a C. Why don't I give him worse? He is still pretty solid in some regards. He is not great, but I would just be a blind hater to give him a D or F.

Big question is, how has Batista's return connected with the fans? I think the answer is obvious. "Bootista" chants? Those didn't come about because Batista was doing such a great job as a heel. He hadn't yet officially turned when the fans were souring on him. Definitely cannot give the results he has brought with his return an A+. If he only came back to a mild and mediocre reaction, that might get him a C. But to come back and have the fans react the way they have, his return has to be considered a true flop. D or F? Is it worse to have the fans be so negative towards you or worse to have them completely dead. They hate Batista for all the wrong reasons. His return flopping is a combination of bad booking on the part of the WWE and Batista just not being a guy people like. As I pointed out before, if he was someone people did like, his reaction would not be so bad. I would say he is bringing D results. If nothing else, he has given the fans something to talk about and they are talking about him. Problem is, the fans aren't doing what the WWE would like.

Batista is a product of the WWE. I do not simply mean that he became a success in the WWE. I mean he became a success because the WWE took him and developed him to be a success. Had he not gotten injured so much, he might have been developed to be a true A+ player as Smackdown's centerpiece. There are guys that come into the WWE, don't get the type of treatment that Batista and Cena get, and still manage to bring the results in connecting with those fans that you would want from someone being pushed like Batista or Cena. Daniel Bryan is an example of that. As you can see, the WWE may have a lot of confidence in those stars they produce, but that does not mean they bring top-tier results, even with the heavy support from the WWE. So far, Batista's return has flopped. For the WWE's sake, they might want to find a way to help him become more likeable.