Half-Pinoy wrestling star Batista confirms jump to MMA

source: abs-
cbnnews.com
The time has come for
another “actor” to step
out of the spotlight and get real.
Former World Wrestling
Entertainment (WWE) combatant
Batista finally declared that his deal
with mixed martial arts (MMA)
promoter Strikeforce is nearly
sealed.
"We're real close. We actually
agreed on a number last week
and we're sorting stuff out," said
the half-Filipino-half Greek former
pro wrestler in an interview with DC
101, a Washington DC-based radio
show.


Batista, whose real name is David
Bautista Jr., said that his MMA debut
will probably start early next year.
"We should have a deal real
soon. Hopefully, I'll be fighting
in March," the 41-year-old
bodybuilder-actor said.
In an MMAfighting.com article, a
Strikeforce spokesperson confirmed
that there has been ongoing
dialogue between sides. He,
however, said Batista remains
unsigned.
A logical move
Batista believes he has what it take
to survive in MMA, citing that he
had trained in the Filipino martial
art, Kali. He added that he also tried
out Muay Thai and worked on his
ground game.
"The grind of professional
wrestling, there is nothing is
more brutal," he said. "I told my
mom I wanted to get into
fighting. She was scared to
death. I said, 'Mom, the last few
years I was an inch away from
breaking my neck every night
and now you're worried about
me being punched in the face?'"
He said several issues with WWE
have prompted him to leave the
company, and venturing into MMA
was more of a logical move.
In WWE, he became a 6-time
World Champion. Batista was
also declared winner of WWE's
2005 Royal Rumble match.
Batista said he and Strikeforce
had talked about him possibly
making his debut in Washington
DC. The promotion has yet to
run an event in the northeast
US.
Batista is the latest wrestler to
leave pro wrestling for MMA. Other
former WWE stars who jumped into
the MMA scene are Bobby Lashley
and current Ultimate Fighting
Championship (UFC) heavyweight
champion Brock Lesnar. -- With a
report from Mike Chiappetta,
MMAFighting.com
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