Dave Bautista Biography – David Michael Bautista Jr. born January 18, 1969 is an American actor and retired professional wrestler. Known as one of the most successful wrestlers of his era, he gained fame during his multiple stints in WWE from 2002 to 2019. Bautista began his wrestling journey in 1999 and signed with WWE (then WWF) in 2000. Under the ring name “Batista,” he rose to prominence between 2002 and 2010, starting as a member of the faction Evolution. During his career, he became a two-time WWE Champion and a four-time World Heavyweight Champion, with his first reign lasting a record 282 days. He also held the World Tag Team Championship three times and the WWE Tag Team Championship once.
Dave Bautista Biography 2025
David Michael Bautista Jr. is an American actor and retired professional wrestler. Regarded as one of the most prolific professional wrestlers of his generation, he rose to fame for his multiple stints in WWE between 2002 and 2019. Bautista began his wrestling career in 1999 and signed with WWE in 2000.
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Born: 18 January 1969 (age 55 years), Washington, D.C., United States
David Michael Bautista Jr. was born in Washington, D.C. His mother, Donna Raye, is of Greek descent, while his father is the son of Filipino immigrants. Bautista’s paternal grandfather served in the Philippine military and worked various jobs to support the family. His mother later came out as a lesbian. Bautista’s early life was marked by poverty and exposure to violent crime. He witnessed several tragic incidents in his neighborhood by the age of nine. By 13, he began stealing cars, and by 17, he was estranged from his parents and living independently. Despite these challenges, he has expressed pride in his parents, crediting them with instilling strong work ethics in him.
Before entering wrestling, Bautista worked as a nightclub bouncer but faced legal trouble after an altercation left two patrons injured. Following a year of probation, he worked as a lifeguard before pursuing bodybuilding, which he credits with transforming his life. At 30, after experiencing a personal crisis related to financial struggles, he recognized the lucrative opportunities in professional wrestling and decided to pursue that path.
Dave Bautista, an American actor, mixed martial artist, and retired professional wrestler, has an estimated net worth of $16 million.
Fighting Career
Before entering professional wrestling, Bautista trained at the Wild Samoan Training Center in 1999. He later enhanced his skills with training in Muay Thai, Eskrima, and Jiu-Jitsu under Cesar Gracie. Bautista signed with WWF in 2000 and initially fought under the name “Leviathan” in Ohio Valley Wrestling, where he won the OVW Heavyweight Championship. He changed his ring name to “Deacon Batista” and made his televised WWE debut in 2002.
After gaining fame as part of Evolution alongside Ric Flair, he turned on his teammates and won the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 21, marking one of the event’s highest-grossing moments. Bautista held the title for a record 282 days but had to vacate it due to recurring injuries. In 2010, Bautista had a brief foray into MMA, winning his only fight against Vince Lucero by TKO. Despite ongoing injuries, he continued to compete in WWE until creative differences led to his departure in 2014. He made a return in 2018 for a final match against Triple H, retiring in 2019.
Bautista began his acting career with roles in Smallville and a cameo in Neighbours. His big break came in 2014 when he played Drax the Destroyer in Guardians of the Galaxy, which established him as a serious actor in Hollywood. He later appeared in Spectre (2015) and Blade Runner 2049 (2017), among other films. Bautista reprised his role in the Guardians sequel and participated in major Marvel films like Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. His involvement in the upcoming film Dune further solidified his standing in the industry.
Bautista’s personal life includes three marriages. He married for the first time in 1990, having two daughters before divorcing in 1998. He married again in 1998, having a son before their divorce in 2006. His third marriage was to a professional pole dancer in 2015, which ended in divorce in 2019. Bautista authored an autobiography titled Batista Unleashed in 2007, detailing his wrestling career and personal experiences.
