Spotlight

Batista Calls Current WWE Product “Brutal”; Continues To Target The Miz With Criticism

Richard Gray December 17, 2011 WWE News 34 Comments

The Daily Star has a new Q&A online with Dave Batista. Never at a loss for words, Batista hammers the current WWE product and targets The Miz. Below is an excerpt:

“It’s brutal. I can’t watch it. I can’t connect with it. I no longer know this business. I don’t do PG wrestling.

“Love me or hate me, when I was there everyone took one look at me and knew I could beat someone up. I don’t think they look at Miz that way.”

“The guys today will never get to that level. It’s sad, but that’s the reason for it.”

Click here to read the full article.

Thanks to Wrestling News World readers Fernando and Azlan Munir for sending us the link.

Richard Reacts: Pardon what might be considered an immature reaction, but what’s Batista’s deal with The Miz? I completely understand the anti-PG comments but did The Animal have a crush on Maryse or something?

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About The Author

Richard Gray

Richard Gray is the owner and editor of WrestlingNewsWorld.com. Covering the professional wrestling business since 1999, Richard holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from West Virginia University. He is also the owner of Gray Internet Technologies, LLC. and should be contacted with all business matters. You can friend him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter. Email him directly at [email protected].

Bobby

The Miz could probably kick my butt.
snuggle

I think batista is setting the stage for a return feud with miz because everytime he speaks he sounds more kayfabe then ever. Batista if you are being honest which I doubt it you need to stop putting yourself so high up as a wrestler because you sucked. Lets face it you can’t wrestle, can’t hold a candle to miz on the mic, you were on roids your entire career and I never thought just because you had muscles that I could beat up everybody. I remember mark henry destroying you and didn’t Booker T yes he did beat you up at a photo shoot because your ego was to high you thought you were Gods gift to wrestling so that fight right there let me know you couldn’t beat up everybody even though Bookers from the streets he whipped your ass.lol
JackBo

@Ilyas He thinks he’s awesome for storyline idiot, he’s quite humble in real life.
Bruce

Need to remember that wrestling is cyclical. The fans from the 80′s were kids back then, hence PG era, as those fans aged, WWE needed to grow with them in the 90′s so we got TV-14. Then those fans got older still, started having families of their own and wanted to introduce their kids to wrestling, so WWE went back to PG to foster a whole new generation of fans. In a few years they will probably need to move back to TV-14 as the current fans get older and so on and so on. The wrestlers with the longest shelf life are those that can reinvent themselves with each passing Era with Hogan obviously being the prime example of this.
Kevin M. Robinson

I hate the PG-13 WWE. Back in the Attitude Era EVERYONE got pushed. All titles got defended. I am tired of the same people on TV every week.
bestintheworld

Batista is as boring as Hogan. Does the same thing every match. Wash, rinse and repeat. People only like to see him cos with his muscles, he looks like a destroyer like HHH.
hurricane1

The Animal probably DID have a crush on Maryse. He had one on everyone else around there, it seems.
- Gary
  
  I have a crush on her, too.
ZackPack

I'd much rather watch the Miz than Batista. #justsaying
Chapel Of Ghouls

I need to make a statement that will define my interest in WWE. Dave is just going to keep bashing WWE, and each passing time he does, I don't want to repeat myself, so say he does it again, I can just copy and paste the following.

I have been watching WWE during their TV-14 days when there were live sex celebrations, fiery tables, blood, DX dumping feces on the McMahons. However I also haven't stopped watching when they switched PG, when Cena was king, Edge/Taker, Shawn/Jericho, Punk/Hardy, Cena/Orton, Nexus, Shawn/'Taker (Under a PG environment at Wrestlemania 25, but it's the best match I have ever seen), and others. No blood, no chair shots to the head, no decrease in interest from me. Why?

Well, over the years, I've appreciated the art of wrestling: the storytelling, psychology aspect. Mic workers of the past and present, and of course, in ring talent. Does content rating matter in those elements of pro wrestling? No. I'll keep saying this, Back to the Future is my favorite PG movie of all time, and one of my all time favorite movies. I mean allllllll time, I rank it in my Fave Five of movies. It had a very tight screenplay, great acting, it's pretty smart, and it was entertaining. I mean it wasn't reeking of blood and thumbtacks and all. However I still loved it. I guess people care about content more than me, because PG ultimately hasn't made me tuned out.

If anything, WWE today has some much better wrestlers in the ring than a majority in the past. Despite the lack of jacked Vince-addicted bodies, men like CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, Christian, Dolph Ziggler, have all put on tremendous efforts in the ring. On the mic, guys like John Cena, The Miz, Rhodes, those guys would light me up with their words (Miz and Cena aren't given enough credit in the ring, because both are great, but that's just my opinion).

I assume reading my words, I'll come across as a mark, but I'd rather be a mark, than a critic. Or, a positive mark than cynical, negative, what have you. Just this week alone, there was a great fatal 4 way featuring the future of WWE. Watching it, the future just looks so bright to me. Of the present: Cena, Randall, Show, Mark Henry. Those are guys that are pulling out great efforts, whether on the mic, in the ring, whatever.

When I read Batista's words, it just seems he cares about content rating and look way too much. That's his opinion, power to him, but when I see someone like Miz. I don't see someone that can't convince me that he can beat someone senseless. I see an entertainer, I see someone who entertains me, but I also think he's become a great wrestler. I mean, some heels of that ilk are more on the brain side, and not dominance side like Mark Henry. What did Batista think of Rey Mysterio? The guy, you'd see, wouldn't win a fight. This is wrestling, this is pro wrestling, it's telling stories, creating art, entertaining fans, not fighting.

I don't really dwell on what was in WWE, mainly because in my youth, I don't have too much experience on the past, therefore I just look at now and the future, and appreciate it. The past is past, I don't prefer to dwell on it. Now I have seen old matches, promos, old PPVs and such, but I don't think "Man they suck now, so awesome back then."

"They went through war?" Oh and CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, and Miz didn't? The backstage environment, working hard in the Indies to make it to the big leagues, traveling all around the world. What about Miz? All the bullying and hate he got, coming from reality TV, working hard to be at the top of the company that he legitimately loves? Ryder? On the cusp of being fired, with a flip camera and social media, he worked his tail off to be a star today. Not only that, I think in time, he will be revered as an innovator for the usage of social media and self promotion. This is a case of me wondering when was the last time he watched WWE? Does he even know, CM Punk, who looks like a short order cook, is the WWE Champion, the "Best in the World?" What? Would he think he can beat up Punk, and he doesn't have the look? Seriously, does he pay attention to in ring ability, mic skills, psychology and all? If so, even he should admit that CM Punk is one of the best in the whole freaking world. I certainly think so. Does he?

I swear, if Batista would come back under PG rules, I'll immediately think it's for money, and whatever "values" and "beliefs" Dave has, all for naught, when it's all for the almighty dollar.
- Sergeant Conley
  
  A-freakin’-men.
- Ilyas
  
  WOW! A lot of typing!
- TakerMania
  
  Oh God Bless You
  
  I wish more Wrestling fans are just like you
- sean
  
  exactly i grew up watchin the tv-14 stuff and loved it and i love it now for different reasons Punk is my all time favourite because he is so good on the mike and in the ring he is probably overall the best pro wrestler I have ever seen no disrespect to the old legends but all the whining about the pg rating is just annoying Batista needs to grow up and realise he was not that good and that like you said it is not all about the look
Darkstalker

I remember a time when it was brutal to watch WWE … I remember that one guy … really big and ripped … He was stale, slow, repetitive and had the worst mic skills ever … What was that guy´s name again? Oh right, it was Batista …
- Blazeking
  
  I thought you were gonna say Khali as champion. Then I saw "ripped"…
Abe

When people looked at batista all they saw was someone on the roids
Da KiDD

I know I'd have a crush on Maryse
Frenchfry

batista was awesome lol, anyone who says he wasnt is just frustrated at his comments
- XKonn247
  
  Or they realise wrestling wise a dead fox had more ability.
  - Frenchfry
    
    Please giant guys who can destroy people at any time are much more entertaining and realistic than people like the miz who are just goofy (and cant wrestle anything like batista did anyways lmfao) I mean come on now lets be honest here
HPK

WWEak is just that = WEAK !!! I watched wrestling back in the 80's when , Yep…that's right , people…Hulk Hogan was the Big Dog in the yard…And fought the likes of wrestlers like Rowdy Roddy Piper , Randy Macho Man Savage , Andre the Giant , Ted Dibiase , Ultimate Warrior ,etc !!! And , Yes…WWF at that time , was PG in content !!!
Then , as the 90's came into view , The product waned , as all the top stars jumped ship to WCW , and in that action , the WWF started spiraling downward in the ratings every monday night as WCW became more popular and hence – The Monday Night Wars were born !!! VKM turned to a more TV -14 program an pushed Guys like SCSA , DX , The Undertaker , The Rock , Kane , etc. in order to stay above Eric Bischoff's WCW and it's PG rating , and the rest is history !!! Now , VKM / WWE are taking the softer approach once again , forgetting the past and paying the price for it !!!
anthony

Batista left because it was all a bit PG. Over the last year, the WWE has shown signs of pushing the barrier and introducing an edgier direction to some programs that have happened and are happening still. It seems that since Batista left, the WWE has progressed in an exciting way and he isn't part of it. I don't think the PG thing is an issue really, it was the boring, repetitive story-lines and wrestlers and Batista was one of them. Batista's comments are being made because he is trying to convince himself and others that he was what kept WWE exciting during this dull period. Unfortunately for him it would appear his departure only freshened the WWE up with better wrestlers and character development (maybe not cena though!). Batista will largely be associated with the stale years where the WWE was trying to find direction.
hurrigame

Maybe he's sore because, unlike Morrison, Miz DIDN'T let Batista sleep with his gf.
Ilyas

Batista is sooooooooooooo wanting to come back to WWE,because he first said that John Cena is like a bad wrestler,which he isn't,and now he's saying things to The Miz,I mean come on,he's right about Miz,but not Cena.I would rather watch Batista,then watch the Miz,because Miz is not awesome,which he thinks he is.I hope Batista comes back to WWE,so he can fued with Cena,or Rey Mysterio,like the olden days.
JOE

HE'S RIGHT!!!!! MONDAY NITE RAW IS 50% TALK AND 25% COMMERCIALS AND A LITTLE WRESTLING. (EVEN THEN THEY PULL AWAY FOR COMMERCIALS 1/2 WAY THROUGH A GREAT MATCH). ITS GOTTEN VERY POOR SINCE DAVE'S TIME! if ring of honor was given the chance they'd tear up the wwe in action matches…..
- sean
  
  Dont be stupid ROH have not got the level of talent of wwe no company does
old skewl fan

I've been a WWE /WWF fan since 84, with that said I've see a lot of guys come and go, I've seen a lot of people win the WWE championship that deserved it and I've seen a lot of guys that should of gotten that honor, that didn't but only 2 people come to mind when I think of guys that shouldn't have gotten it and Batista , is one of them, the other being VKM which was stupid. While I'll admit when he first came on the seen , he seemed impressive, but he never grew, he was very one dimensional, and I couldn't get behind him, or against him, he was my reason for a bathroom brake. Stale indeed. I would rather watch a 1/2 hour of Hornswoggle and Santino being stupid then to watch 5 min of anything to do with Batista.
Adam

I know whats so brutal about this is that Batista critized the current talent of the WWE but he's the one who quit that business to presue his dream of becoming a MMA fighter hich so far has failed at at least Brock Leasner has made a name for himself.
HPK

WWE – New – Old WCW ???
Ray

I don't think the reason WWE has become a bit stale doesn't have anything to do with the PG rating and everything to do with storylines…

As we all know from great PG movies like Back 2 the Future, Remember the Titans, the Sandlot, The Goonies, Big… so on an so forth, obviously good, quality, interesting storylines can be written and unfold under a PG banner.

So WWE should have no problem coming up with great, interesting, quality storylines. As of late, the amount of those kinds of storylines have spiked a bit but all in all the last few year hasn't been like years past. And theirs no excuse for that.
- Ray
  
  Also, something else that's killing the WWE and storyline progression is what I'd call a misuse of air time. If you added up all the time spent on Raw, or especially Smackdown, spent to hype a future event, hype a past event, recap a past event, show vignette's on future matches, advertise their merch, network, dvd's, live tours, the video games, the magazines, the future talent or repackaged talent soon to debut (when theirs already not enough time for half the roster to be on the show), take out all that stuff, commercials, the intro and fireworks and you're probably left with 45 minute show opposed to a 2 hour show. So of course we think the product sucks! Less than half of the stuff we see each week is new and original product. We're watching over 60 percent BS.
Tomas

I agree with Dave here. Completely true.
Just the same way CM Punk or Cena will never reach the leves of the all time greats.
emon

I am saying just 1 thing, CM punk just a rubbish, nothing else.