Batista Says He Tried to Talk Undertaker Out of His Match Against Goldberg

Batista was interviewed by GQ and talked about the Undertaker vs. Goldberg match at Super ShowDown last month, saying that he tried to get Undertaker to change his mind about doing the match.

He also said that he’s definitely wrestled his last match, but told WWE that he would be open to being a “personality on the show.”

GQ: I still keep up with WWE. They always seem to manage to bring people back again and again no matter what. But do you think your WrestleMania match was your goodbye?

It was my last match. I’ve told them I’ll go back and do the show. I’ll be a personality on the show. I love the company. I love the fans and I would like to stay connected to them. But as far as going back and have another wrestling match, it will never happen. I think it’ll just never happen. I couldn’t have ended my career any better than I did this year. It was something I fought very hard for. So for me to go back and wrestle again after all that would be taking a huge dump on my career. I just won’t do it.

GQ: That’s interesting because between AEW’s ascension and the Saudi Arabia shows, WWE seems to want older performers still around. And you’re definitely just saying never.

I don’t know anybody who is quite in the position that I was in. I needed one more match. I needed closure on my wrestling career. But I think a lot of times—and I don’t want to speak for anybody—I think people go back for the wrong reasons. I think sometimes they go back because they have to, which to me is a sad reason. I’m proud of the way I ended my career. So I won’t disrespect it by going back and wrestling again. I don’t want to be one of those guys.

GQ: I have great respect for them and everything, but the Undertaker-Goldberg match in Saudi Arabia was so unfortunate.

I called, man. I called ‘Taker and said, “Is there any way I could change your mind?” He laughed, and I knew I couldn’t change his mind. He said it sounded good when we first started talking about it. I only saw highlights which were, you know, low lights. it was not good. It’s just bad circumstances all the way around. I feel like Taker’s there for the right reasons. I think he’s there because he still loves it. But I wish that they would utilize him in the right way. I think a novelty match with Goldberg is the wrong way. I just don’t think it’s good for anybody and especially it’s not good for the fans. I wouldn’t have gone to Saudi at all. I don’t care who they would’ve booked me with. I just would not have gone.

But I loved my final match at Wrestlemania, with Hunter [better known as Triple H]. The fans wanted to see two old guys go to war. That’s what we did. That’s the way the match was designed.