MVP On Why Batista Changed His Match Finish, Vince McMahon Not Believing Batista Would Leave, More
On episode 61 of Sam Roberts' Wrestling Podcast, MVP talked about his friendship with Batista and Batista leaving WWE for Hollywood.
According to MVP, Batista always looked out for him and has been like a big brother to him. During the podcast, MVP told a story about Batista getting the finish of a match changed during their time together in WWE, so MVP wouldn't have to lose three weeks in a row.
"We had been doing a television feud. It wasn't a pay-per-view feud, but, every week, he and I were going through something, wrestling, and he had beaten me, like, two weeks in a row on TV. And the finish that day was he was going to beat me again. And I know my role. I'm a heel! He's the money guy. He's a star. That's what I'm there for. I have no problem with that. Dave had a problem with it because he said, 'why am I beating you again? This does nothing for you. This does nothing for me. This is pointless.' His exact words [were], 'you're a f–king guy we can do something with. Why am I beating you again?'. This is what Dave said. I said, 'f–k it, Dave. I'm working in the main event against you. I'm cool. That's fine. I'm making that main event money. I'm getting the rub.' He goes, 'no, f–k that. It's bulls–t. Lets go talk to Vince [McMahon].'" MVP continued, "Dave literally took me in to Vince and said, 'Vince, it doesn't make sense.' That doesn't happen very often in the world of professional wrestling. There aren't that many guys that think that selflessly and see the picture in that way, so that's the kind of guy he is."
MVP, Batista, and McMahon settled on a finish where MVP would win by count out and Batista would still look strong in defeat.
"We came up with a finish where we'd fight outside the ring, he'd be kicking my ass outside the ring, and I'd be running away from him during the count, so as I dive into the ring, I win by count out. And I kind of slid out [of] the backside of the ring and I was still scared and I'm showing, 'oh s–t' and [the announcer says], 'and the winner, by count out, MVP!' and I get my swagger back and I was like, 'yeah, that's right! That's right! I won!' And that was the finish that we came up with. Dave did that."
MVP said that McMahon never thought Batista would walk away from WWE money to try his hand at acting.
"With [Batista's] movie career, I remember the day he left and it was crazy because Muriel, the security guard, she walked him out and he was telling me, he goes, 'Vince doesn't think I'm leaving. He thinks I'm bulls–tting him. He doesn't think I'm serious.'" MVP added, "[Batista] literally walked away from millions of dollars a year on the chance that he'd make it in Hollywood [and McMahon was saying,] 'he's not going to walk away from all this money.'"
To listen to the podcast, click here. If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Sam Roberts' Wrestling Podcast with an H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
Source: Sam Roberts? Wrestling Podcast