Batista: The Animal quits WWE after being denied a title match with Daniel Bryan
Evolution member takes his leave, just like he did in 2010
Last Updated: 03/06/14 2:47pm
The Animal reappeared in the company in late January, going on to win the 2014 Royal Rumble and secure a WWE World Heavyweight Championship match at WrestleMania XXX.
But after coming up short in his titanic tussle with Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton in New Orleans - Batista tapped out to Bryan as the submission specialist scooped gold - things have gradually got worse for the powerhouse.
The Washington, DC native was pinned by Roman Reigns when the reformed Evolution met The Shield at Extreme Rules and was then eliminated first when the two factions locked horns again at Payback.
And tensions came to a head on the June 2 edition of Raw when after Evolution ally and WWE Chief Operating Office Triple H denied him a WWE World Heavyweight Championship clash with recent neck-surgery recipient Daniel Bryan, Batista quit.
The six-time world champion - coined "Bootista" by the WWE Universe - is no stranger to leaving, though, as he resigned from Vince McMahon's empire in the summer of 2010 after failing to pluck the WWE Title from John Cena.
If or when Batista dons his wrestling trunks again remains to be seen, but he will hit cinema screens in August when he portrays Drax the Destroyer in Marvel Comics movie Guardians of the Galaxy, alongside Parks and Recreation actor Chris Pratt and Fast and The Furious star Vin Diesel.
Watch Batista's dramatic exit by catching the WWE Raw repeat, from 10pm, Thursday, Sky Sports 2.
