On September 12, Batista sent out a tweet informing fans that he was not invited to Smackdown 1000, despite the event being held in his hometown, not to mention the important role he played in building up the blue brand in the mid-2000s. A few days after that, WWE put out an interesting Facebook post suggesting that Batista vs Samoa Joe was a Smackdown 1000 dream match they’d like to see.
Well, either Batista was working the fans or he really hadn’t been invited as of September 12, but either way, WWE announced today that Batista, alongside Triple H, Randy Orton and Ric Flair, would all be on Smackdown 1000 for a rarely seen full-Evolution reunion.
This is huge news as for the last several years, Batista and the WWE have been unable to get on the same page regarding his possible return to the company. Batista has even said that he “just doesn’t understand” why WWE seemingly doesn’t want him back.
Now of course, with Batista’s return set, it brings into question some of these recent interviews and tweets, all of which seemed to suggest the Animal was persona non grata in WWE’s eyes. And perhaps he was, but whatever obstacle stood in the way of a return appears to have been resolved.
Whether Batista’s return is a one-night-only affair or if he will finally get the retirement angle with Triple H he has been asking for quite some time remains to be seen. All that is known at this point is that for the first time since 2007, all four members of Evolution, the faction that dominated pro wrestling in the early 2000’s, turned both Batista and Randy Orton into stars and cemented the legacy of Triple H, will share a ring.
As WWE announced on their website:
The band is back together.
At SmackDown 1000 on Tuesday, Oct. 16, Evolution reunites – Triple H, Batista, Randy Orton and Ric Flair will be in Washington, D.C. for the historic event.
Evolution is comprised of some of the most successful Superstars in history – there are 49 world championship reigns between the four members, who ran roughshod through WWE from 2002 to 2005, then rode again for a vicious rivalry with The Shield in 2014.
What does Evolution have in store as they make their first-ever appearance on the blue brand during this groundbreaking night? Find out during SmackDown’s 1000th episode, Tuesday, Oct. 16, at 8/7 C on USA Network!
