One of WWEs most infamous behind-the-scenes fights is back in the spotlightand now we may finally know why it went down.
Former WWE Superstar Mr. Kennedy opened up on the Cafe de Rene podcast and claimed Batistas real-life clash with Booker T in 2006 may have stemmed from shrapnel heat over The Animals love for women. The former Mr. Money in the Bank didnt mince words when revisiting what he witnessed during their time on the red-hot SmackDown roster.
I think Dave liked women a lot. That was his drug of choice. Hes really open about it, Kennedy said. I think the heat was that, like, there were sometimes these women in the locker room or around, and so he, likeBookers there with his wife. Other guys wives come around and they go like, Oh, is this what happens when Im not around? You know, kind of thing? So it was like, you get the shrapnel heat. I think thats ultimately what it was about.
The fight between Batista and Booker T was well-documented at the time, but the exact trigger has always been murkyuntil now. Kennedys comments suggest the tension may have been less about professional beef and more about the personal fallout from locker room dynamics.
And thats not all. Kenny Bolin, who managed John Cena in OVW, also had a few things to say about Batistas attitude in his early days. Speaking to Wrestlings UnSKripted, Bolin didnt hold back: He had a very negative attitude. He got sick a lot because he said that when Jim Cornette made him shave his head, it caused him to get colds a lot. Bolin added that Batista didnt exactly have the best relationship with Cornette, despite being paired with Cornettes wife Synn during his Leviathan days. He would miss out on practice and he did not develop a real good relationship with Jimmy.
Despite all the backstage drama, Batista rose to the top and retired in 2019 at WrestleMania 35. These days, hes left the ring behind for Hollywoodand judging by his blockbuster track record, its working out just fine.
Do you think Batistas backstage behavior really played a role in his locker room heat, or was it just part of the grind to the top? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
