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Batista Unleashedx$7.99
  (26 reviews)
Best Price: $7.99
People around the world know Dave Batista as World Wrestling Entertainment's "the Animal," the rope-shaking, spine-busting World Heavyweight Champion, one of the most popular Superstars in recent years.The crowd turned Batista from heel to babyface after they were electrified by his awesome physique and physical wrestling style. Few fans, however, know that Batista didn't join the profession until he was thirty years old -- an age at which many wrestlers are thinking about hanging up their boots. Nor do most fans know the tremendous toll the climb to the top has taken on Batista's personal life. While successfully staying away from hard drugs and -- usually -- liquor, he found sex too tempting to resist. "Women were my drug of choice," the Animal confesses. That addiction cost him his marriage, destroying a relationship that had helped him climb from poverty to the pinnacle of sports entertainment in less than two years. Now, in Batista Unleashed, the WWE Superstar comes clean about the choices he made and the devastating effects they had on his family. He talks about the injury that stripped him of his title -- an injury he blames on Mark Henry's carelessness. While being sidelined cost Batista untold hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost income, it also set the stage for a tremendous comeback that cemented the Animal's reputation as a true champion. Batista talks about growing up in the worst part of Washington, D.C., where three murders occurred in his front yard before he was nine. He speaks lovingly about his mother -- a lesbian -- and how hard she worked to keep the family not just together but alive. He talks candidly about his own criminal past: a conviction on a drug charge and another, since overturned, on assault. He speaks of his days as a bouncer and a lifeguard, and tells how bodybuilding may have saved his life. Once he made it to the WWE, Batista realized he wasn't really ready for the big time. His career seemed headed for a fall until Fit Finlay took him under his wing. But his real education came when he joined Evolution and rode with Triple H and Ric Flair, two of sports entertainment's all-time greats. Batista talks about what they taught him, and details some of their wild times on the road. But the champ also reveals a kinder, gentler side. While his soft-spoken manner in the locker room has sometimes been misinterpreted as arrogance, in truth Batista's always been somewhat shy and quiet. Emotional by nature, he reveals for the first time that the tears fans saw at WrestleMania 21, when he won the World Heavyweight Championship for the first time, were very real. And he speaks movingly about his problems with his ex-wives and teenage daughters, and how it felt to become a grandfather. While his straight-shooting mouth has occasionally gotten him into trouble -- most notably in a backstage confrontation with Undertaker after some remarks about SmackDown! -- Batista is his own harshest critic. He explains his early limitations as a wrestler and the work he has done to overcome them. Interspersing his memoir with accounts from life on the road, Batista lightens the narrative with a surprising sense of humor. An Animal in the ring, he reveals himself as an honest and even humble man in everyday life.
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Customer Reviews
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Made me a fan of WWE all over again
By A1XYAMMURTCXH6 on 2007-10-26
I've been a big fan of wrestling ever since I was a little kid. I grew up with characters like Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, and The Undertaker. When the guys I grew up with slowly started to fade away I lose my interest in the WWE. For me, the new guys just didn't have the same "it" factor as the ones I grew up with.
It wasn't until the WWE started releasing books from their stars that my interest started to build again. When I was a kid there was no difference between the character these guys played on TV, and the person they were at home. I would've never dreamed that one day I'd be watching a TV show about Hulk Hogan...his wife....AND his kids?? No way.
Now that I'm a little older and understand the difference between the characters they play in the ring, and the real person they are, I've gained a new level of respect for the men and women of the WWE.
When Batista first came to the WWE he was all but entertaining. Since then I've watched his character grow and become World champion on numerous occasions. I had no idea he was releasing a book, and at first I was a bit skeptical about reading it because in the ring Batista isn't known for his overwhelming personality.
I gave in and purchased the book on Mon 10/22, and I've already finished it. Dave Batista (or Bautista)is actually an interesting, fairly deep guy with a lot of stories to share about his less than perfect past. His stories about growing up, bodybuilding, and life on the road actually had me laugh at loud at some points.
What I really enjoyed was that while Batista obviously had help in writing the book, at no time did I feel like I was reading someone else's words. The entire book made me believe that he actually sat down and wrote this which I can't really say about a lot of other biographies I've read. The book is candid, revealing, and very interesting. Personally, I couldn't put it down, and I would highly recommended it to anyone who's looking for an interesting book they can finish in a few days.
Even if you're not a fan of wrestling, the stories of Batista's life before he entered the ring are worth the purchase alone.
Incredible
By A2NFZF7F1NZITD on 2007-10-15
If you are looking for an honest autobiography this is the book. Batista is very open and honest about his life. From his childhood to his personal life. He leaves almost nothing out. Very easy reading. There is even some funny stories about being on the road with Triple H and Ric Flair. I highly reccomend this to anybody of any age.
Excellent bio
By A1IYRCWKS3SKK9 on 2007-10-18
Batista's book is probably one of the best bios that I have read in a long time. It is completely honest and is story that you can relate to. It is very easy to read and is highly recommended for anyone that wants the truth outside of the ring in the WWE.
Flip flops all over
By A38BYNNJPP3HED on 2007-11-12
This book is very interesting and informative, but it flip flops all over during the course of his life/career. Its great to read how he still loves his ex-wife and whats going on with his daughters. It'll give some guys hope that start their wrestling career late in life like he did. All in all, I'm very glad I purchased this book.
Not for your younger WWE fans
By A2FGPMXYTMSGAS on 2007-12-05
My son wanted this because he was interested in learning about Batista's life story. He loves WWE and I often have to limit him. I ordered this for him and after we received it I paged through the book to see if it was appropriate and it is ABSOLUTELY not appropriate for young teens or kids. I wish there was a rating or details about the language used.
- Who cares ????
By A2NFPS4FEJ1L9Z on 2007-10-22
Why anyone would be interested in reading about one of the least interesting stories in pro wrestling is beyond me ????
Batistas wrestling story can pretty much be summed up like this :
I learned five moves in wrestling school ..... the same five moves that they teach every untalented musclehead nowadays . Yet because I befriended HHH I got an undeserved push to the moon .
The End .
- Batista shoots from the hip.
By ABQHR66RHRVG on 2007-11-24
This is a very straight and to-the-point telling of Batista's life and career. From childhood in America's crime-ridden capitol, to busting heads as a bouncer, to learning the ropes as a wrestler, to gaining gold and going head-to-head with The Undertaker, Batista talks about it all (and more). Also included are stories of times where the author feels he's fallen short of how he should have lived his life.
Aside from the feeling of dryness and the occasional lack of emotion portrayed, this book is filled with telling drama and sometimes-hilarious real-life experiences that make this a must-read for wrestling fans.
Overall, his experiences (both positive and negative) help to give the impression that he takes this book as an opportunity to inform people that, no matter what, there is always a better life ahead, so long as one works hard to get it.
- BORING!!
By A2NAQ1NCBD84DQ on 2008-02-15
I refused to by this book but I did read it and I can tell you that Batista is a REAL jerk.
I am NEVER was a Batista fan because I felt he lakced wrestling skills and Mic-skills. He has his moments but his personality is Blah. When he came out with this book, I was hoping that after reading it, he would eventually turn me into liking him as a person.
The fact that he treated his ex-wife like $#it goes to show what an embarassment he is to pro wrestling. Guys like him give bad names to guys that passed and actaully changed their lives for the better. I do wish Batista would change in the future but I refuse to support someone who practically bragged about what woman he had sex with and how he cheated on his cancer-enduced ex-wife.
I know a wrestler's lifestyle is hard but why would you get married in the first place. He thinks it's love but judging from this book, he did it out of comfort.
After reading this book, I think i found the REAL wiesel of pro wrestling and that's Batista.
In fairness to him, he could have made up these stories and if he did, then I take everything back but this is label a non-fiction.
- OK
By A1QGJ2R3JENUAQ on 2007-10-22
Batista would of been better off if he published a book that was centered around nutrition and workout tips.
- great book to read
By ADX0SRD0E81UT on 2007-11-02
its so good its hard for me to put it down at night i love bios on a wrestling superstar
- disappointed
By A39REY691ZKNLO on 2007-11-30
I have a 9 year old son who loves to watch WWE. We watch it as a family every friday nite on Smackdown. So when he asked to read this book I thought why-not? At least he's reading. So I ordered the book and was very disappointed that when I sat down to preview it (before giving it to him for Christmas) I have decided that he won't be receiving it. Batista uses too much profanity for my son to read. I am disappointed, but not nearly as much as my son will be. I wish the book at least a warning stating that it's content was for mature audiences only.
- Mediocre, but not entirely at Batista's fault
By A2PCBRMBS2SBH5 on 2008-03-06
Dave Batista, one of WWE's current big stars, while his autobiography was in the planning stages, stated that he was a pretty boring guy and was only going along with this because the WWE wanted to push a book about him. He was right - through no fault of his own, his book is not exactly must read material.
Batista Unleashed, likely as told to Jeremy Roberts by Dave Batista, is the life story of the sudden sensation of a big man who started in the industry late in life, debuting at the age of 33. As the man is only 38 when the book was released to store shelves last October, most of the book is mostly based on his personal life.
And that's kind of the problem. As a fan of a lot of wrestling autobiographies, I read mostly for the road stories and other industry workings in the strange and unique business of professional wrestling. Batista and Roberts do try to make the best of it, trying to put in as many interesting diversions as they can, since the book is an obvious cash in on Batista's current popularity.
The story follows Batista from his childhood on the rough streets of Washington D.C., into a run with a bad crowd and a brief life of crime. He spent much of his young adult life serving as a bouncer, a natural given his height and build. He goes into his time as a bodybuilder, which he credits to saving his life. He spends much time speaking of his relationships with various women, and the resulting unplanned children from those unions.
As expected, he doesn't actually start to speak of the wrestling industry until he's a good ways into the book. For what's there, he makes it entertaining and is seemingly not afraid to throw mud, which can be a positive or negative depending on one's opinion on the maturity of that. There are some fine gems of passages in the book, such as Batista's altercation in the WCW Power Plant with a small pasty white career jobber/trainer by the name of Sergeant Buddy Lee Parker saying that the future Wrestlemania Main Eventer would never make it in the industry.
Another plus I'll hand the book is that Batista actually reflects on his past and is actually regretful of some of his past screw ups, such as the aforementioned delving into a life of crime, and even in the wrestling industry such as his known backstage brawl with fellow star Booker T. This is a nice change of pace to other books in the genre, where the author was always in the right and everyone else has no idea what they're talking about.
On the flip side, as a duality, he still comes up as bullheaded a lot of the time, almost to the point of comicality. As an example, are his claims to be sleeping around with many of the WWE's Divas - women wrestlers. The need to promote this fact(if it is a fact) is a strange one to stick in one's book, especially given it's talking about a relatively current time of not even a year ago. One would think you'd keep your current sexual exploits to yourself until a later date, not publish them all for the world to see.
It's by no means the worst wrestling autobiography you could buy. But you could do better. If you're a big Batista fan, it's probably worth a read. A general wrestling fan? I'd place it low on your list behind A Lion's Tale, Have a Nice Day, To Be The Man..., Etc. For a non-wrestling fan? I wouldn't even bother, as I do not see much universal appeal here in this obvious WWE Cash-in.
- ONLY FOR THE DIE HARDS
By A1HLNTZ4OL6ERH on 2007-11-01
THIS BOOK IS FOR ONLY THE TRUE DIE HARD BATISTA FAN. THE BOOK IS LONG AND BORING. HE BARELY GOES INTO ANY DETAIL ON HIS MATCHES. I HAVE READ ALMOST EVERY WRESTLING AUTO BIOGRAPHY OUT THERE AND THIS ONE JUST DOESN'T MEASURE UP. READ CHIRS JERICHO'S BOOK INSTEAD.
- This book rocks!!!!!!!
By A21KE10M10LCTE on 2008-01-03
I got this book for Christmas and I loved it. It really shows a softer side of him. And also he gives a lot of info about wrestling, on the road etc. I really enjoyed it. I've read a few other wrestlers books and this was the best by far:)
- Not what I expected
By A3VELNT5OKETMQ on 2008-02-12
I am a new WWE fan, in fact you can call me a closet fan. I bought Batista's book and could not put it down. I read it over the weekend and was really surprised how entertaining it was. Not only did it give you information about his family life but it also gave you an insight on other wrestlers and what they go through. I found myself laughing out loud when reading some parts like Ric Flair's driving habits and how they treat the Red Hat fan. Also, it was comforting to read how fondly Dave talked about other wrestlers and the respect they share for one another. I would highly recommend this easy read to anyone who is slighly interested in pro-wrestling.
~Debbie Wood
Mechanicsville, VA
- Great Read for die hard wwe fans!!!
By A3LE3V1E9MZ5WX on 2008-04-08
This book is not meant for younger kids its for a much older crowd. This book brings out his true identity and lays out his life for everyone to see. If you didnt like batista before you will now after you read this book. A great read for batista fans!!
- Batista Unleashed
By A1TW7T5OW85UVK on 2008-04-05
This book is an excellant reas.Dave goes well indepth of his life experiences in and out the ring.5 stars plus
- The Animal unleashes a shockingly good biography
By A1C8OR6C0UXTH9 on 2008-07-08
When I first heard that former World Champion and WWE wrestler, Dave Batista was penning his own autobiography, "way too soon" ran through my mind. The book, "Batista Unleashed" only covers the first five years of his WWE career, right through his feud with Undertaker shortly after Wrestlemania 23. It didn't seem like a whole a lot of history to cover, and I thought the book would be a failure like previous wrestlers who released their autobiographies early in their career like Bill Goldberg and The Rock.
I couldn't have been more wrong. Of all the wrestler biographies I have read thus far, no one has had such an eventful childhood as Batista. His accounts of growing up in the rough part of Washington D.C. leaves plenty of interesting first hand experiences. Batista's childhood troubles, growing up in a divorced family, dropping out of high school, having his own kid at an early age, his doomed marriage, and a ton of other shenanigans combined to have me hooked throughout the entire first half of the book.
When it comes to Batista's wrestling career, Dave doesn't pull any punches and tells it like it is. He admits how he struggled in his early years learning how to wrestle while coping with his asthma, and his frustrations with management not teaching him anything else other than to be a big, powerful brute. Dave doesn't hide much either, as he tells the ugly truth about his enemies, and gives praise to people he still wish were in the company. It was quite fascinating reading about how he grew to learn the business and how he was taught so much while part of the faction, Evolution with Triple H, Ric Flair and Randy Orton.
That all led to Batista transitioning from a supporting role to becoming a main event star by winning his first World Championship at Wrestlemania 21. Dave explains how tough it was behind the scenes to become accepted as a top draw, and how it became tougher when he got drafted to the Smackdown brand and had to deal with leading a new locker room.
This all culminates for one entertaining read. I am surprised this didn't turn out to be the quick cash-in book like I so dreadfully thought it would be. I wasn't that big of a Batista fan like before this book, but I had a whole new respect for him coming out of it. If wrestling biographies are your thing, than I highly recommend not to skip over Batista Unleashed.
Batista Unleashed
- Great and Entertaining Read
By A2FV7DAZPENINZ on 2008-07-23
My son read this book and told me I would like it. My first thought was, no thanks, I really do not want to read another meat head jock athlete book. So it sat on my desk for about a month. Then I picked it up and thumbed thru the pictures and noticed the books format is not chapters per se, but micro segments. So I read a few and few more and then in a couple of days I finished the book before I knew it!
Batista Unleashed is so much more then a jocks story, it is the story of a Dude that was big time down and out and did not know how to get out of it. He shows his heart and falls on his sword many times during this book when he could have easily avoided it. He put himself out there and I believe it paid off in a truly excellent book to read. I was amazed at his true openness in this book.
I was a come and go wrestling fan. My brother loves wrestling and then my son started, so to spend time with him, I started watching Raw and having my 13 year old teaching me about the biz. I tell you I have become a fan and now after reading this I have a deep appreciation for the folks that go out and lay it on the line for our enjoyment night after night.
I highly recommend this book to fans of wrestling or folks that just want to read a humble success story of a poor cast out kid to success.
- An Inside View of Batista's Thoughts..
By A3PH8T2TF8ZOTA on 2008-07-29
Excellent book.. Very easy to read.
A bit of language used.. but this gives it that personal touch... so, you really get to know what Batista was going through and how he felt.
If you want a story of how a bouncer turns his life around for his family to become one of the best Champions the WWE has ever seen, then this is definately the book for you.
Great story... Can't say a bad thing about it.
Well Done Dave!!
- Batista
By A4074RDTOONPL on 2008-08-26
He is the greatest wrestler. I think he's awesome. The book is really interesting. Great reading!!
- Fantastic Book!
By A1ROSPUGZ8Q52I on 2008-09-06
Thank you Amazon.com, for once again providing perfect professional service. The delivery, packaging and substance of my order was spot on! I enjoyed reading about the Fantastic Batista! How candid and open-hearted this look inside the man behind the Animal! To Dave Bautista, I enjoyed getting to know you through your words and pictures. I am your ardent fan...Be Loved and Be Blessed.....Love Tam of Birmingham, Alabama
- Batista Rocks
By A1I3Q3MYEW0VPU on 2008-09-07
I have started reading this book and I am impressed. For those people who don't like how Batista treated his wife, we all make mistakes. Maybe he has learned from them and things will be better. Not every relationship is perfect. You have my full support, Batista.
- Excellent Bio of a Great Wrestler
By A85VN7Z3UHX89 on 2008-09-30
I've never read any of the other books from any of the other wrestlers before, but I'm very glad I decided to get this one. I never knew all the difficulties and hard work it takes to be a wrestler, plus reading about Batistas personal struggles made it even better of a book to read. You really get the experience of this mans life and becoming the Animal. If your a fan of Batista or even just a fan of professional wrestling, this is one book to get.
- Awesome book.
By A3S8RIAKU849OX on 2008-10-17
This book is very interesting. When you read it, you never lose interest. My husband read it in two days and he never reads books. The book is "written" by Batista and he talks about his childhood right up to his days in WWE. He goes into detail about the many struggles in his life and he also tells stories about his colleagues in the WWE. I highly recommend this book.
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