'2 Different Stages Of His Life': Dave Bautista’s Transformation Leaves Fans Reflecting On His Iconic WWE Era

What happened to Dave Bautista? The question emerged after the former WWE superstar made a stunning appearance at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Decked up in an all-black suit and pearl necklace, Bautista attended the red carpet ahead of the premiere of The Last Showgirl. What shocked the fans was his vastly slimmed-down physique. During his WWE career, Bautista was recognised as “The Animal” for his hulk-like frame. He was also a bodybuilder and a mixed martial artist, who gave tough challenges to some biggest stars of that era– The Undertaker, Great Khali and Triple H.

Bautista’s appearance at the 2024 TIFF left many fans baffled. One of them shared his current picture on X (formerly Twitter) along with an old photo featuring his bulkier version. After wrapping up his illustrious WWE career, the 55-year-old decided to put his entire focus into acting. He officially made his Hollywood debut in 2009, appearing in the crime thriller– My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done.

Bautista seems to have toned down his body for his next movie, The Killer’s Game. His transformation has attracted reactions from many of his fans. Some of them couldn’t believe their eyes while others appreciated Bautista for his dedication towards acting.

Impressed by his new look, one fan said, “What happened? He was a Wrestler and Now he is an Actor. Two different stages of his life and he is smashing it like a boss.”

Another user quipped, “This happens when a 55-year-old who has been on steroids for decades suddenly stops using.”

An individual feels Dave Bautista has “decided to focus on his health and give his liver a break.” “And he likely wants to play different characters,” he added.

One user stated, “I can see losing weight and muscle mass can open up possibilities to play different roles. Dude has shown remarkable skills but he has been pigeonholed.”

Dave Bautista opened up about trimming his body weight during a recent interaction with YouTuber Chris Van Vliet. The 55-year-old mentioned that he started the journey after shooting Knock at the Cabin in 2022. “I’m getting super trimmed, this is probably the lightest I’ve been since I was 19 years old,” he said.

“The heaviest I’ve ever been is 370lbs. When I started Deacon, I was about 325lbs. Throughout most of my wrestling career, I was about 290lbs. Now I’m about 240lbs. A year and a half ago for Knock at the Cabin, I went 315lbs. And that’s when the nightmare started. Now I’m very particular about my diet,” Bautista added.

Dave Bautista kicked off his wrestling career under the ring name– Deacon Batista. He signed for WWE in 2000 and went on to become one of the biggest stars of that generation. Bautista is the longest-reigning World Heavyweight Champion and also triumphed at the 2005 Royal Rumble. He became the world champion six times and secured three World Tag Team titles, paring up with Ric Flair and John Cena.