TAMPA - These days you will find former World Wrestling Entertainment champion Dave Bautista on a different kind of mat.
He’s hung up his wrestling tights – for now – and has taken up mixed martial arts.
“I really just found peace in here,” the 42-year-old Bautista said Saturday afternoon of his transition. “I just love it.”
Once one of the biggest names in professional wrestling he left the WWE last year. Since then Bautista has been training MMA style which mixes wrestling, striking and jiu-jitsu. He’s gearing up with hopes of signing on for his first professional MMA fight.
“I’m a martial arts practitioner; I want that experience of going through a training camp and leading up to a pro fight,” he said of his current plans. “I’m able to do this now, five years from now I won’t be able to.”
Saturday also marked the debut of Bautista’s new business. Instead of fighting an opponent he’s sharing a goal and has opened Gracie Fighter Jiu-Jitsu Gym on North Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa.
His partner in the endeavor is famed mixed martial arts trainer Cesar Gracie.
“It has actually turned into something bigger than I imagined,” Bautista said at the facility’s grand opening to the public. “At first it was going to be a private gym for me to train, but we realized that we had such a great facility and I felt like this area could use something like this.”
The six-time WWE World title holder says his gym is for everyone, even the little guys.
“Martial arts is about discipline and respect. We can teach everything from bully prevention to self defense,” said one of the facility’s assistant trainers Hoon Park.
Training, teaching and traveling is taking up a lot of Batista’s time currently and that’s ok with him. While he hasn’t ruled out a return to the WWE, he has one goal in mind.
“My dream is to become a Cesar Gracie black belt,” he said.
And who’s going to argue with him?
تم افتتاح يوم السبت صالة Gracie Fighter Jiu-Jitsu Gym لتعليم فنون القتال
التي يتشارك بها كلا من المقاتل سيزار غراسي و المصارع باتيستا وموقع الصاله في North Dale Mabry Highway
في تامبا
وخلال مقابله مع باتيستا اشار ان اهم اهدافه حاليا هو الحصول على الحزام الاسود في الجي جيتسو