“Boy got a cartoon character haircut”- Wrestling fans go wild after Dave Bautista looks unrecognizable in shared throwback photo

WWE Universe reacts to Dave Bautista's old look before professional wrestling when he was just 18 years old.

“Boy got a cartoon character haircut”- Wrestling fans go wild after Dave Bautista looks unrecognizable in shared throwback photo

WWE Universe reacts to Dave Bautista's throwback photo (via WWE and @davebautista/Instagram)

Although Dave Bautista is recognized for his iconic bald look during his time in WWE, he has rocked several stylish looks in the past while working as a bodybuilder and lifeguard. The 56-year-old recently shared a throwback photo of his fast, which made the wrestling world go bonkers.

Batista shared an old photo from January in a recent Instagram post. The picture featured him in a white tank top near a beach. He also sported spiked black hair, which was cut straight around the edges. During this time, he was working as a nightclub bouncer and preparing to become a bodybuilder, as evident by his physique.

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Batista also recently donned a new look with long and luscious grey hair. This look came as a result of his role in his latest movie, The Last Showgirl. In the footage of the movie and other behind-the-scenes photos, he could be seen wearing stylish suits and smoking a cigarette.

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The Last Showgirl had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2024. Furthermore, it was released in theaters all over the world on January 10th, 2025. The movie focuses on Shelley, a seasoned Las Vegas showgirl played by Pamela Anderson. The character is trying to face an uncertain future after retiring from her stripping career.

The WWE Universe reacts to Dave Bautista’s photo from his youth

Wrestling fans were shocked to see that Dave Bautista ever had such a look. This appearance was in stark contrast compared to what fans know him for, which was his bald head and a rugged French beard. Furthermore, the shape of his spiked and straight black hair was also highly surprising.

Dave Bautista
Dave Bautista (via @davebautista/Instagram)

Some fans said that Bautista looked like a cartoon or a video game character in this photo. Netizens compared his hair to that of Tekken’s Paul Phoenix, Guile from Street Fighter, and even Will Smith from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

Many social media users also complimented his physique. A fan pointed out that his muscles looked great, especially considering that they were completely natural. This was also before the 2x WrestleMania main-eventer allegedly took any steroids during his career as a wrestler or bodybuilder.

Could Dave Bautista make a return to WWE?

Dave Bautista wrestled his last match in WWE in 2019. He took on Triple H in a No Holds Barred match at WrestleMania 35. He proclaimed that this was his retirement match and that he would never compete inside the squared circle again. However, in the professional wrestling business, one can truly never say never.

Dave Bautista
Dave Bautista in WWE (via WWE)

With the company’s recent surge in popularity and star-studded roster, the WWE Universe would surely love to see him step back into the ring. Furthermore, many fans want to see him alongside two other superstars who also made it big in Hollywood following a wrestling career, John Cena and The Rock.

Cena and The Rock recently formed a strong alliance that seems to be unbeatable. Adding Bautista to the mix would surely be a treat and perhaps make them the strongest heel faction ever. Unfortunately, it seems that The Animal would not be interested in such a thing. In past interviews, he has even claimed that he would rather go broke than ever wrestle again.

Related: โ€œPeople had kind of written Dave off,โ€ Triple H says Dave Bautista was the MVP of the Evolution faction