The Animal returns to WWE Raw – January 20th

Former WWE World Heavyweight champion Dave Batista is set to return to the WWE ring at the end of this month for the first time in almost four years.

The news of The Animal’s return began circulating a few months ago when fans heard rumours that Batista was being advertised for a live show in February, which began the speculation that Batista could be appearing at the Elimination Chamber Pay-Per-View

WWE owner Vince McMahon originally wanted Batista to return as a surprise Royal Rumble entrant and was said to be “rather upset”that the news had been leaked and he was forced to announce his return on Raw Christmas last week.

The Animal hasn’t been seen on WWE television since he surprisingly quit the company following a brutal “I Quit” match with John Cena at the Over The Limit Pay-Per-View in 2010, when the following night, then General Manager Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart announced that despite the injuries he had sustained the night before he would be facing Randy Orton, which he refused and walked out.

Since then he has spent some time at MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) where he won his only ever match against Vince Lucero by TKO. He has also extended his acting portfolio with lead roles in films starring Russell Crowe and Ja Rule.

With the likes of Sheamus, Chris Jericho, Brock Lesnar, CM Punk, Daniel Bryan and John Cena all circling around Randy Orton’s WWE World Heavyweight Championship, it remains to be seen if WWE will allow Batista anywhere near the title scene.

But it seems Triple H might have dropped a bombshell surrounding Elimination chamber when he announced that the six biggest stars in the company right now are: CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, John Cena, Brock Lesnar, Batista and Randy Orton. Could these be the superstars competing in The Elimination Chamber.

Either way,  it seems Batista is ready to return to the place that he first found fame and although we already know the master of the “Batista bomb” is not returning for good, it seems he is staying around for the entire Wrestlemania season, and even competing at Wrestlemania 30.

Whether ‘The Animal’ will be the one to beat Undertaker’s streak or compete for the newly unified WWE World Heavyweight Championship, the only way to find out is to watch “The Road to Wrestlemania” beginning at the 2014 Royal Rumble on January 26th.