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ELECTRIFYING the wrestling world is man mountain Batista – who arrives with a full entourage of WWE superstars for two televised shows next week in Sheffield.
And he'll be leaving his opponents positively shocked.
The 6ft 6ins and 290lbs giant is famed for his finishing move - an electrifying rope-shaking routine where he appears to boost his power before despatching another wrestler.
It's not yet the panto season - oh no it isn't - but millions of fans around the world will be tuning in to watch such entertaining antics on Monday and Tuesday, November 9 and 10, 2009 – when WWE's TV shows are broadcast from Sheffield Arena.
In a rare interview, explaining the electric rope shaking move and his tough life on the road, Batista, real name David Bautista, aged 40, told The Star: "It's just one of those things, you toy with ideas with different people for a long time until something fits well with your character and the crowd. That part of my character works well for me and the crowds like it."
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He's known to fans as The Animal, for his bursts of untamed rage, but those who know him best describe him as humble - more a gentle giant.
He says he's a bit of both.
When he won the World Heavyweight Championship for the first time, at Wrestlemania 21, the tears of joy he cried were very real.
He revealed: "Yes they were. It had been a long and very tiring week. That moment was a culmination of a lot of hard work and determination and if I'm honest I just broke down. I take it as a compliment that you think I might have been acting!
"I tend to be more on the quiet side and I keep to myself a lot."
Travelling the world and living out of a suitcase can be tough, he adds.
"Touring in the UK is always something we look forward to and I would hate to miss out. I think the UK fans are some of the best in the world, we love coming over here because of the fans,'' he said.
"We travel somewhere upwards of 250 days a year. I enjoy the tours and the opportunities to see all parts of the world a lot but it can be very tough on the body and the mind.
"Because of the schedule we have it is very difficult to have a daily routine. I try stick to high protein meals and I do my best not to eat any junk food. For my training I do a lot more martial arts training than weight lifting now, I barely do any weight training any more.
"Keeping fit is a personal thing and it depends on what you are trying to achieve. My advice would be to do whatever makes you feel good about yourself. I work out daily because it makes me feel good.
"I used to be a bouncer in a nightclub in Washington DC. I've always been a fan of WWE so it was an easy decision to pursue a career in sports entertainment, but getting there wasn't easy. It took a lot of hard work and dedication to get to where I am now."
Batista has mixed it with the best of them, but two wrestlers stand out from the crowd when you ask him to pick those he admires the most.
"I couldn't pick just one. Ric Flair and Triple H are legends in this business and I have so much respect for both of them,'' he says.
The five-times world heavyweight champion is one of the biggest stars of World Wrestling Entertainement's Smackdown brand.
Joining him at the Arena on Tuesday night will be The Undertaker, CM Punk, Rey Mysterio, Chris Jericho, Christian, Tommy Dreamer and more.
The action gets underway the previous night when WWE's RAW brand superstars battle it out, including John Cena, D-Generation X, Randy Orton, Legacy, The Big Show, Kofi Kingston, MVP, Mark Henry, The Miz, Mickie James and Kelly Kelly.
* Tickets for each night, may be subject to a booking fee, are 60, 40, 30 and 20. Buy in person from the venue box office, call 0114 256 56 56 or book online at www.sheffieldarena.co.uk
For Raw tickets CLICK HERE
For Smackdown tickets CLICK HERE
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