Issue 140
April 2016
Dave Bautista’s Muay Thai skills make him more menacing for his villainous roles.
Action movie star
From Drax the Destroyer in Guardians of the Galaxy to James Bond’s latest villain in Spectre and now Tong Po in the remake of Kickboxer, does anybody remember Dave Bautista used to be a wrestler – and one-time MMA fighter?
Q. How was it playing the villain in the latest James Bond movie?
A. Honestly, it’s still overwhelming and surreal. It might be a bit corny to say but it is truly a dream come true. Mr. Hinx is a super badass. When I first met with (writer/director) Sam Mendes he told me that Hinx is an absolute badass and he’s super intelligent, which I love. So being in a Bond movie, working with these amazing people and then playing a super badass was an absolute honor. It was a dream come true.
Q. You had one MMA fight back in 2012. Are you still sparring?
A. I still do traditional weight sessions, but with higher reps. That’s mixed in with boxing, Muay Thai, jiu-jitsu, bodyweight stuff, sparring, standup training, resistance training, bike riding – lots of cardio. With wrestling I was big and strong but I never really worked on my cardio. But then over time I started fight training.
Q. Do you think you’ll ever fight again?
A. I would love to, but I just don’t have the time. My schedule is so busy now. Plus, looking back, I’m so disappointed with my performance in the first fight. I just froze. I let the nerves get the better of me. I’d love to lay that ghost to rest for sure, but right now it’s impossible.
Q. Do you have any advice for budding athletes?
A. I drink a massive amount of water, that’s definitely a big thing. That’s something you learn with time. Today, I kind of eat when I want when I’m hungry, but I’m still very healthy, and it’s still very much high protein and carbs – natural carbs. I eat a very healthy, high-protein diet – that’s key. I’m also very organized, especially because of all my time on set and traveling.
Q. Which fighting style is your favorite?
A. I really fell in love Muay Thai almost immediately. I think that was when I moved into this newer direction, which is more about general fitness, leanness, being athletic and agility, as opposed to the massive size. Now there’s a lot of stunt training as well with the job, so I get to do those amazing things – especially with playing Drax in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies and now Spectre. My focus is on overall conditioning, technique, strength, agility, speed and power – and fight training is perfect for that.
Q. Was MMA tougher than life in the WWE?
A. I’ve always trained very fast and intense so the training, while it changes, was still at the same kind of tempo. With the WWE, you’re on the road and because you have to perform physically your body needs time to recover. I would never really go to complete failure. Even if I wanted to, I don’t think I could work out now like I did when I was bodybuilding. I’m 45 years old now, there would be too much stress on my joints. I’m getting on a bit!
Q. When do you start filming Guardians of the Galaxy 2?
A/ I wish I could tell you more about it, but I’m sworn to secrecy... I can tell you it’s in the first quarter of 2016, and I know it’s certainly going to be a lot of fun. I love all of those guys and that character.
