New details have arisen over the return of Dave "The Animal" Batista regarding how the WWE plans to implement him and how the leak of his pending return happened, with the latest word being that the WWE was planning on having Batista return at the Royal Rumble and that he will be a huge part of WrestleMania XXX in New Orleans on April 6.

Wrestlingheadlines.com reports that the six-time world champion had been in talks with Triple H for months regarding a return and that after months of talking it was decided that Batista will be showcased at television tapings, pay-per-views and live events leading up from the Royal Rumble all the way through WrestleMania XXX.

Batista was originally booked to be a surprise entrant at the Rumble to eventually win it to go on and face Randy Orton for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania, but after his return leaked the WWE had to change their plans.

The WWE was forced to announce his return on Monday Night RAW this past week after it was leaked to the general public that "The Animal" was returning, and thus a surprise entrance at the Royal Rumble was no longer a possibility.

Batista hasn't appeared at WrestleMania since WrestleMania XXVI in 2010 when he faced John Cena for the WWE Championship.

According to Wrestlingheadlines.com, the WWE had promotional materials that went along with Batista's return and they were sent to local arenas prematurely leading to the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas advertising Batista for a show on Feb. 16 and ruining the surprise along with the WWE's plans for the story line. The materials weren't supposed to be sent out until after the Royal Rumble.

The site reports that it would be "an understatement" to say that WWE officials were upset and that one source said it was a good thing that WWE chairman Vince McMahon was overseas visiting troops when the return of Batista leaked because "he may have killed someone" over one of the biggest surprises for WrestleMania season leaking.


Batista left the WWE in 2010 after he said he disagreed with the company's family-friendly PG style, but he always said he was open for a return down the line. Batista almost returned last spring and talks were in the works, however his acting schedule interfered with his ability to return to the squared circle.

Wrestlingheadlines.com reports that a source that saw Batista said he looked more ripped than usual and put on a lot of muscle. Batista will return on the Jan. 20 edition of RAW, just six days before the Royal Rumble. Rumors yesterday stated that early plans were to have him win the Rumble match and face Orton at WrestleMania XXX in the main event, but it remains to be seen if those plans will come to fruition.