Circle of Champions: Batista’s California smiles

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Circle of Champions honoree Danny Garcia, of Los Angeles, saw his dreams come true when he attended Monday Night Raw live for the first time. If that wasn’t enough, he also got the chance to meet his favorite Superstar, three-time World Heavyweight Champion Batista, in the VIP suite at the Honda Center.

“Batista was everything I thought he would be like, but I didn’t expect him to be as tall as he is,” said Danny about his meeting with the 6-foot-6, 290-pound WWE Superstar. “It’s really cool to have had my family here tonight with me, because my family has been with me through everything.”

It’s been nearly two months since one of Danny’s other favorite Superstars, John Cena, suffered a herniated disk by being caught off the rope with a bone-jarring Batista Bomb – delivered by The Animal at SummerSlam. If there were ever any questions about whether the incident would negatively impact the WWE Universe’s opinion about Batista, Danny put those inquiries to rest.

“I don’t think he’s a bad guy for what happened to John Cena. He was just doing his job,” explained Danny.

After anxiously standing still in his luxury suite, the moment Danny had been waiting for finally arrived when Batista walked into the VIP room carrying a handful of gifts. The Animal presented the True Champ with his signature Batista Unleashed Animal T-shirt, posed for pictures with Danny and his family, and signed autographs, including Danny’s brother’s Nintendo DS.

In the end, Batista, one of Circle of Champions’ biggest supporters, was pleased by his meeting with Danny and the Garcia family.

“It’s events like Circle of Champions meet-and-greets that makes me feel good. Knowing all the honorees want to do is meet us and we’re able to bring a smile to their faces,” said Batista. “This is seriously the best aspect about our job as WWE Superstars.”

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Circle of Champions: Batista’s California smiles