http://www.dailystar.co.uk/inthering/view/225788/The-Animal-ROARS-/

Former world champion Dave “The Animal” Batista says the new PG brand of WWE wrestling is completely alien to him.

In a world exclusive interview, the ever-candid Washington DC native this week tells FT exactly how he feels about the current state of the product.

And he won’t be going back any time soon. Dave, 42, is currently training MMA every day and living the martial arts lifestyle in Tampa, Florida, as well as preparing for the release of his new film, Scorpion King 3, at the end of February.

He told FT this week: “It’s brutal. I can’t watch it. I can’t connect with it. I no longer know this business. I don’t do PG wrestling.

“Love me or hate me, when I was there everyone took one look at me and knew I could beat someone up. I don’t think they look at Miz that way.”

Looking at our exclusive picture, you can see the man has a point. He went on: “It’s sad. It’s not their fault. These days the guys have their hands tied, they are so limited in what they can do.

“The difference is that guys like Rock, Austin, Triple H, excuse me, but they had to have the living sh*t beat out of them to get where they are. They went through war and the audience knows it and the audience appreciates it.

“The guys today will never get to that level. It’s sad, but that’s the reason for it.”

FT wrote a couple of weeks ago that joyous as Rock’s return was, it laid bare some of the difficulties WWE have in creating stars of his calibre, magnifying the gap between his stellar capacity and what is on offer today.

Batista left the company because of the new direction, and obviously feels nothing has changed.

He, however, has immersed himself in the MMA lifestyle and recently opened his gym to the public.

One of his partners is young Harry Smith, son of the British Bulldog himself, and fresh out of WWE. He has all the potential in the world to make it in the cage.

Dave assures me: “Harry’s wrestling is more advanced. He’s a big, athletic guy and his goal is to be a pro fighter. He’s so young and he’s got a great chance.

“He’s been training with Josh Barnett, and he’s got to get comfortable on his feet. He’s such a nice guy we have to needle him. He has to work on his aggressive side.

“I tell you, this the kid could not be tougher.”

Batista’s own Strikeforce deal fell through when Zuffa stepped in, but he tells me he was impressed with Mr Bisping’s work recently.

“He’s a smart guy. He knows how to sell a fight.”

The Scorpion King 3: Battle For Redemption is released on Blu-ray and DVD on February 27 from Universal Pictures UK.