Dave Bautista Named 2023 Olympia Honorary Ambassador
By Roger “Rock” Lockridge
It’s nothing new for celebrities to be a part of the Olympia Weekend, but one of Hollywood’s biggest names will be a big part of bodybuilding’s biggest weekend.
Actor and WWE legend Dave Bautista has been named the 2023 Olympia Weekend’s Honorary Ambassador by Olympia promoter Jake Wood and President Dan Solomon. Bautista made the announcement himself on his Instagram page. You can see the video in the post below.
Solomon shared the video as well as a statement on his personal Instagram page.
“Honorary Ambassador of Olympia Weekend!! Dave Bautista is the embodiment of what bodybuilding is all about. He’s used the gym to build the habits needed to achieve remarkable success in everything he does. Congratulations Dave….we’ll see you in Orlando.”
Bautista is the fourth man to have held the honor of Olympia Ambassador. Prior to him taking the mantle, other celebrities such as Shaquille O’Neal, Lee Haney, and Jay Cutler have all served in the role.
Bodybuilding and fitness could be considered a part of the foundation of Bautista’s success. He first made a name for himself in professional wrestling as a part of Ohio Valley Wrestling before getting the call to move up to WWE in 2002. He found early success as a part of the stable “Evolution.” During that stint, he held the World Tag Team Championship with the legendary “Nature Boy” Ric Flair. He would break out on his own in 2005 and main event WrestleMania 21 against Triple H, where he won his first World Heavyweight Championship.
Bautista was a full-time performer on the WWE roster until 2010 when he made the jump to Hollywood full time. He made a short return in 2014 where he won the Royal Rumble and main evented WrestleMania 30, but he was back to filming movies by that summer. His last match was at WrestleMania 35 in 2019, where he lost to Triple H 14 years after their first encounter.
He’s been a part of numerous film projects in Hollywood, but he may be most famous for his role in Guardians of the Galaxy series, including the 2023 release of Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3.
Bautista’s specific plans for the Olympia in Orlando, FL on the weekend of Nov. 2-5 have yet to be revealed. Stay tuned to Muscle Insider for further details and developments as they are announced. Make sure to check back often to see more of our previews and coverage of all the events in Orlando.
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