Dave Batista might have jumped the gun in telling TMZ that he was gearing for a mixed martial arts debut with Strikeforce, but the media outlet maintains that he was not speaking outside the realm of reality.
In a new update, TMZ confirms that Batista is indeed in the final stages of negotiations with the number two US MMA promotion, and that money is the primary hold-up.
Beyond the financial issue, there are also some concerns about scheduling, as Batista currently has a slate of television and movie opportunities under consideration. Most other terms of the prospective deal between “Big Dave” and Strikeforce appear workable.
After a period of rumors about Batista potentially entering the world of mixed martial arts, news broke Monday–via comments to TMZ by Batista himself–that a deal with Strikeforce was on the horizon. Strikeforce representatives denied that a deal had been reached, but it seems that one could be forthcoming.