Batista opens MMA gym in Tampa with Cesar Gracie

Reported by Ernest I Aguilar

Former WWE and World Heavyweight champion Batista opened a new MMA gym in Tampa along with his business partner Cesar Gracie called Gracie Fighter Jiu-Jitsu Gym located on North Dale Mabry Highway.

"I really just found peace in here," Batista told FOX 13 News in Tampa. "I'm a martial arts practitioner; I want that experience of going through a training camp and leading up to a pro fight," he added. "I'm able to do this now, five years from now I won't be able to."

The gym will be open to everyone after initial plans to have it as a private gym was scrapped. "At first it was going to be a private guy for me to train, but we realized that we had such a great facility and I felt like this area could use something like this," Batista said.

And while he has no wrestling in his sight for now, the 42 year old said that his dream is to become a Cesar Gracie black belt.