Dave Bautista is a big guy who’s been in the spotlight for a long time—first as a mixed martial artist and professional wrestler, then as a big box-office action star. For many years, Dave was married to his second wife Angie Bautista, who was by his side during the rise of his career with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). While the couple ended up divorcing in 2006, they have remained close since the split and continue to support each other through difficult times. Here’s the inside scoop on Dave Bautista’s ex-wife and the relationship they maintain.
Dave And Angie Were Together For Eight Years
Angie was not Bautista’s first (or last) wife. In 1990, the WWF champ married a woman named Glenda. Dave and Glenda had two daughters together, Keilani and Athena, before divorcing in 1998. In 2015, Bautista married his third wife, a competitive pole dancer named Sarah Jade. They separated in early 2019 and had no kids together.
Sandwiched between those two marriages was Angie, who was Dave’s better half from 1998 until 2006. The couple has one child together, a son named Oliver, who was born shortly after Dave and Angie decided to call it quits in 2006. According to Dave, the marriage crumbled because of his career ambitions and desire to put wrestling before family. “[Angie] wanted a husband who was going to be home, and I was like, ‘Make a choice,’” he explained in a 2021 interview with Men’s Health. “And sometimes it’s hard for me to say, but admittedly, I chose my career, because it was the only shot I had.”
The Dave Bautista vs. Cancer Campaign
Despite their split, Dave and Angie remain close to this day. In addition to the fact that they share a child, the couple also went through an incredibly difficult and traumatic time together during their marriage—one that has clearly bonded them or life. In 2002, Angie was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. The news came as a big shock to Dave and Angie, who were both extremely active and physically fit people.
“If there is one thing I could say to women about ovarian cancer, it is this: Cancer doesn’t look like one thing,” she said in an interview with the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA). “People think that people with cancer look a certain way, but cancer can affect someone who appears perfectly physically fit.”
Dave was by his wife’s side during all of her grueling treatments and eventually, her cancer went into remission. “I’ve been blessed with a terrific support system,” Angie told the OCRA. “Dave and I have a great relationship—I couldn’t have gotten this far without him.”
Divorce Didn’t Stop Dave From Supporting Angie
Even after their divorce, Dave continued to support his ex. In 2010, he launched the Dave Bautista vs. Cancer Campaign, a video created in collaboration with one of Bautista’s pals, Jimmy Noonan, who’s the former Head of Security for WWE. Dedicated to Angie, the video is designed to spread education and awareness about ovarian cancer.
“I made this for my wife,” Dave explained in a 2010 interview with Wrestling Inc. “I’ve watched her suffer for years and go through this treatment. Anybody who knows that if you’ve had a loved one that you’ve watched go through treatment for cancer, they’re fighting for their life.”
The Dune star added that making the video was also a way for him to feel useful and helpful to his ex. “I’m a fighter,” he said. “It kills me to not fight something. And so I was trying to think of some way that I could help. That’s what I did. We are putting up this fight for everyone who’s got cancer. I want people to help and get involved in this, whatever they can give, whatever they can donate. It doesn’t matter. There’s no such thing as a donation that’s too small. We want everyone in this fight. This is the best I could do to really help Angie and show that I was in the fight with her.”