Former WWE Superstar Adam Rose says he made some mistakes on the way out of WWE, but he’s ready to leave wrestling and spend more time with his family. Rose spoke with Jay Reddick for the Orlando Sentinel ahead of his retirement match tomorrow night in Cocoa, Florida where he takes on Bull James at Atomic Revolutionary Wrestling’s “Star-Spangled Slammer” event.
Rose (aka Ray Leppan) talked about how leaving WWE on good terms was a gift, considered how the end of his career was highlighted by drug addiction and a number of mistakes.
Rose says he can now see how much his main roster call-up hurt him, saying he wasn’t ready for it but realizes what an opportunity it was.
“When they told me [I was going to the main roster], I was petrified. NXT saw Adam Rose at his best; they saw the character grow up, all the way back from when I was [former character] Leo Kruger. Everyone who goes to Full Sail knows how special it is there. For some of us, it’s the best place for us, because once the [WWE] machine eats you up and spits you out, you know it. Nothing prepares you for the day-to-day life on the road. But how many people get the opportunity to have that opportunity?”
Rose said James, also a former NXT star, is a fitting opponent since they came up together and they consider each other to be friends.
“We haven’t seen each other in a while, but I couldn’t have picked anyone better to do it with. He was there for the birth of Adam Rose, and in a world where you make many acquaintances, he’s one of the few true friends I’ve made in the wrestling business.
It hasn’t hit me yet that this is the end. I think I’ll be more emotional when I’m in the ring and it actually happens. But it’s time to go.”
