October 14, 2016
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From Tough Enough to Total Divas to NXT, Mandy Rose has, quite simply, been on the fast track to success in WWE. And if you don’t see why, she’ll be happy to remind you. Rose did just that when WWE.com went in-depth with the self-proclaimed “Golden Goddess” of NXT about her past and her plans for the future.
Visit Mandy Rose's Superstar profile | Follow the "Golden Goddess" on Twitter
WWE.COM: You made your NXT TV debut in August, and it seems you've wasted no time expressing how highly you think of yourself. What sets you apart from the other women in NXT?
ROSE: Clearly, NXT has been blessed with amazing, one-of-a-kind athletes. Our talent have great figures, they’re charismatic and beautiful in their own way. However, I am the total package. I have the body, the face, the athleticism, the strength, the personality and the star quality. I have it all. No one in NXT looks and performs the way that I do. And, to top it off, I’m just getting started!
WWE.COM: With that said, how do you respond to people who feel you’re too obsessed with your aesthetics?
ROSE: I don’t respond to those people. People who say I’m too obsessed with my aesthetics are either jealous or need glasses. Take a look at me and tell me you’re not obsessed. My accolades, accomplishments and credentials speak for themselves.
WWE.COM: Let’s talk about some of those accomplishments. Many fans will remember your initial WWE debut last year on the reality show WWE Tough Enough, followed by joining the cast of Total Divas. What have those experiences been like for you?
ROSE: I’ve been blessed with these opportunities and will cherish them for the rest of my life. Clearly, WWE knows talent when they see it. Two reality shows in one year set me up for the rest of my career in WWE. In just a short time, I was exposed to in-ring training, working with WWE Hall of Famers and forming relationships that will carry me throughout my career here. It sounds simple, but at the end of the day, everyone grows up wanting to be on TV. Well, I have been, and I am extremely grateful to have that experience.
WWE.COM: What was it like for you to go from reality television to a full-fledged NXT Superstar?
ROSE: Reality TV has its perks and has given me a ton of exposure, not only in WWE, but also in mainstream media. However, training and performing in NXT has captured my heart and soul. I know that, someday, I’ll look back and cherish every moment I spent with NXT. The camaraderie amongst the athletes and training staff is invaluable. Performing for live audiences and seeing the fans’ faces is a thrill like no other. In short, I’m hooked, and I’m not stopping until I become the greatest female Superstar the NXT Universe has ever seen.
WWE.COM: For those unfamiliar, tell us a little about your background.
ROSE: I was raised in an Italian-American family in the suburbs of Westchester County, just a little north of New York City. I’m the youngest of four kids, with three crazy older brothers.
Don’t let this hair and face fool you – my brothers helped mold me into the feisty, tough woman I am today. I don’t stoop down to anyone. I was raised playing football and being the punching bag for my brothers. I guess you could say that is the root of my aggression and athleticism. I played basketball, softball and lacrosse, also did gymnastics and danced for years. I graduated from Iona College with a bachelor’s degree in Speech Language Pathology.
WWE.COM: Tell us about your fitness modeling career.
ROSE: Straight from college, I entered my first amateur fitness competition with the WBFF [World Beauty Fitness & Fashion]. I placed first, not really knowing what I was doing, to be honest, but got hooked. One year later, I entered the world championship show and took first place, against hundreds of women from several different countries. Thousands of women compete their entire lives to win that show. It only took me one year.
From there, sponsorship opportunities started coming in and my social media started taking off, as well as photo shoots and magazine covers. It was a great experience, but I felt I needed to be challenged and wanted more. What people don’t know is that I had already begun the process of training for WWE before Tough Enough was even an option. [Still,] at the end of the day, I am a model, I have been on the cover of many magazines, and I was crowned the most beautiful woman in the world. That’s not an opinion, it’s a fact. I have the crown to prove it.
WWE.COM: How has your training routine changed from those days to now?
ROSE: When you train for fitness competitions or photo shoots, you’re training purely for aesthetics. It’s about symmetry, proportion and the overall look of the body. Now, it’s a balance for me; I need to perform like an athlete while still looking like a model, and it’s not an easy task.
I still lift five days a week and do some cardio, but I have the addition of in-ring training and conditioning at the WWE Performance Center. I love training in the gym, and I’ve only gotten stronger since I started training with our amazing Strength & Conditioning Coach, Sean Hayes. Recently, I’ve hit many new personal records. I can back-squat around 300 pounds, which is two and a half times my body weight, so don’t underestimate this blonde bombshell!
WWE.COM: What can the NXT Universe expect from Mandy Rose in the future?
ROSE: The best. Nothing but the best. I’ve been blessed with everything I need to turn the NXT Women’s division upside down. I’m going straight to the top. The NXT Universe is blessed to have The Golden Goddess of WWE, Mandy Rose.
