Adam Rose Says He Was an ‘Idiot’ At The End of His WWE Run, Why Main Roster Call-Up Terrified Him

– Adam Rose spoke with the Orlando Sentinel ahead of his retirement match this weekend and discussed the end of his WWE run, plus more. Highlights are below:

On the end of his run in WWE: “I was an idiot at the end – a moron, a bumbling buffoon. I made mistake after mistake, a lot of them out of self-sabotage because I was so unhappy. I developed a drug addiction and just acted out in every way. The fact that WWE let me leave on what I consider good terms and helped me get clean is a miracle.”

On his move to the main roster being bad for him: “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?”

On the rise of AEW and independent promotions: “I’m really happy that more companies are coming up to compete with WWE. Everything is better when there’s competition – the creative teams push each other, wages go up, everybody’s happier, so they work harder.”

On facing Bull James as the final opponent in his career: “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.”