Former WWE Star Mandy Rose Opens Up About 'Mixed Feelings' About Last Match

After receiving a late notice that she'd be dropping her "WWE NXT" Women's Championship to Roxanne Perez on the December 13, 2022 episode of "NXT," Mandy Rose had a gut feeling that her tenure in WWE would soon be coming to an end. Rose's hunch unfortunately turned out to be correct as she was released from the company the next day. 

During an appearance on "Busted Open Radio," Rose recounted the whirlwind of emotions she experienced heading into what became her final match in WWE.

"It was a crazy day, and I just had so many mixed feelings," Rose said. "I was kind of making jokes about it, to be honest. I think that's my sense of humor. I get that from my dad — if it's an uncomfortable situation or there's just a lot of media and press going on that day which there was, I just kind of kept making jokes with the girls like, 'This is it, girls. We've had fun.' They just didn't believe me and all that, but I just had that feeling."

Despite the impending circumstances surrounding her loss, Rose was excited to pass the torch, and the "NXT" Women's Championship, to Perez, whom she had grown close with through their work on the "NXT" brand. Following their title match, she was greeted with a standing ovation from the live audience — a gesture she believed to be a major signal of validation.

"I think along my journey of the whole putting respect on my name [aspect], I feel like it took me a while. It took the fans a while to kind of get that feeling like I belong here," Rose said. "That was the moment where I was like, ”Wow. I put the work in, regardless of the outcome right now, with what's going on. I think it's been a hell of a run.'"

If you use quotes in this article, please credit "Busted Open Radio" and provide an h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.