Darren Young was one of the very few names in wrestling history to be out and proud in WWE as a gay man. Now known as Fred Rosser, he has been doing great work in NJPW. Rosser is the reigning NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion after defeating Tom Lawlor. Fans have certainly grown to like him for all he has done in NJPW.
While speaking with Steve Fall’s Ten Count, Fred Rosser talked about coming out in WWE. Rosser made it clear that Vince McMahon did not want him coming out to be used as a storyline in WWE.
“It was Vince McMahon that actually reached out to me when I came out publicly. And we talked for 20 minutes. And it was really genuine. He said, about how one of his best friends Pat Patterson, God rest of the soul, was also gay. It was a good talk. You know what I mean? And I’ll never say a bad thing about Vince McMahon because a lot of people don’t know he was the one that gave me that opportunity with Bob Backlund. Tag teams don’t last forever. You can say what you want about Vince McMahon but when I proposed the idea of teaming with Bob Backlund he listened to me, he saw my visuals, he saw my ideas, and I sold them on it and we ran with it.
I just always say it’s just unfortunate that the people that work with Vince McMahon [or] under Vince McMahon didn’t have my back, you know, but it is what it is. It was a time of my life being with Bob Backland. Vince McMahon gave me the opportunity to do that. So yeah, Vince McMahon had said when I came out publicly that he didn’t want it to be a storyline. And I said to myself, well, I’m fine with that. As long as I can be myself and be comfortable. And at the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about. I don’t have to do wrestling promos like this (tough guy voice) to sound tough and sound masculine anymore. Steve, I don’t have to talk like that. I can talk like myself like I’m talking with you right now.”
Fred Rosser on The 10 Count
We will have to wait and see whether Rosser ever does return to WWE in the future but for now, he continues to carve his own path in New Japan Pro Wrestling.
H/T to Ringside News
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