Mandy Rose burst onto WWE’s main roster as one-third of Absolution, and next month she’ll be one of six women making history in the first-ever women’s Elimination Chamber match.
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Here are five fast facts you need to know about Mandy Rose – or as Corey Graves calls her, “God’s Greatest Creation.”
5. She Was A Finalist On “Tough Enough” And Is A Former “Total Divas” Star
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Mandy Rose – real name Amanda Saccomanno – first caught WWE’s attention when she sent in an audition tape for the sixth season of “Tough Enough.” She finished the competition second overall, after winners Sara Lee and Josh Bredle. But Rose got the last laugh – neither Lee nor Bredle are with WWE any longer.
Rose was also a central cast member on the fifth season of “Total Divas.” However, she didn’t return the following season and instead focused on her training, a decision that has benefited her.
4. She’s Best Friends With Sonya Deville
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I previously wrote that Absolution is WWE’s superior female trio just because I can’t imagine the women in Riott Squad hanging out with each other in real life. Well, it turns out Absolution has proven my point because Mandy and Sonya Deville are real-life best friends who both come from competitive, physical backgrounds.
Speaking of competition, Rose and Deville are both competing in the Elimination Chamber match. We’ll just have to wait and see how far their friendship goes when there’s gold on the line.
3. She Has A Degree In Speech Pathology
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Rose is one of just a few of WWE’s women wrestlers who have a college degree. She graduated from Iona College in New York with a degree in speech pathology, a clinical field that specializes in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of communication disorders, cognitive-communication disorders, and autism.
2. She’s Only Competed In Two Televised NXT Matches
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Rose signed a five-year contract with WWE in 2015 and made her main roster debut on November 20, 2017. However, in the intervening period, she competed in just two televised matches for NXT.
Rose made her NXT TV debut on August 17, 2016, in a six-woman tag team match alongside Sonya Deville (then Daria Berenato) and Alexa Bliss in a losing effort against Carmella, Liv Morgan, and Nikki Cross. Her second and final broadcast appearance was in a singles match against Ember Moon on the Sept. 28, 2016, episode of NXT, which she also lost.
But don’t think that means Rose is inexperienced; she wrestled dozens of matches at NXT house shows before her main roster debut.
1. She’s A Decorated Fitness And Figure Competitor
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Like Alexa Bliss and Dana Brooke prior to joining WWE Rose competed in bodybuilding and figure competitions. Rose entered her first fitness competition in 2013 and took first place in the World Bodybuilding Fitness & Fashion Boston Show. In 2014, she was crowned the World Beauty Fitness & Fashion Bikini Champion.
Rose’s looks and background as a fitness competitor have drawn a lot of comparisons to the most decorated WWE women’s champion of all time, Trish Stratus. Will Rose follow in her footsteps? Those are some pretty big shoes to fill, but we’ll just have to wait and see.
Do you think Mandy Rose has what it takes to make a lasting mark in WWE? Share your thoughts and comments below!