AEW Turned THIS Former WWE Champion Down Twice

AEW has opened its doors to many an ex-WWE star, but this one has eyes on NJPW...

Tony Khan Darren Young
AEW/WWE

Former WWE wrestler Fred Rosser has revealed that All Elite Wrestling turned him down on two separate occasions.

Rosser, who competed in WWE as Darren Young, tweeted the following over the weekend:-

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AEW has scooped up many an ex-AEW wrestler since forming, with the likes of Miro, Brodie Lee, FTR, and Tay Conti all signed in 2020 alone. Rosser, it seems, was never on their radar.

Still only 37 years old, Rosser was released by WWE in October 2017, having been removed from television after suffering an arm injury in a tag team match that January. His last real "push" saw him paired with Bob Backlund in a quest to "Make Darren Young Great Again" in 2016, which featured a feud with former Prime Time Players partner Titus O'Neil, though the whole storyline struggled to get off the ground.

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Rosser had been with the promotion since 2009 and was part of the original Nexus stable the following year.

Recent months have seen Rosser became a regular fixture on NJPW's American imprint, wrestling the likes of Tom Lawlor, Jeff Cobb, and Rocky Romero on its weekly STRONG show. There is currently no word on whether or not he will look to cross the Pacific once international travel becomes easier.

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Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.