Fred Rosser AKA Darren Young stopped by The Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling Podcast. The former WWE Tag Team champion discusses working the independent scene after WWE, how backstage politics may have blocked a championship win and many other topics in regards to his wrestling career.
His post WWE life and returning to the Indy scene:
"My story is very different. You can't forget about me when it comes to Darren Young / Fred Rosser and WWE because I was the first openly gay WWE Superstar to be signed with the company. So you can't take away that story and you can't take away the difference that I have made in a lot of people's lives since coming out. But the Independents is where I started. When I started in 2002 (and a lot of people don't know I started in 2002) I grinded on the Independents. I was scooping ice cream during the week and wrestling on the weekends and I did this because when the try-outs would come up I needed to make the try-outs. When the WWE was in the Northeast and they needed an extra, I had to be there. But I did the Independents from 2002 to 2009 consistently and in 2009 I did a paid try-out with WWE and nowadays you don't have to do a paid try-out you get invited to the Performance Center in Orlando and you try-out. In 2009 I spent $2,000 of my scholarship money and it was like my last resort and out of 75 guys and girls from all over the world I beat them all out. I was like a maniac in the four day try-out we had and I earned my contract with WWE on May 4th, 2009."
"I'm not that type of guy that went from the football field to the ring. Again, I grinded on the Independents and ultimately I got signed in 2009."
Working with The Miz:
"When I first met the Miz years ago I couldn't stand him. He was the loudest person in the room but fast forward to working with him helped me so much in that storyline. The promo segments, the wrestling matches and he was such a great guy. He was actually for me beating him for the Intercontinental title at Battleground and of course, like all heels, he could take it back the next day or a couple weeks from now. It is all like giving a dog a bone and Miz was all about saying to give the title to Darren and then I'll take it back from him. We are storytellers and I don't take it seriously, but it is unfortunate the people that are under Vince McMahon I guess didn't have my back and so I guess you've got some favorites and not so favorites. I guess I wasn't a favorite to someone under Vince and eventually it got kiboshed."
Finding out he was released after doing an appearance for the company while injured:
"I had just done media with them. I was at a basketball game and the next day on a Sunday I had got called up by (Mark) Carrano and he gave me my release. I thought it was surprising but I had already made the move from Tampa to L.A. in August and I had got released at the end of October so I kind of knew and I had a feeling in my gut that I know nothing lasts forever. My fight is much bigger than in the ring and that is why I continue out here in California and all over the world to do my advocacy work."