The Former NXT Women’s Champion Reflects on Her “Tough Enough” Experience

Mandy Rose’s path to WWE stardom was anything but conventional. Fresh off her victory in the WBFF bodybuilding competition and juggling three jobs, an unexpected opportunity knocked on her door: an audition for “WWE Tough Enough.”

During her appearance on the “Power Alphas Podcast,” Rose recounted her career’s unexpected turn. “I got a call to do a Skype interview with ‘WWE Tough Enough’ on the USA Network,” she shared. “I had no idea what I was getting myself into.” Rose candidly admitted that her initial promos during the interview weren’t her best, humorously describing herself as a “Barbie doll that can beat people up.”

The WWE saw potential in Rose, prompting them to invite her for an extended tryout. “They liked what they saw so they told me to pack my bags for three months,” she recalled. This sudden pivot to wrestling caught her family off guard. While her father grappled with the unfamiliar world of reality TV, her mother was ecstatic. “My mom was kinda like, ‘Oh that’s great! Go to Florida,'” Rose reminisced, adding that her mother would happily accompany her to Orlando if possible.

Rose emphasized the grueling nature of the training, describing it as the most challenging she’d ever faced. Despite her bodybuilding background, which emphasized aesthetics over athleticism, Rose faced the steep learning curve head-on. Her determination paid off as she secured a spot in the “Tough Enough” competition and clinched the runner-up position in the women’s category, finishing just behind Season 5 winner, Sara Lee.