Ex-WWE champion credits Mandy Rose for sparking romantic storyline
Former WWE Superstar Mandy Rose was involved in a popular romantic storyline with Otis in 2019/20 that captivated fans. The former RAW Tag Team Champion recently revealed that his on-screen romance with Mandy was heavily influenced by her.
Four years ago, Otis developed a deep crush on The Golden Goddess. Despite facing obstacles from the erstwhile Dolph Ziggler and Sonya Deville, who sought to sabotage their relationship, the 32-year-old RAW Superstar persisted in his pursuit.
Their storyline culminated in a memorable moment at WrestleMania 36 when Otis defeated the erstwhile Dolph Ziggler and received a kiss from Mandy Rose. However, their happiness was short-lived as the storyline was abruptly dropped, leaving many fans disappointed.
In a recent interview with Chris Van Vliet on INSIGHT, Otis revealed that the former NXT Women's Champion played a pivotal role in initiating their on-screen romantic storyline. He shared that their playful banter on social media eventually caught the attention of WWE management, leading to the development of the storyline.
"She was definitely the ignition, for sure. Because you can it pitch all day long. But again, like with Mandy, she's like, 'I’ll talk to Vince [McMahon].' Like, okay. Because I was just kidding around, I would see a bikini post on her IG [Instagram], and I would be like, 'You look good, babe!' And then it became this thing, and last year on Google, it said, 'Is Otis married [to Mandy Rose]?' It was just one post. And I'm sitting there going, 'Oh, I can get some more leverage here.' So I kept posting it just for laughs. And she's awesome," he said.
The Alpha Academy member praised Mandy Rose for her support and for effectively pitching the idea to Vince McMahon.
"The girls, they're a blessing too. Because again, they're like, it's HR, but we know you mean well. So yeah, but she talked to Vince, and then we started rocking and rolling there. So I mean, but she definitely was like, 'Hey, we gotta do this!''' he added. [H/T: CVV]
Listen to the full episode below:
WWE veteran reveals one major reason why Mandy Rose won't return to wrestling
The Golden Goddess was released from WWE in December 2022, reportedly due to her involvement with FanTime, a platform known for adult-themed content. Despite her successful run as NXT Women's Champion, the company felt obligated to terminate her contract given the nature of her outside activities.
Speaking in an episode of the Story Time with Dutch Mantell podcast, the WWE veteran noted that given the financial success Mandy Rose has achieved outside the squared circle, the lure of high-paying endorsements and a comfortable lifestyle at home would make it difficult for her to justify the rigors of constant travel and the demanding physical nature of wrestling.
"Why would she [Mandy] want to go back to wrestling? Why would she want to go back there and travel and put up with that bull crap when she could make all that money and not leave her house?" Mantell said.
The 34-year-old female star appeared at the Black Label Pro Wrestling event Crowning Glory on September 4 in Chicago. It will be interesting to see if she returns to WWE in the future.