"Life goes on" - WWE pressured former champion to compete days after brother's tragic death
Former NXT star Tino Sabbatelli claimed WWE pressured his fiancée, Mandy Rose, to compete ten days after her brother's passing.
In October 2022, Rose's older brother Richard (Richie) tragically passed away, aged 40, due to addiction issues. A few days later, the former NXT Women's Champion defended her title against Alba Fyre at the NXT Halloween Havoc premium live event.
While discussing Richie's passing on their newly launched podcast Power Alphas, Sabbatelli claimed WWE pressured Rose to compete at Halloween Havoc days after her brother's death.
"Let's note that less than 10 days after your brother's passing, you were a main event star of a big pay-per-view, that WWE kinda put a little bit of pressure on you. Listen, we all have a job at the end of the day, and life goes on. And I really admired that you went out defended your belt, defended your title, won, carried the card. You were the biggest star on the card. And I think that is a symbol, a symbolize of who you are as a woman," he said. [30:50 - 31:22]
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Mandy Rose addressed how she felt going on WWE TV after her brother's death
During the same episode of the Power Alphas podcast, Mandy Rose opened up about how she felt having to go on television days after her brother's tragic passing.
The former NXT Women's Champion disclosed that many things were going through her mind.
"Like you said, unfortunately, life goes on. Everyone has a job. They have bills to pay, and that's kind of another thing that I saw, you know, there was a lot of people there for me. But at the same time, it was like okay, you know, a couple weeks go by then it was like life goes on, right? Like, Mandy Rose has to be on TV and look like she's having a great time but obviously there was a lot of things going through my mind. But, you know, I know he was looking down and..." [32:01 - 32:28]
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