Many WWE superstars like Braun Strowman and Becky Lynch got their start as "Rosebuds," the train of partiers who would accompany Adam Rose to the ring in the early days of "WWE NXT." While many of the Rosebuds have gone on to fame, Rose has faded away from the spotlight. Now, Rose, real name Ray Leppan, retired in 2019 and is seemingly unrecognizable today.
Initially, Leppan was known as "Leo Kruger," a South African hunter in the Florida Championship Wrestling developmental program. When FCW became NXT, "Leo Kruger" became "Adam Rose," a party monster with a certain Russell Brand quality. Rose quickly became a central figure of "NXT," as the fans in Full Sail became enamored with his partyboy antics and his cavalcade of friends known as the "Exotic Express." Most famously, Rose's cadre of partygoers included an Easter Bunny, who eventually feuded with Rose. Despite numerous teases, the feud ended before the identity of the Bunny could be revealed.
While Rose was a solid star of lower-tier shows like "Main Event," he was unable to stay on the right side of WWE's wellness policy.Rose had insisted that the violation was due to legal ADHD medication and the result of paperwork issues, and nothing nefarious. Despite his protestations,the violations led to a suspension in 2016, which marked the beginning of the end for Rose, just as he was starting to gain traction in the lower rungs of WWE's main roster.
Not long after his 2016 suspension, Rose was arrested on domestic violence charges after officers responded to an altercation between Rose and his wife. Rose was suspended from WWE indefinitely and was soon granted a release. Once charges against Rose were dropped, the independent wrestler tried to monetize his mugshot, fashioning a t-shirt with it and selling it.
In 2019, a photo circulated of the former WWE star, with a shaved head, goatee, and looking much leaner than his days in WWE. Many wondered what led to the drastic transformation, and a Facebook post from months earlier might hold the key to Rose's new look.
Not only was Rose dealing with his release from WWE and legal issues in the years since leaving the company, but he was also in the throes of drug addiction. In January of 2019, Rose revealed that he'd been sober for 415 days, thanks to help from WWE.
"God has given me a second chance and I don't plan to waste it," Rose wrote at the time. "I want to thank the @wwe for their help. They went above and beyond for me even when I know I didn't deserve it."
So there you have it, the reason for the former Adam Rose being nearly unrecognizable from his days in WWE is that Ray Leppan has finally found a semblance of peace and sobriety in his personal life. It is not the look of a man crying out for help, but the look of a man who has lived a hundred lifetimes and come out the other side whole.
