Missed Opportunities: WWE Fails to Capitalize on Adam Rose's E:60 Popularity

Earlier this month the worldwide leader in sports, ESPN, worked together with the WWE to put out the engaging E:60 documentary WWE Behind the Curtain. The special was lauded by fans and media, and the inside look at the development of at-the-time NXT wrestlers was engaging on every possible level. Unfortunately, for reasons unknown, the WWE has refused to capitalize on fan reaction to the show's breakout star.

The expectation for Behind the Curtain, at least for this writer, was a subtle propaganda piece for the WWE Network, focusing in on NXT's top alumni like Seth Rollins, Bray Wyatt and Roman Reigns. The unexpected twist was that the de facto main character was, in fact, the largely unpopular Adam Rose. 

It was an odd decision, and one that was largely hidden during the initial marketing push for the feature. Rose, whose character is a Russell Brand-inspired party animal flanked by an entourage of anonymous costumed weirdos known as "the Rosebuds," has been roundly rejected by fans since his debut. While the gimmick may or may not have resonated with the Universe in decades past, in today's WWE—where modern stars began their main-roster push as cutthroat mercenaries and swamp-people cultists—it was destined to fail.

The curveball that nobody saw coming, however, was that Behind the Curtain didn't focus in on Adam Rose, professional wrestler. It centered around Raymond Leppan, husband and father.

While Rose was rejected for his campy character, Leppan was embraced with a unanimity rarely seen in professional wrestling fandom. A man who rose above a troubled childhood to become a doting husband and father, unsurprisingly, was far more relatable and likable than a lollipop-sucking pugilist. As Bleacher Report's own Ryan Dilbert broke down: 

"

There's a buzz around Rose that didn't exist before. There's an interest in him and his career that WWE can harness.

It all equals added opportunity.

His name is sure to come up more when discussing new angles. He has to be a higher priority to make it on Raw each week. WWE knows that hype like this can't just be ignored. 

"

Unfortunately, the WWE is nothing if not hard of hearing when it comes to fan hype. In the time since Behind the Curtain, Rose has largely disappeared from the WWE limelight, rarely appearing on either of the weekly broadcasts. When he does, it has largely been backstage segments like the one on this week's installment of Monday Night Raw, where he disgusted Kane with a public display of affection with his current on-screen romantic interest, Rosa Mendes.

Needless to say, this is an almost audacious rejection of Rose's overnight popularity. There is no way to interpret this move other than the WWE actively and unnecessarily working against the family man that fans gravitated to.

It isn't as though Rose is deep into a heavily pushed storyline where fans are expecting a resolution. It isn't as if he is a popular character where the WWE cannot seamlessly repackage him. It isn't a situation where the WWE hasn't had an opportunity to let him shine.

The company, quite frankly, just can't be bothered with unshackling Leppan from the Adam Rose anchor. 

If they wanted to, they could instantly re-legitimize Rose. He could have answered the John Cena United States Championship open challenge two weeks ago. He could have been featured in the kickoff show to WWE Payback that was instead mired by nonsensical, forgettable matches. He could have been slotted into the upcoming Elimination Chamber match for the Intercontinental Title in place of the sure-to-lose R-Truth.

Alas, the WWE seems to be committed to making us forget about Leppan. That's unfortunate because of how easy it will be to forget about Adam Rose.