Fred Rosser

Rosser in May 2023

###

Union, New Jersey, United States

**Frederick Douglas Rosser III** (born November 2, 1983) is an American professional wrestler known as **Fred Rosser**. He is currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a former one-time Strong Openweight Champion. He is best known for his time with WWE under the ring name **Darren Young**.

Rosser previously signed with WWE's developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling in 2009 and participated in the first season of *NXT* in 2010. Later that year, he debuted on the main roster as part of The Nexus. In 2012, Young formed The Prime Time Players with Titus O'Neil, with whom he is a one-time WWE Tag Team Champion. Rosser was the first openly-gay wrestler to compete in the WWE.

Years after leaving WWE, Rosser signed for New Japan Pro-Wrestling in August 2020, winnning the Strong Openweight Champion in of Strong's highly acclaimed matches and since then Rosser established himself as one the most prominent main-eventers and leading faces of NJPW Strong.

## Early life

Rosser was born in Union Township, New Jersey. He began watching professional wrestling during the mid-1980s and became interested in becoming a professional wrestler as a teenager, wrestling in several backyard wrestling federations. He attended Union High School in New Jersey, where he played American football, both offensively and defensively. He attended Fairleigh Dickinson University, where he played football for a year before deciding to focus on his academic studies and professional wrestling.

## Professional wrestling career

### Early Career (2002–2004)

Rosser became interested in becoming a professional wrestler as a teenager, wrestling in several backyard wrestling federations. He researched a number of wrestling schools before deciding on Camp IWF in West Paterson, New Jersey. This was due in part to his employer, whose uncle was a friend of a local wrestler training there at the time, and helped him enroll in the wrestling school.

Rosser made his professional debut on September 11, 2002, and spent several years on the independent circuit, including wrestling for the Independent Wrestling Federation and Chaotic Wrestling during his early career.

### New Japan Pro-Wrestling (2020–present)

#### Early Beginnings (2020-2021)

On August 27, 2020, it was announced that Rosser had signed with New Japan Pro-Wrestling and would make his debut on the September 4 episode of *Strong*. In his first match, Rosser teamed up with Alex Zayne to face The DKC and Clark Connors, which Rosser and Zayne won. On October 24, Rosser faced Clark Connors in Connors' first match since winning the Lions Break Crown; Rosser won the match.

In February, Rosser began a feud with Hikuleo after Rosser defeated him at The New Beginning in USA. Hikuleo complained after the match, claiming that he pulled his beautiful hair and that Rosser cheated to win. This led to a rematch where Rosser defeated Hikuleo in a No Disqualification match at Collision. In June, it was announced Rosser signed a contract with NJPW. In September, Rosser began a feud with Ren Narita, after Rosser went to congratulate him, Rosser offered an handshake, which Narita refused, leading Rosser to be angry at his actions. Narita then defeated Rosser at Fighting Spirit Unleashed on September 26, with both men showing signs of respect after the match.

#### Feud with Tom Lawlor and Strong Openweight Champion (2021-2023)

Afterwards, Rosser began challeging Tom Lawlor for the Strong Openweight Championship, with Rosser affirming that he nedded to defeat Minoru Suzuki in order to challenge Lawlor. However, Suzuki defeated Rosser. Rosser, along with Karl Fredericks, Ren Narita, Rocky Romero and The DKC faced Lawlor and the rest of Team Filthy. After the match, both teams brawled, with Lawlor then berating the other team and Rosser. In a backstage promo, Lawlor then called Rosser by his former WWE name, "Darren" and threatned him, with Lawlor stating that he was not "man enough" from him. On November 14, Rosser along with Rocky Romero faced Lawlor and Danny Limelight in a winning effort after Rosser directly pinned Lawlor. After the match, Lawlor who was not satisfied with the result, attacked Rosser along with the rest of Team Filthy, Lawlor then grabbed a pair of scissors that was in a toolbox under the ring and began cutting Rosser's hair to humiliate him. To further humiliate him, Lawlor picked and chewed some of the hair that was cut from Rosser. On December 18, Lawlor defeated Rosser to retain the Strong Openweight Championship. Since then Rosser began boucing back from his lost, asking for a rematch with Lawlor refusing to give it to Rosser. On May 8, 2022, Lawlor gave an ultimatum to Rosser, where if Rosser could defeat both members of West Coast Wrecking Crew, he would get a chance. On May 14, at Mutiny, Rosser lost to the West Coast Wrecking Crew. After the match, in order to get another chance, Lawlor forced Rosser to shave his head in order to get a chance from Lawlor, with the ultimatum being if Rosser lost, he would have to leave NJPW Strong. On June 25, 2022, Rosser defeated Tom Lawlor to win the Strong Openweight Championship. On the January 8th episode of Strong, KENTA won the Strong Survivor battle royal by last eliminating Wheeler Yuta to become the #1 contender for the Strong Openweight Championship. At the last episode of the Strong, after Rosser defended the Strong Openweight Championship against Peter Avalon, KENTA challenged Rosser to a title match, which Rosser accepted.

#### Feud with Juice Robinson (2023)

On February 18 at Battle in the Valley, KENTA defeated Rosser with help from his Bullet Club stablemate Juice Robinson to win the Strong Openweight Championship after Robinson attacked Rosser with the *Left Hand of God* to cost Rosser the championship. Rosser then in a pre-taped vingette, vowed revenge on Robinson, with Rosser inviting Robinson's wife Toni Storm at Capitol Collision. Robinson was set to take on Rosser at the event, only to the match end in a no-contest after Robinson assaulted Rosser and the referee nearby, leaving Rosser with stiches around his hear. This led on April 16, NJPW sanctioning Robinson with a suspension and Rosser taking his place in the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship #1 contendership tournament. At the next day, the match was turned into a street-fight; due to the stipulation, Robinson interfered aiding Archer to defeat Rosser. In another pre-taped vingette, both men vowed revenge on each other, with Robinson later affirmed that Rosser payed the price for invoking the name of a man's wife and that he did not care about the consequences due to being hired by AEW and not NJPW. On May 21, at Resurgence, Rosser lost to Robinson after Toni Storm interfered in the contest, helping her husband, thus ending the feud between the two.

## Personal life

Rosser has cited Shawn Michaels and Ricky Steamboat as his favorite wrestlers.

In an interview released on August 15, 2013, he publicly came out as gay. While WWE wrestlers Pat Patterson, Chris Kanyon, and Orlando Jordan (bisexual) came out after either leaving the company or retiring, Rosser is the first professional wrestler ever to publicly come out while still signed to WWE. WWE released a statement in support of Rosser for being open about his sexuality, and various fellow wrestlers tweeted their support for him.

On April 26, 2017, Rosser disclosed that his mother is a lesbian during his interview with Afterbuzz TV.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ Crossface chickenwing – adopted from Bob Backlund
	+ Chickenwing STF (STF while applying a crossface chickenwing)
	+ Emerald Flowsion
	+ *Gut Check* (Fireman's carry double knee gutbuster)
	+ *Heat Wave* (Full nelson lifted and dropped into a flapjack)
	+ *Sidewinder* (Front Powerslam)
* **Signature moves**
	+ Corner clothesline
	+ Discus forearm smash
	+ Enzuigiri
	+ *It's Prime Time* (Leg drop followed by an elbow drop followed by a forearm drop to the throat with theatrics)
	+ Leg drop
	+ Multiple suplex variations
		- Belly-to-back, sometimes onto the ring apron
		- Bridging Northern Lights
		- Snap
	+ Neckbreaker, sometimes onto the ring apron
	+ Snap scoop powerslam
	+ Tilt-a-whirl backbreaker
* **Nicknames**
	+ **"Mr. No Days Off"**
* **Entrance themes**
	+ **"No Days Off (Fred Rosser's Theme)"** by John Kiernan

## Championships and accomplishments

* **New Japan Pro-Wrestling**
	+ Strong Openweight Championship (1 time)