Fred Rosser is not back with WWE full-time after all. The former Darren Young clarified on Sunday that his week at the WWE Performance Center was a guest coaching stint, one day after a post celebrating his NXT return led fans to believe he had been rehired.
“This week, I made my rounds as a GUEST COACH, observing, learning, and seeing how things are done,” Rosser wrote on X. He added that he worked closely with “some young hopefuls, brainwashing them into believing in themselves and exploiting the gifts they already possess!”
The confusion traces back to Saturday, the ninth anniversary of his WWE release, when Rosser announced he was back at NXT and the Performance Center alongside photos with Shawn Michaels. In that post, he said he was “grateful for the opportunity to give back to the next generation” and thanked WWE for the opportunity.
Rosser made the distinction explicit in a reply to Sgt. Slaughter, who had congratulated him on the return. “I was just a guest coach @WWE, but I truly hope to join the family again in the future,” Rosser wrote, crediting Slaughter for looking out for him early in his career when he was “just an extra.”
The Three NXT Prospects Who Stood Out
Rosser said three trainees “would definitely be my wrestling kids if I were there full-time,” and the first name carries the most weight. Hidetora Hanada, who Rosser said he has “already fallen in love with” for his willingness to be coached, signed an NXT developmental contract in late October, according to PWInsider’s Mike Johnson.
Hanada won the Junior World Sumo Championships in 2018 and 2019 and took heavyweight gold at the 2022 World Games before switching to football as a defensive lineman at Colorado State. WWE first brought him into the fold through a Next In Line NIL deal in February 2025.
Rosser identified the other two only by first name. Amy, a dancer, “absolutely killed it on the mic during class,” which he said helped earn her an opportunity on NXT television. Austin, who has a background in bobsled and American football, earned that same TV opportunity after his own promo class showing. Rosser did not say which episode or segment the pair were tapped for.
He also said Austin reminds him of “a young Wade Barrett,” a pointed comparison given that Barrett led The Nexus, the 2010 faction of original NXT rookies that included Rosser as a founding member.
What Comes Next For Rosser
For now, the 42-year-old remains outside the company. He has stayed active in the ring, including for the PRODUCE promotion, which billed him as an NJPW Dojo coach for its Volume 6 card, and he has also been training Sting’s son, Steven Borden Jr.
Rosser has said in past interviews that he would love to coach in WWE, and he closed Sunday’s post by laying out his approach: “Identify their gifts, build their confidence, and help them become the best version of themselves.” No report so far indicates WWE has offered him a full-time role.
