Thunder Rosa has opened up about a difficult period in her career, revealing that WWE once offered her a non-wrestling role at a time when she was struggling financially.

Speaking on The Cruz Show on REAL 92.3 LA, Rosa detailed how the offer came in 2019, when she was still grinding on the independent scene and trying to make ends meet.

“In 2019, (WWE) called me and they were like, ‘Are you ready to hang up the boots?’ I was like, ‘Well, you know, I need money.’ So I was like, ‘I need steady money’ because, brother, being an independent professional wrestler is, when you’re talking about hustle, it’s a hustle,” she said.

Rosa explained that the constant grind had taken a toll on her, especially after committing fully to wrestling without a stable income.

“I had a job when I was in the Bay Area, but when I decided to do wrestling full time, I was depending on my ex-husband and my hustle,” stated Rosa. “I was hustling all the time and I was tired. Like hustling after seven years, you’re like, man, I need a job or something.”

According to Rosa, WWE offered her approximately $60,000 per year to step away from in-ring competition and work as a match official. While it was not her dream role, it represented financial stability at a critical time.

“And (WWE) offered me like $60,000 a year, which at the time it was like, ‘All right, it’s better than what I was making.’ There was a hurricane that happened and then they just kept pushing my tryout and then, it never happened.”

The opportunity ultimately fell through after repeated delays caused by a hurricane, and the tryout never materialized. Looking back, Rosa believes everything worked out as it should.

“But it was meant to be that way and that’s when I made the decision to jump into MMA, because they offered me a $3,000 contract,” she said.

Rosa’s journey eventually led her to success in wrestling, including her time in AEW. She recently returned to television following an injury hiatus and challenged Thekla for the AEW Women’s World Championship on last week’s episode of AEW Dynamite, though she came up short.

Her story highlights the uncertainty many independent wrestlers face, as well as how close she came to taking a very different path in the industry.

Thunder Rosa Reveals WWE Offered Her Referee Role

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