7 of the most popular rosebuds

August 2014, NXT is taken by storm by the Exotic Express helmed by South African pro wrestler, Raymond John Leppen. Having previously worked as a mercenary under the Leo Kruger gimmick, WWE repackaged Leppen and rebranded him as an over-enthusiastic party organizer who went by the name Adam Rose.

As it is with the developmental, an act doesn't take time to take off if the performer is adept in the ring and is putting his heart and soul into the character. Rose did just that and quickly got over with the lively NXT Universe.

However, like in the case with Elias, WWE felt his gimmick was more suited for the main roster and abruptly called him up after WrestleMania XXX. Countless failed storylines, poor booking, and a domestic violence case in 2016 led to the unceremonious release of the former Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) World Heavyweight Champion.

Rose would account for nothing in his 6-year spell with the company but a host of current superstars made their initial TV appearances as part of the former WWE star's Rosebuds.

In what looked like twenty New Day members making their entrance simultaneously, Rose's colourful gang of partygoers included some of the biggest names currently ruling the roost in the WWE in a completely different avatar.

This list takes a look at seven of those popular members of the Exotic Express:

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#1 Elias

Long before he could wield his guitar to garner heat at the drop of a hat, way before he started drifting in the WWE, Elias was an exclusive member of Rose's entourage. The Drifter has been one of the most impressive rookies on Raw this year but it all started with a party that initially seemed like it would never end.

The Zach Galifianakis of the Rosebuds, Elias was one of the NXT talents who proudly masqueraded in loud outfits and livened up the atmosphere on WWE TV. While Elias has managed to make quite the first impression on the main roster in a short span of time, Rose wasn't so fortunate and as things stand, isn't even wrestling on a regular basis.

#2 Alexa Bliss

It's scientifically proven. This photo can illicit unimaginable levels of jealousy in a sane man

A party isn't a party without the beautiful ladies and Rose was lucky enough to have the Goddess of the WWE herself amongst his ranks.

Bliss wasn't always destined to be a top Women's Champion as the former cheerleader was used as an in-ring announcer during her early days in NXT. When that didn't work out, she was made to be the eye-candy of Rose' gang before finally making her in-ring debut. Lil Miss Bliss has never looked back ever since.

Bliss recently broke Charlotte Flair's title reign record and is officially the longest reigning RAW Women's Champion with a 115-Day+ reign.

#3 Braun Strowman

He could have at least worn a pair of pants!

Don't be deceived by the monstrous persona of Braun Strowman that WWE wants you to believe in; the strongman is one of the most easy-going dudes behind the scenes.

He may be laying waste to anyone and everyone in sight on RAW these days, but back in the day, the Monster Among Men was the ultimate party animal. Dressed in clothes that were outrageously skimpy for a man of his frame, Strowman was entrusted with the duty of carrying Rose around the ring while also marking out in an unapologetic fashion.

WWE, though, put the brakes on his excessive raging, covered his face with a black sheep mask and introduced Strowman as the powerhouse of the Wyatt Family in August 2015.

Fast forward to the dying stages of 2017 and he is on course to possibly dethroning the Beast Incarnate as the next Universal Champion. Now that's how you book a potential face of the company.

#4 Becky Lynch

The Irish Lasskicker may be the perfect rosebud

Becky Lynch's inclusion in this list and as part of the Rosebuds is a no-brainer. The Irish Lasskicker is a ball of fire that can enliven a funeral if need be. The first-ever SmackDown Women's Champion was one of the many unused female talents in NXT who didn't mind being a part of the Adam Rose project.

So what of it failed miserably, Lynch was one stars who profited from the experience, got some decent exposure and went from strength to strength in building a solid fan following.

She may have seen her stock fall in recent months -- but despite the glaring fact, is one of the most over female stars on the roster.

Moving onto one of her biggest rivals this year...

#5 James Ellsworth

In case you're wondering, the blonde is this picture is Thea Trinidad aka Zelina Vega

James Ellsworth is one of the surprising success stories of 2017. The perennial jobber got to live the WWE dream even if it meant at the expense of other talented stars.

Nonetheless, the Chinless Wonder stood for the entertainment in Sports Entertainment and he did so with some goofy class. After becoming an overnight sensation by virtue of being destroyed at the hands of Braun Strowman, WWE used Ellsworth in various enhancement roles before officially offering him a contract.

The former WWE title contender doesn't look all that pleased in the photo above. Hornswoggle may have done something cringe-worthy for all we know. It's concerning to think that James freaking Ellsworth had a better WWE stint than Adam Rose. Sigh!

#6 Justin Gabriel

Whoever thought this was a good idea needs to be FIIIRED!

Gabriel may not be the most eye-catching name on this list but he had arguably the biggest role to play in the exotic express. While many big names such as Zack Ryder, Sami Zayn and Darren Young have been rumoured to have played the part of the Bunny, Gabriel is the only star to have come out and confirmed that he did indeed dawn the bunny's outfit on many occasions.

A highly-skilled grappler with impeccable ariel skills, Gabriel's WWE career got off to a promising start as part of the rampaging Nexus faction only to see it wither away over the course of time. The 3-time Tag Team Champion disclosed on Talk of Jericho that the Adam Rose gimmick was originally written for him but for some reason, he ended up as the bunny who became Rose's punching bag at the end of his run.

For a man as talented as Gabriel, this was the final string in the straw and he eventually left the WWE after a 6-year run. Gabriel, who is coincidentally also South African and left the WWE after 6 years (same as Rose), returned to the Indie circuit where he currently works under the name PJ Black.

Honorable mentions

As mentioned earlier, the Rosebuds was an awfully large group of individuals and at times, almost all of the underutilized NXT talents were rounded up for a trip in the exotic express.

Surprisingly enough, recently fired WWE writer Jimmy Jacobs also joined the gang during one of their exploits in a frame that amusingly also includes Ruby Riott with a green wig on the right and well-known indie star Scarlett Bordeaux.

Then there was Simon Gotch of the Vaudevillians, who seemed like the twisted and eccentric one of the lot.

Who remembers Solomon Crowe? The NXT reject was the official DJ of the party and sadly is the only happy takeaway from his forgettable WWE career.

Before you move onto to the final name on the list, here's Kalisto being Kalisto. He may have been the only rosebud who was played the gimmick that he eventually debuted with on TV:

#7 Carmella

Don't miss Elias slyly drifting in the background,

Braun Strowman may be the most impressive male superstar to have had a breakout year but the same can be said for Carmella. The Miss Money in the Bank has had a stellar year and is expected to become the new SmackDown Women's Champion in 2018.

However, let's reminisce about the time when she went by the mantra -- it's party time all the time! Just like Lynch, Bliss and many other gorgeous ladies of wrestling, Carmella is a former rosebud.

Carmella has gone from being a rosebud to a valet and now finds herself on the cusp of tasting gold for the very first time in her WWE career.

In hindsight, The Exotic Express was like a factory that churned out future Women's champions. So what if Adam Rose couldn't make it big in the WWE, he partied with the most desirable women in the company......and that is too much kayfabe for the day.

Did we miss out on any major name? Let us know in the comments' section below.