Rose wrestled for the WWF in 1982-1983, working main events at Madison Square Garden against Bob Backlund for the WWF World Heavyweight Title. Rose also worked with Pedro Morales, and was managed by the Grand Wizard. Rose returned to the WWF in late 1984, was managed by Bobby Heenan, and then later put under a mask as The Executioner, losing to Tito Santana in the opening match of the inaugural WrestleMania.
Rose competed in the AWA from 1986-1987. Rose teamed with Doug Somers, and feuded with the Midnight Rockers over the AWA World Tag Team Titles.
Rose returned to the WWF in 1990. Rose was primarily used as an enhancement talent during this run, losing all of his televised matches to elevate other stars. Rose lost to Kerry Von Erich in Von Erich's WWF television debut on the July 1990 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event. Having gained a large amount of weight, Rose turned it into a comical gimmick. When the ring announcer introduced him and listed his weight at 317 pounds, Rose would angrily take the microphone away from the announcer, and claim to weigh "a slim, trim, 217 pounds"; this drew jeers from the crowd. On occasion, he would do one-handed push-ups and kip-ups in the ring, and challenge muscular opponents to a "pose-down." Rose memorably appeared in a faux infomercial for the "Buddy Rose Blow Away Diet," which consisted of pouring powder all over himself and then "blowing away the fat" with a household fan; Rose looked exactly the same, after the blow away.
On April 28, 2009, Rose passed away.
In 2019, Rose was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of their Legacy Wing.