Sonya Deville has come a long away since she was one of several prospects who were trying to make it big on WWE Tough Enough.
In 2015, Deville competed on the popular game show, and while she didn’t win the competition, the former MMA fighter still went on to sign with WWE. She then worked her way up through the developmental system, and she was brought up to the main roster as a member of Absolution alongside Mandy Rose and Paige. Deville and Rose later broke out on their own before they eventually feuded with each other. After the culmination of the feud at WWE SummerSlam 2020, Deville took some time away and came back the following January as a WWE official. Since then, she has been regularly featured on WWE TV, but she recently lost her position of power and resumed her status as a full-time in-ring competitor.
In an interview with Sportskeeda Wrestling, Deville reflected on her journey up to this point and noted that Tough Enough introduced her to the WWE world, and she quickly fell in love with it.
“Starting through a reality show, through Tough Enough, is definitely a unique experience because it was kind of also simultaneously my introduction to the WWE in general, from the MMA world,” said Deville. “I didn’t grow up watching wrestling so I kind of came to this tryout as an opportunity, being open-minded, just seeing what it was about. And then didn’t know that I was gonna fall in love with it, didn’t realize that I was gonna wanna leave MMA to come here. But I instantly saw a future in it. I instantly became obsessed and passionate about it. And I just trusted my gut. I was like this is what I’m here, this is what I meant to do.”
Deville went on to describe how the transition from MMA combat to sports entertainment was a learning process, and she took it one step at a time. Seven years removed from the early stages of this process, she made it clear that she couldn’t have possibly imagined that she would be where she is now.
“I was trying to figure out what this world was about, how succeed in it, how to stay true to myself and integrate my MMA with the wrestling,” said Deville. “So it was kind of just like a on-the-fly hang on by the seat of my coattails and try to figure it out day by day. And yeah I couldn’t imagine being seven ago, thinking where I’d be today would be right here. Representing both brands, in a position of power, and now I’m back in the ring. It’s been a really cool experience and I’ve had the honor to learn from a lot of really cool people, coming up in Absolution with Paige and and Mandy, it was so cool being with my best friend but also learning with Paige. Someone who really has put her fingerprint on the women’s division and helped make it what it is.
“And just being able to be in the division that I’m in now with so many athletic, talented physical girls that just inspire me and teach me every day. So yeah it’s pretty cool. But no seven years ago, I can’t lie and say that I thought this is where I was gonna be standing. I had high hopes, but you can never picture it exactly. So yeah this is really cool.”
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