Sonya Deville is opening up about why her WWE character took a sharp turn away from her MMA rootsand it all seems to trace back to Ronda Rouseys arrival in the company.
Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Deville revealed that she was the first female wrestler in WWE with a legitimate MMA background. But once WWE started signing names like Rousey, Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn Duke, and Marina Shafir, things changed.
WWE wasted no time putting Rousey front and center following her 2018 debut, booking her in high-profile feuds and eventually making her Raw Womens Champion. Meanwhile, Baszler took over NXT, dominating as NXT Womens Champion with Duke and Shafir by her side.
While Deville still found success in WWEparticularly in her pairing with Mandy Rose and her authority roleher MMA-heavy persona faded into the background. Eventually, she shifted into a more corporate heel gimmick before departing WWE on February 7, 2025, after nearly a decade with the company.
With Rousey now gone from WWE, Baszler still competing, and Deville now out of the company, its an interesting reflection on how WWEs creative decisions shaped careers behind the scenes.
Do you think Sonya Deville should have been given a bigger MMA-based push, or was WWE right to shift her character? Drop your thoughts in the comments!
