UFC veteran Ronda Rousey’s run in WWE might be criticized by many today, including the former WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion herself, but her jumping over from the world of MMA to pro wrestling was a major moment for the promotion regardless. However, for Sonya Deville, Rousey’s presence changed her career trajectory.

“I don’t think they knew what to do with me, because I wasn’t the Chyna, the Rhea Ripley. That’s understandable as well; that’s easy to digest,” she explained during an interview on “Identity Crisis,” noting that she differed in physique greatly compared to other women who stood out on the roster. “I’m not the biggest or the strongest, but I’m not a girly girl; I’m not the sex. Where do I fit?”

Deville then claimed that she had an innate intuition where she fit and described herself as a legitimate fighter amongst all the other women who were more traditionally feminine in their presentation. But when Rousey debuted, she had to make changes, as she felt the former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion would be picked over her. “She’s Ronda f**king Rousey! So, I’m like: ‘Okay, well, let’s zip this up and throw it away and let’s try something else!'” she added. “And so then, I started leaning more into my femininity and … just kind of organically changing my look and finding a character. And it all happened in the Mandy [Rose] storyline during the pandemic.”

In 2020, Deville and Rose were involved in a storyline that climaxed with a Loser Leaves WWE match at that year’s SummerSlam. Deville lost, going on hiatus until January 2021. She was later released by the company in 2024.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit “Identity Crisis” and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.