"It was real" - WWE star gets honest about past feud with Mandy Rose
Mandy Rose has not been involved in wrestling since her WWE exit, but she has had some memorable moments in the company. Sonya Deville recalled her program with Rose and how certain real-life elements inspired it.
Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose's wrestling careers have moved along simultaneously, as they were both contestants in Tough Enough.
They went on to team up in WWE, known as Team Fire and Desire before the expected split happened. Their feud was booked during the pandemic, and during a recent interview with Chris Van Vliet, Sonya Deville said that her on-screen issues with Mandy Rose were somewhat real.
Even though they were best friends behind the scenes, Sonya Deville legitimately believed Mandy Rose got a push because of her looks. Deville explained how she and Rose are just like sisters who sometimes fight:
"It was real! A lot of it was real. We're best friends; We're like sisters. We love like sisters; we fight like sisters. And, so much of it was that I felt that Mandy had gotten opportunities in the ring; it's because she had a certain look, and I didn't have that. Did I truly feel that was my core? No, but there was part of that I could definitely play off of." [10:46 - 11:14]
Sonya Deville "harnessed" her frustrations into creating a passionate character during feud with Mandy Rose
After her heel turn, Sonya Deville garnered praise as a solo performer, and it was mainly due to her decision to channel her energy in the right direction.
Leaning into her MMA background and visually destructive in-ring style, Sonya Deville became one of the more compelling characters in the women's division.
Add to that her history with Mandy Rose, and Sonya Deville was in the proper setup to truly thrive as a singles superstar. As for Rose, Deville still loved her former kayfabe rival, as she added:
"I harnessed that energy of like, 'I want my time. I'm an athlete. I am an MMA fighter. I'm a badass. I want to fight. I want to be at the top of the card.I just harnessed that and made it more dramatic, times 100. And I love her so much. There is so much friendship there. There is so much history there. And so, when you trust the person you're out there with and when there is so much love, it's easy to emulate any emotion." [11:15 - 11:43]
Sonya Deville returned to WWE after a long injury-related hiatus, and the 30-year-old might have some big goals to accomplish as she looks to get back to her best.