Original plans for sensitive angle at WrestleMania involving Mandy Rose were reportedly nixed because of Asuka, says former WWE employee
Mandy Rose was released by WWE last year immediately after her 413-day reign as NXT Women's Champion ended. She currently stands on record as having the third-highest combined number of days as the former black-and-gold brand's top champion, just behind Asuka and Shayna Baszler.
According to former WWE writer Dave Schilling, Becky Lynch becoming double champion at WrestleMania 35 was not the original plan. Instead, Mandy Rose's ongoing storyline with Sonya Deville was to be highlighted on the show with a title win for the now-released star.
Speaking on Fightful Select's In The Weeds, Schilling detailed the plans for Rose and Deville to kiss at WrestleMania 35 after the latter would lay down for her during a triple threat match on the show for the SmackDown Women's Championship.
While the storyline was a "representation" and was "necessary," WWE ultimately nixed the angle and had Asuka drop the title to Charlotte Flair before the event.
"To WWE's credit, they went to GLAAD. Stephanie McMahon was on the phone with them. 'Can we do this? Can we make this palatable and sensitive to the situation with queer people in America? Can we make this a good angle?'" Schilling detailed.
Schilling then revealed how he felt about the angle, believing at the time that Asuka's sustained popularity among the masses and the annoyance fans thought at the Japanese star losing matches would have adversely affected the moment. Ultimately, the title win for Mandy Rose itself was scrapped.
"It could have turned out poorly even though the best intentions were there, and they did want to make a good storyline and Sonya and Mandy were involved and they were excited about doing it. At the end of the day, you have to do it right, and that would have been the wrong way to do it because you're beating a babyface who people love, at WrestleMania, when there is so much complaint around how Asuka is losing," said Schilling. [H/T: Fightful Select]
Tag Team Tuesday: Week 4.
Fire and Desire: Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville. [ @WWE_MandyRose
& @SonyaDevilleWWE ] https://t.co/laupjasSGg
All three women wound up wrestling in the Women's Battle Royal on the show. Carmella won the bout. In the main event, Becky Lynch captured both the SmackDown and RAW Women's Championship from Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rousey, respectively.
Sonya Deville has formed a tag team with returning WWE Superstar
In the weeks heading into WrestleMania 39, Sonya Deville was revealed as the surprise tag team partner of Chelsea Green for the show's "WrestleMania Showcase" match. The duo lost the fatal four-way bout to Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler.
Despite being a thrown together team, Deville and Green are seemingly continuing on-screen as a tag team. Chelsea Green even teased a tag team title win for the duo.
Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville are coming for the gold 🏆 https://t.co/jxusi866UP
What are your thoughts on Sonya Deville and Chelsea Green potentially winning the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship? Sound off in the comments section below.