Sonya Deville has addressed speciation that there is heat between herself and former Raw Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey.
Despite Sonya Deville and Ronda Rousey both making the move from MMA to professional wrestling, it has long been suggested that the pair don’t get on. The two women have traded barbs on social media, with Rousey referring to Deville as an MMA “hobbyist” due to her short time spent in the sport.
Speaking with talkSPORT’s Alex McCarthy, Deville has now moved to comment on the speculation, saying that her relationship with Rousey is fine. With that being said, she fired a warning at the UFC Champion, saying that she’d like to face her if she returned to WWE and make her regret calling her a “hobbyist.”
“It was good [our relationship]. We worked together a bit on Total Divas, it was fine.
“Ronda is definitely someone I would like to fight if she comes back around. Make her regret calling me an MMA hobbyist.
“Which is ironic because me transitioning from MMA to wrestling, and she did, wouldn’t that make her a hobbyist?”
Sonya Deville hasn’t properly competed in a match since being defeated by Mandy Rose at SummerSlam in 2020. The stipulation for the bout between the friends turned rivals was ‘Loser leaves WWE,’ so with the loss, Deville disappeared from television.
That was until she came strutting down the hallway on the January 1st edition of Friday Night SmackDown rocking a three-piece suit. It was later announced that Deville had been reinstated and she quickly transitioned into a role as an authority figure alongside Adam Pearce.
On the most recent episode of SmackDown Sonya Deville had been due to make her latest ‘return’ to the ring against Naomi. Although by the time that she arrived in the ring, it was clear things weren’t as they seemed. She introduced ‘guest announcer’ Natalya and ‘guest timekeeper’ Shayna Baszler at ringside before the three women quickly ganged up on Naomi.
Despite this, it was Deville and her partners in crime who were sent running to the back with the SmackDown debut of Xia Li who appeared to even the score.
Ronda Rousey hasn’t appeared in a WWE ring since being defeated in the main event of WrestleMania 35. Rousey gave birth to daughter La’akea Makalapuaokalanipō Browne back in September. She recently explained that she doesn’t think she’s currently under contract with WWE.