Tag: Sonya Deville

Opening Bell: Jay White makes Dynamite debut, Trish Stratus explains her turn

Get set for the week in WWE and AEW with Opening Bell: quick previews of Raw, SmackDown, Dynamite and Rampage.

Welcome to the Opening Bell, where we round up what’s been announced for WWE (Raw and SmackDown) and AEW (Dynamite and Rampage) programming for the week we’ve just begun.

WWE Raw preview – Monday, April 17, Simmons Bank Arena, North Little Rock, AR

Why, Trish Stratus, why?

That’s what many WWE fans want to know after the Hall of Famer ruined what appeared to be a perfectly good partnership she had going with Becky Lynch and fellow legend Lita. Was it just jealousy over not being part of the tag team champions, or was Trish simply following a precedent from way back? We’ll apparently hear directly from her mouth Monday on Raw.

United States Champion Austin Theory doesn’t need to explain himself at all, given that he’s on a roll that includes a big WrestleMania victory over John Cena. Talking might not be the best idea anyway against his opponent this week, Bobby Lashley. He’s more of an actions over words guy, and besides, they know each other well from previous clashes.

A match that was originally promoted for last week until travel gremlins struck will be back in North Little Rock too. Well, half of it, anyway. The Miz was going to face Matt Riddle last Monday, but now he’s going up against Seth Rollins instead. You decide whether that’s better or worse for the A-Lister.

Last and certainly not least, Brock Lesnar will be back on Raw this week as well. You may recall that Cody Rhodes challenged him to a match at Backlash after the Beast Incarnate decided to beat him down instead of tagging with him against the Bloodline. We’ll miss happy-go-lucky Cowboy Brock, but we’re definitely interested to see what this return to his more vengeful side holds. And Backlash needs a main event, so … yeah.

AEW Dynamite preview – Wednesday, April 19, Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh

Buckle up everyone. Jay White, a.k.a. King Switch, a.k.a. the Catalyst, a.k.a. one half of Bullet Club Gold, apparently, a.k.a. numerous other things, is ready to start making his presence known in AEW. That begins this week when he faces Komander in what looks like a fantastic Dynamite debut.

A championship will also be on the line in Pittsburgh between two large men who still have unfinished business with each other. Powerhouse Hobbs is looking to make the chapter in his book where he’s the TNT Champion a long one, but Wardlow wants that title back around his own waist. Something has to give — hopefully not the ring.

A big tag women’s tag team match is also on the slate. The Outcasts have been running roughshod for weeks, but now they’ve angered their two highest profile foes into a match. Can Ruby Soho and Toni Storm keep their winning ways going against AEW Women’s World Champion Jamie Hayter and Britt Baker?

And that’s not all. When you tune in for Dynamite Wednesday, you can also expect:

WWE SmackDown preview – Friday, April 21, Value City Arena at The Schottenstein Center, Columbus, OH

O-hi-o, you’ve got championship matches incoming this week on SmackDown. Recently crowned Women’s Tag Team Champions Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez will try to make their first title defense a successful one when they face the challenge of Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville.

Gunther has held his Intercontinental Championship a lot longer and fended off a number of different wrestlers with their eyes on his gold. He thinks Xavier Woods is a “goof,” but the last man standing in The New Day will try to show the Ring General he’s a serious threat in Columbus.

On top of those title bouts, there’s a tag team match that figures to be somewhat significant. Braun Strowman and Ricochet got laid out by the Viking Raiders, and they’re not likely to be in a forgiving mood when the two teams meet on Friday night.

AEW Rampage preview – Saturday, April 22, Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh (recorded on April 19)

Perhaps the most important thing to remember about AEW Rampage this week is that it’s not on Friday thanks to the NHL Playoffs. It will air on Saturday at 10 p.m. instead.

That’s pretty late on a different night, but AEW has a heck of a hook to try to get you to watch: El Hijo del Vikingo will defend his AAA Mega Championship against Dralistico. Yes, that’s an insane match to randomly throw on a show that’s on an unusual night, but don’t question it, just roll with it because it’s almost sure to be amazing.

WWE SmackDown results: Solo Sikoa spikes, buries Matt Riddle

WWE SmackDown results for April 14, 2023, as Solo Sikoa took on Matt Riddle in the main event.

Ah, Shinsuke Nakamura, where have you been?

The King of Strong Style wasn’t at WrestleMania and hasn’t wrestled a televised WWE match since … wow, November of last year. That changes tonight on WWE SmackDown from Lincoln, Nebraska, and we speak for many when we say it will be good to see him back in action.

Santos Escobar makes for a nice segue, since he was the last person to face Nakamura on TV. He’s had a chance of heart since last fall, of course, and now fights the good fight as part of the LWO. He’ll go head to head with The Judgment Day’s Damian Priest tonight.

Another fan favorite looking for a big victory in Lincoln is Xavier Woods. Thanks to the latest injury to Kofi Kingston, Woods is the only member of The New Day currently active, which means he’ll have no backup when he takes on LA Knight. But hey, Knight is a solo act too, so that might not be that bad. Yeah!

Also on the slate for this week’s SmackDown is a celebration for the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez. Unfortunately, title celebrations often turn into something a little more contentious and violent in WWE, so one can only imagine who might crash their party. Perhaps two former MMA stars will come looking for them …

And hey, Backlash is only three weeks away, so some of the card for that show should start coming together soon. We’ll see if any matches are made official tonight.

WWE SmackDown results in 60 seconds:

  • Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are here to open the show, but are joined by the Bloodline … and Matt Riddle
  • Adam Perce gives instructions to the referee as he reveals Riddle and Solo Sikoa will face off in tonight’s main event
  • Xavier Woods def. LA Knight by pinfall
  • Woods’ victorious trombone solo runs afoul of Gunther, who doesn’t like goofs, but Woods thinks he’s more than ready for an Intercontinental Championship match
  • KO seems like maybe he isn’t crazy about the alliance with Riddle, but Matt is definitely focused on Solo in tonight’s main event
  • Damian Priest says he knows Santos Escobar can go and isn’t taking him lightly, and while he knows he’ll be asked about Bad Bunny, he says he’ll address that out in the ring
  • Priest does exactly that, warning Bad Bunny to just sit and watch Backlash, but he’s surprised by the sudden arrival of the LWO
  • Damian Priest def. Santos Escobar by pinfall, and Rey Mysterio arrives to fight with Dominik Mysterio again
  • Paul Heyman gives Solo a family-oriented pep talk, but Sikoa tells Heyman to tell the Tribal Chief “I got this”
  • The new women’s tag team champions want to celebrate, fighting off a rude interruption by Sonya Deville and Raquel Rodriguez
  • Shinsuke Nakamura def. Madcap Moss by pinfall …
  • … but it looks like he’s already being targeted by Karrion Kross
  • Braun Strowman and Ricochet get blindsided by the Viking Raiders backstage
  • Heyman tells Owens and Zayn that The Usos will win the tag team titles back in two weeks
  • Solo Sikoa def. Matt Riddle by pinfall
  • Sikoa hits Riddle with a uranage on the announce table, then tips it over on him

Please scroll down for more details on every match and major non-match segment.

Ronda Rousey, Shayna Baszler win women’s fatal 4-way at WrestleMania 39: Best photos

Check out these photos of Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler’s win in the women’s fatal 4-way at Night 2 of WrestleMania 39.

Check out these photos of [autotag]Ronda Rousey[/autotag] and [autotag]Shayna Baszler[/autotag]’s win over [autotag]Liv Morgan[/autotag], [autotag]Raquel Rodriguez[/autotag], [autotag]Natalya[/autotag], [autotag]Shotzi[/autotag], [autotag]Chelsea Green[/autotag], and [autotag]Sonya Deville[/autotag] in a women’s fatal 4-way on Night 2 of WrestleMania 39 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. (Photos courtesy of Joe Camporeale/USA TODAY Sports, Joel Zietcer/WWE)

WrestleMania 39 results: Ronda Rousey barely breaks a sweat while winning WrestleMania Showcase

See how the winning team emerged from the Women’s WrestleMania Showcase tag team match on night 2.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Sadly no tanks for Shotzi, so the most interesting ring walk is made by Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler in their respective gis.

Liv Morgan wants to work this one at a breakneck pace, but she ends up needing to tag in her partner for some double team offense on Natalya. After getting a taste of Raquel’s partner, Nattie tags Chelsea Green, who finds a missile dropkick doesn’t even budge Rodriguez.

Shotzi tags herself in for a two count on Green. But her prospects worsen quickly as Rousey menaces her on the floor. Everyone but Ronda and Shayna get into it, and Shotzi launches herself into a cross body on Sonya Devilel and Green. A suicide dive by Shotzi also finds the mark, as does Green’s dive to the floor. Rodriguez picks up her partner and hurls Morgan onto everyone but Rousey and Baszler.

Rodriguez hits a fallaway slam on Shotzi and a corkscrew elbow, but Deville tags herself in, and she and Green double team Rodriguez. Deville and Green spend a little too long celebrating and get laid out by Shotzi and Natalya, who gets her team a two count.

Natalya ends up getting both Deville and Green in the Sharpshooter at once, which the crowd enjoys, but Morgan ends up breaking up the hold. Liv is now legal to face Shotzi, and Morgan ends up hitting Oblivion. Amidst the chaos, Shayna and then Ronda tag in, and Rousey quickly gets a tapout with an armbar on Shotzi.

WWE Raw results: Cody Rhodes is ready for WrestleMania

WWE Raw results for March 27, 2023 from Phoenix, where Cody Rhodes took on Solo Sikoa in the main event.

Can you feel that? It’s WrestleMania 39, coming up quickly now. The final WWE Raw prior to the Show of Shows is tonight in Phoenix, and while it’s probably not wise to expect anything Earth-shaking, there are still some big things happening.

We mean that literally, too. Brock Lesnar and Omos will collide in Los Angeles, providing fans with the rare site of Lesnar being the smaller man in a fight. The WWE Universe will find out how much smaller on Raw, as the two titans will have a pre-WrestleMania weigh-in. And yes, that’s not usually a thing in pro wrestling, but you can’t deny it’s somewhat fascinating in this context.

Want big matches instead? This show will have one of those for sure. Cody Rhodes is less than a week away from his chance to “finish the story,” but he’s got a big test in the form of Solo Sikoa. Will Cody’s attempt to get inside Solo’s head the past few weeks pay off, or will the street champ be able to soften up the American Nightmare to make things easier for the Tribal Chief?

The Miz has certainly been letting us know whenever possible what a big deal it is to be the host of WrestleMania 39, and he’s going to head into Hollywood with one final episode of Miz TV. His guests will be none other than a trio of legendary women’s division champs, and you can probably guess who we mean: Becky Lynch, Lita and Trish Stratus.

WWE Raw results in 90 seconds:

  • Miz TV welcomes three legends, yet Damage CTRL isn’t going to let them go without a confrontation
  • Becky Lynch def. IYO SKY by pinfall
  • A video package plays up the accomplishments of Asuka and looks ahead to her WrestleMania challenge of Bianca Belair
  • We see Logan Paul boasting last Monday before Seth Rollins is interviewed backstage, and he’s not crazy about Mustafa Ali trying to put his positive spin on things, which leads to them facing each other tonight
  • Seth Rollins def. Mustafa Ali by pinfall, then cuts a promo on Paul
  • Baron Corbin complains to Adam Pearce, who has to break away to deal with Chelsea Green, who finally gets into the WrestleMania Showcase match with a partner who is equally disgruntled with AP: Sonya Deville
  • Omos and Brock Lesnar hit the scales … well, one of them does, anyway
  • A video package is shown for Charlotte Flair before Rhea Ripley says Charlotte’s unmatched legacy will not define her destiny — and she needs Charlotte’s championship for that
  • Finn Balor warns Edge there’s nothing more dangerous than a caged demon
  • Street Profits, Braun Strowman and Ricochet def. Alpha Academy and Viking Raiders by pinfall
  • Cody Rhodes is asked if he put himself in a vulnerable position by taking this match against Solo Sikoa, and he insists that he will make Solo realize he’s not ready before going on to beat Roman Reigns this weekend
  • A video package is shown to promote Bianca Belair
  • Austin Theory cuts a promo in an empty arena to prove he doesn’t do it for the fans, he does it for himself, and he’s going to make the fans stop believing in John Cena this Saturday at WrestleMania
  • Sonya Deville and Chelsea Green def. Michin and Candice LeRae by pinfall in a WrestleMania Showcase qualifying match
  • Heyman says flat out that Solo isn’t there to compete, but to ensure Cody isn’t at 100% come Sunday
  • Rey Mysterio def. Damian Priest by DQ thanks to interference by Dominik Mysterio, and Legado Del Fantasma has to save Rey fafter a short post-match beating
  • The contestants for the Andre the Giant Battle Royal are posted on the wall, and Rick Boogs is really excited to be in it while Elias is less thrilled after seeing some of the others who are too
  • Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens talk about how their match against The Usos is extra special because L.A. is where they got their first big break
  • Gunther def. Dolph Ziggler by pinfall
  • Cody Rhodes def. Solo Sikoa by pinfall

Please scroll down for more details on every match and major non-match segment.

WWE SmackDown results: Gunther, Rey Mysterio do the darn thing

Get quick WWE SmackDown results for the November 4, 2022 episode pre-recorded ahead of WWE Crown Jewel.

Much of the WWE roster is already in Saudi Arabia for Crown Jewel on Saturday. So does that mean there’s no WWE SmackDown this week? Perish the thought!

The show, as it ever does, rolls on, regardless of logistical concerns. WWE solved this particular one by pre-taping this episode the previous Friday, after the usual live show. That means that spoilers are already out there, and if you want a detailed rundown on what went down, you can go seek them out.

We’ve checked out some non-spoiler recaps and can give you a high level look at what to expect. Liv Morgan, now plenty extreme, thank you very much, takes on Sonya Deville again, this time in a No Disqualification bout. Ricochet and LA Knight are going to take their recent beef to the ring. And Rey Mysterio will get an Intercontinental Championship shot against Gunther.

Oh, yes, and we can’t forget there’s likely to be more with Bray Wyatt and the mysterious, spooky figure named Uncle Howdy.

So we’re not going to go blow by blow for this show under the circumstances, but if you need to know what went down this week, read on for full WWE SmackDown results on the night before Crown Jewel.

WWE SmackDown results in 60 seconds:

  • Liv Morgan def. Sonya Deville by pinfall in a No Disqualification match featuring a truly impressive pile of steel chairs
  • Emma said she had something to prove by accepting Ronda Rousey’s challenge, but it appears Xia Li is going to make her prove more
  • A clip from Impaulsive shows Jake Paul offering to support his brother Logan Paul at Crown Jewel
  • Another video package is shown for the Viking Raiders and Sarah Logan
  • LA Knight def. Ricochet by pinfall
  • Sami Zayn tries to rally the Bloodline but Jey Uso tells him he’s going out to the ring despite Roman Reigns’ wishes, and Jey says it’s not a Bloodline thing: it’s an Uso thing
  • Bray Wyatt isn’t happy about being interrupted when he’s doing something important, and there are flashes of his dark side as he asks a backstage technician to apologize … but Bray manages to push them aside and let the guy go when he says he’s sorry
  • The New Day warn The Usos that if they get past the Brawling Brutes, they’ve got next, then join the Brutes in beating down the Usos until Zayn and Solo Sikoa arrive
  • Shayna Baszler def. Natalya by submission with Ronda Rousey cheering her on, then bloodies Natalya after the bell with a shot to the face
  • Braun Strowman runs through five Local Talent types hand-picked by MVP
  • Legado Del Fantasma intends to make an example out of Shinsuke Nakamura
  • Gunther def. Rey Mysterio to retain the Intercontinental Championship

Opening Bell: Crown Jewel approaches, All-Atlantic 3-way on Dynamite

Get set for the week in WWE and AEW with Opening Bell: quick previews of Raw, SmackDown, Dynamite and Rampage.

Welcome to the Opening Bell, where we round up what’s been announced for WWE (Raw and SmackDown) and AEW (Dynamite and Rampage) programming for the week we’ve just begun.

WWE Raw preview – Monday, October 31, American Airlines Center, Dallas

Happy Halloween, everyone! As WWE prepares to head overseas for Crown Jewel (and some of its talent is already in Europe for house shows in the meantime), there’s still some business to attend to first. Fans in Dallas should prepare to acknowledge the Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns, as he will be on hand. While he’s tried to get the Bloodline on the same page in recent weeks, there are still some cracks in the group’s foundation? Can he get them repaired before he faces Logan Paul?

Brock Lesnar is also being advertised for this week’s show. The Beast Incarnate has a big showdown with Bobby Lashley awaiting him in Saudi Arabia, and while the two men have already traded blows, Lesnar may have a a chance to get in the final word before Saturday.

Here’s what else WWE has in store for Halloween night on Raw:

AEW Dynamite preview – Wednesday, November 2, Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena, Baltimore

Dynamite returns to Baltimore this week with not one, not two, but three title matches. Orange Cassidy finally won his first AEW singles gold by claiming the All-Atlantic Championship, but he’ll have to work hard to keep it (which isn’t really his style) in a three-way dance with two very different opponents, Luchasaurus and Rey Fenix.

Chris Jericho has vowed to take out anything to do with ROH, including past champions, so he’ll put the ROH World Championship on the line against a mystery former champ. And Jade Cargill will try to fend off a familiar challenger for her TBS Championship in the form of Marina Shafir.

Plus AEW has promoted more for this week’s Dynamite, including:

WWE SmackDown preview – Friday, November 4, Enterprise Center, St. Louis (recorded on October 28)

Yep, this episode of SmackDown was pre-taped last week because talent and crew members need to be in Saudi Arabia for Crown Jewel on Saturday. That means that spoilers for exactly what happens on this show are already out there on the internet.

If you’d rather be surprised by outcomes but still want to know what to expect on SmackDown, keep reading:

[listicle id=15371]

AEW Rampage preview – Friday, November 4, Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City

In a bit of role reversal, it’ll be a live episode of Rampage following a pre-taped SmackDown instead of the other way around. The most notable name on the show might not even be one of the wrestlers, as boxing legend Mike Tyson (who has worked with AEW before) is set to join the announce team.

In terms of matches, all we know for sure is that whoever emerges from the three-way dance on Dynamite with the All-Atlantic Championship can pick a dream opponent for Friday night. If that’s Cassidy, it will be a busy week for Freshly Squeezed, which might not be something he’d prefer. We’ll find out Wednesday night.

Opening Bell: AEW gold on the line on Tuesday, Brock returns to Raw

Get set for the week in WWE and AEW with Opening Bell: quick previews of Raw, SmackDown, Dynamite and Rampage.

Welcome to the Opening Bell, where we round up what’s been announced for WWE (Raw and SmackDown) and AEW (Dynamite and Rampage) programming for the week we’ve just begun.

WWE Raw preview – Monday, October 17, Paycom Center, Oklahoma City

What does Brock Lesnar want? That’s a valid question after the Beast Incarnate showed up unexpectedly on Raw last week and destroyed Bobby Lashley. We should get more insight into what he’s got his sights set on now when he appears live this week in OKC.

The beneficiary of Lesnar’s attack was Seth Rollins, who defeated an injured Lashley to become the new United States Champion. He’ll get little time to enjoy it, however, as he has to defend it against heated rival Matt Riddle on Raw.

Dexter Lumis has popped up more than once without warning to torment The Miz, despite not having a WWE contract. That could change after Raw, as the two men will finally go head to head in an official match, with Lumis earning a deal if he wins.

Also scheduled for this week’s episode of Raw:

[lawrence-related id=14488]

AEW Dynamite preview – Tuesday, October 18, Heritage Bank Center, Cincinnati

The MLB Playoffs have claimed TBS for this Wednesday evening, so Dynamite is taking over Tuesday night instead. And it’s from the hometown of AEW World Champion Jon Moxley, but he’s not going to have a restful stay at home considering he’s defending his title against Hangman Adam Page.

[listicle id=13196]

But wait, that’s only the first of four, yes four, championship matches scheduled for Dynamite. In what should be a respectful yet fierce encounter, Toni Storm puts her AEW Women’s World Championship on the line against Hikaru Shida. The Ocho, Chris Jericho, will try to fend off a ROH World Championship challenge from Dalton Castle. And the Trios titles will also be up for grabs as Death Triangle defends against Best Friends and Orange Cassidy.

Phew. That is a loaded card, and we’ll also hear from MJF. Fans definitely won’t want to forget Dynamite is on a different night this week.

WWE SmackDown preview – Friday, October 21, Huntington Center, Toledo, OH

Maybe Ohio is the pro wrestling center of the world for this week, as SmackDown heads to Toledo. We already know there will be a championship match on the card, as the Damage CTRL duo of Dakota Kai and IYO SKY tries to retain their titles against Shotzi and Raquel Rodriguez.

A former champion will also be in action, as Liv Morgan faces off with Sonya Deville. Liv’s Extreme Rules confrontation with Ronda Rousey seems to have changed her for good, but is it a change for the better?

[lawrence-related id=14370]

Logan Paul is also scheduled to appear on SmackDown, plus it would be strange if Bray Wyatt didn’t show up as well.

AEW Rampage preview – Friday, October 21, Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, FL

Rampage is back in the spiritual home of AEW, Daily’s Place, with a couple of matches already announced. Hook is a man of few words, but he’ll try to let his actions speak for themselves as he defends his FTW Championship against Ari Daivari following Daivari’s unsuccessful attempt to simply buy the title from its holder.

And 10 of the Dark Order has been the subject of numerous recruiting efforts from Jose The Assistant. He’ll try to end them for good by battling Rush, because if 10 wins, Jose must leave him alone going forward.

WWE SmackDown results: An unexpected return shakes things up in Greenville

Get full WWE SmackDown results for the August 5, 2022 episode from Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, SC.

Sometimes we just don’t have time to do the full-on, detailed breakdown of WWE SmackDown. We’re a small team at Wrestling Junkie, after all.

But that’s OK, because we’re still invested in finding out what went down from Bon Secours Wellness Arena (that’s a long name for a venue) in Greenville, SC and passing it along to you. So an abbreviated results post it is, with just the summaries of each match and segment.

Here’s what we know to expect: Roman Reigns will address the man he knows is now his No. 1 contender for Clash at the Castle, Drew McIntyre. Seven women will run the gauntlet (meaning a Gauntlet Match) to determine who will challenge Liv Morgan for her belt (we’re allowed to call it that now, probably). Shinsuke Nakamura will face Ludwig Kaiser, again, for a potential shot at Gunther.

Let’s roll, Greenville!

WWE SmackDown results in 60 seconds:

  • Ricochet def. Happy Corbin by pinfall, partly because Corbin can’t let go of his issues with Pat McAfee
  • Sami Zayn tries keeping it 100 with the Bloodline but wants to know why the Tribal Chief kept him on read
  • Shinsuke Nakamura def. Ludwig Kaiser by pinfall, earning a shot at Gunther’s Intercontinental Championship next week (and possibly earning Kaiser another butt-whupping)
  • Kofi Kingston says Xavier Woods is in good spirits as he recuperates from the attack by the Viking Raiders, but it’s almost time for him to make the Raiders pay
  • The Usos ask Zayn for a favor, telling him it would mean a lot to Roman to head to the production truck to ensure his pyro, music and entire entrance is just right tonight
  • Liv Morgan, sporting a brace on her left arm, gets some boos and “you tapped out” chants as she explains her victory over Ronda Rousey,; Sonya Deville comes out to belittle Liv and vow to win the Gauntlet Match
  • Shayna Baszler wins a Gauntlet Match that included Aliyah, Sonya Deville, Shotzi, Xia Li, Natalya and Raquel Rodriguez to become No. 1 contender for Morgan’s SmackDown Women’s Championship
  • Annoyed by Zayn’s nagging, the Usos tell him he needs to pull his weight or they’re going to take his Bloodline shirt off him real quick
  • Viking Raiders def. Local Talent by pinfall, then get attacked by a kendo stick-wielding Kingston
  • Kofi Kingston def. Erik by pinfall
  • The tournament for the Women’s Tag Team Championship is back on, for real, for real
  • Drew McIntyre comes out to confront the typically confident Bloodline, but he’s attacked by a returning Karrion Kross (now with hair!), and Scarlett leaves the hourglass in the ring in front of Roman Reigns

Sonya Deville ‘feels like I’m home’ with return to ring

Under the Ring spoke with WWE Superstar Sonya Deville about her return to in-ring competition and being an example to the LGBTQ+ community.

Sonya Deville was a WWE Superstar, then an on-screen authority figure. Now she’s back to solely concentrating on in-ring competition again.

And that’s just fine with her.

Deville was this week’s guest on the Under the Ring podcast with Phil Strum, and made it clear she’s psyched about returning to her roots.

“It feels like I’m home,” Deville said. “I embraced my role, and I really enjoyed my role as a WWE official. I think I’m a natural leader, and I think Superstars naturally wanted to kind of follow my guide and be represented by me. But I’m a fighter, and I’m a competitor at heart and I’ve been since day one, since I entered WWE. So I feel like I’m home and I’m ready to take over, like this is my time.”

As one of the most visible openly gay wrestlers performing today, Deville also talked about the importance of “strength in unity and strength in representation” and the importance of having allies who aren’t a part of the LGBTQ+ community.

“There’s a lot of your favorite WWE Superstars that are strong allies that are represented in that photo shoot,” Deville said of a WWE photo shoot to celebrate Pride Month in June. “So it’s going to be really cool and really powerful, I think.”

You can listen to Deville’s complete conversation above.

Under the Ring shines the spotlight on a different personality from the world of pro wrestling each week, from WWE and AEW to the numerous other promotions across the U.S. Other recent guests have included AEW women’s division stars Serena Deeb and current champion Thunder Rosa, as well as our own managing editor, Nick Tylwalk.

To make sure you don’t miss an episode, subscribe to Under the Ring on Apple Music or your favorite podcast provider, or check out Strum’s interviews in video form on the show’s YouTube channel.