On February 7, it was reported that Sonya Deville's contract would not be renewed by WWE, ending her time with the company.
She was signed after WWE Tough Enough in 2015.
Speaking to Ariel Helwani on The Ariel Helwani Show, Deville offered more insight into her departure.
"We were negotiating, we were in talks to sign a new contract. I was completely under the impression that it was going well and we would sign something. I was on a trip with my daughter, a cheerleading competition, and I got a phone call from the powers that be, 'Hey, we're going to go our separate ways.' I was kind of surprised, not gonna lie, and I was like, 'Is there a reason?' 'No, creatively, just hasn't worked out. We're going to go our separate ways,'" recalled Deville.
Asked how she felt, Deville said, "Initially, it was shock. 'What the hell, I did not expect that.'"
Asked if she maybe had an inkling that it was coming, she replied, "No, I had feelings over the last year or two. I tore my ACL and I came back from injury and I felt rusty. I wanted to get back to where I was prior to the injury. That was just a matter of time, in my mind. It wasn't an if, it was a when. I was trying to get my footing again and dive into this new character and storyline they had for me. Not really, no. I had been there for 10 years and had great relationships with everybody. I really saw us renewing the contract."
Deville was out of action from July 2023 to July 2024 with an ACL injury.
Asked if she thought about moving on, she replied, "I did. I never thought it was going happen, I kind of thought I was a lifer and would be there forever, but I did have talks with my wife, multiple times, because I do have other dreams. There are other things I want to pursue. I kind of felt I was in a rut creatively there. You don't always have full control. I think I'm one of those people who is better in the driver's seat. When I'm on my own, I can drive the car and steer the ship. I feel better that way."
She noted she felt in a creative rut for a year or two.
Asked if she negotiated at all when they told her they would not be renewing her contract, she replied, "It was like a 30 second phone call. I'm not one....they have their reason. They wanted to part ways. It's not really in my mentality to be like, 'But why? Please. No.' I'm a big believer in fate and everything happening for a reason. 'This is interesting. It must truly be time for the next chapter of my life.'"
Deville previously revealed she landed a big film project the week before she was told WWE would not be renewing her contract.
Deville has launched a podcast with her partner that fans can check out by clicking here.
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