During the 2015 season of WWE’s hit reality show ‘Tough Enough’, Sonya Deville publicly came out as a gay woman when questioned by the show’s judges about her relationship status.
Recently, Deville made an appearance on ‘The Ariel Helwani Show’ where she talked about her experiences as an openly gay woman in the industry. She stated, “I received no hate or any kind of discrimination backstage with my co-workers. I was just Daria. There was nothing to it. I don’t know why it’s not as prevalent [in WWE]. I feel like everyone has their own story. MMA is like a broad thing.”
Additionally, Deville went on to discuss the differences between organisations like MMA and WWE. She added, “There’s different organizations and stuff. WWE, specifically… is more tight-knit. We’re on the road together every single week. MMA is a little different, right? …Maybe it’s a little more personal in WWE and they like to keep their private life private.”
Apart from being an inspiring figure in the wrestling world, Deville also takes pride in being a role model for the LGBTQ+ community. She shared, “I was like, ‘Oh, yay!’ People were sending me nice messages and saying like, ‘Thank you for speaking your truth.’ I didn’t realize what was happening. I was like so naive to it. I was like, ‘Oh. Wait. I’m doing something people are proud of. I should be proud of myself.’ I got really excited and I was all for it.”
In personal news, Deville got engaged to model and fitness enthusiast Toni Cassano in early 2023. The duo tied the knot in February the following year.
Regrettably, Deville’s association with WWE ended in February 2025 after the former Tag Team Champion was unable to negotiate a new contract with the company.