Berenato rose to prominence as a contestant in the 2015 season ofWWE Tough Enough, where she finished 11th place. Following her elimination, she signed a contract with WWE and was sent to theWWE Performance Center inOrlando, Florida. She then performed in WWE'sdevelopmental brand,NXT, before moving up to the main roster as Sonya Deville in November 2017, she was assigned to theRawbrand in astable withMandy Rose andPaige called Absolution. Deville and Rose were laterdrafted toSmackDown and becameFire and Desire before eventually splitting. After taking time off in mid-2020, she returned in January 2021 in a non-wrestling role as an on-screen authority figure alongsideAdam Pearce, but resumed wrestling in mid-2022. She departed from WWE in February 2025 and retired from professional wrestling.
In mixed martial arts, she has competed in three fights, holding a record of two wins and one loss.
In June 2015, Berenato was one of the thirteen finalists for theWWE Tough Enough season 6.[11] She was the third competitor eliminated from the competition.[12]
In October 2015, Berenato signed a contract with WWE,[6] and was assigned to theirdevelopmental brandNXT to begin her training. She made her in-ring debut on December 3 during alive event againstNia Jax, which she lost.[13] Berenato made her first televised appearance and in-ring debut under her real name on the August 17 episode ofNXT, where she competed in asix-woman tag team match along withMandy Rose, andAlexa Bliss, in which they were defeated byCarmella,Liv Morgan, andNikki Cross.[1] Berenato returned to television on the November 23 episode ofNXT in another six-woman tag team match withThe Iconic Duo (Billie Kay andPeyton Royce), where they lost toAliyah,Ember Moon and Liv Morgan.[14] On the December 21 episode ofNXT, Berenato competed in her first televised singles match, where she was defeated by Billie Kay due to a distraction by Peyton Royce.[15]
Berenato returned on the May 3, 2017, episode ofNXT under the new ring name Sonya Deville, participating in a number one contender's battle royal forAsuka'sNXT Women's Championship, where she was eliminated by Peyton Royce and Billie Kay.[16] Following this, Deville began a winning streak, defeatingLacey Evans,[17]Rachel Evers,[18] Jenna Van Bemel,[19] and Zeda.[20] Following another short hiatus, Deville returned on the October 18 episode ofNXT, where she participated in atriple threat match against Ember Moon andRuby Riott to gain a spot on thefatal four-way match for the vacant NXT Women's Championship atTakeOver: WarGames on November 18, which was won by Moon.[21] On the November 22 episode ofNXT, Deville was defeated by Ruby Riott.[22] A rematch took place on the December 6 episode ofNXT, where they faced off in ano holds barred match which Deville won. Deville then unsuccessfully challenged Ember Moon for the title on the December 27 episode ofNXT.[23]
On the November 20, 2017, episode ofRaw, Deville joinedMandy Rose andPaige as they attackedSasha Banks,Bayley,Mickie James, andAlexa Bliss.[24] A week later, the trio's name was revealed as Absolution.[25] Deville had her first televised match on the main roster atTribute to the Troops on December 19, where Absolution defeated Bayley, Mickie James and Sasha Banks.[25]
During the2018 Superstar Shake-up, both Deville and Rose were drafted to SmackDown, but Paige declared they would not receive special treatment and that Absolution is over.[30][31] Throughout the summer, Deville would continue heralliance with Rose as the two remained a tag team and competed in various singles and tag team matches.[32][33][34][35][36][37] On October 28, Deville also took part of the first ever all women's pay-per-view,Evolution, competing in abattle royal match where she was eliminated by Rose.[38] In November, it was announced that Deville will take part of Team Smackdown for the upcoming traditionalfive-on-five elimination match atSurvivor Series.[39] In her first appearance at theevent, Deville was one of the final two women of the team alongsideAsuka, but she was eliminated via count out after a brawl with Bayley outside the ring.[40][41] On January 27, 2019, at theRoyal Rumble, Deville competed in her second Royal Rumble match, where she entered at number 25, lasting 04:26, before she was eliminated by Alexa Bliss.[42] On February 17, Deville and Rose competed in a six-teamElimination Chamber match for the inauguralWWE Women's Tag Team Championship at thenamesake pay-per-view, where they were the last team eliminated by the eventual winners Sasha Banks and Bayley.[43]
Shortly afterFastlane, the dissolution angle between Deville and Rose was once again portrayed as both accidentally cost each other matches againstSmackDown Women's Champion Asuka.[44][45][46][47] Both Deville and Rose competed in the second WrestleMania Women's Battle Royal during theWrestleMania 35 pre-show, however, they were one of the last competitors eliminated from the match.[48][49] In May, Deville and Rose were given the opportunity to choose between each other who would be the last competitor for theMoney in the Bank ladder match at thenamesake pay-per-view on May 19.[50][51][52] Deville, who insisted on Rose getting the spot, tried to climb the ladder and help Rose win the match, however, Bayley was able to fight them off and retrieve the briefcase.[53]
Deville in 2020
After Rose entered a storyline love triangle withOtis andDolph Ziggler in 2020,[54] it was revealed on the April 3 episode ofSmackDown that Deville was working with Ziggler to keep Otis from Rose.[55][56] Deville then accompanied Ziggler to his match against Otis atWrestleMania 36 on April 5, during which she was attacked by Rose, who aligned herself with Otis.[57] Later that month, Deville called Rose out to brand her selfish, vow to "ruin Rose's life", and attack her.[58] On the May 22 episode ofSmackDown, Deville and Ziggler defeated Otis and Rose in a tag team match.[59] In July, Deville attacked Rose backstage and proceeded to cut her hair.[60] The two were originally scheduled to compete in ahair vs. hair match atSummerSlam, but due to Deville's obligation to appear in court following the attempted kidnapping at her home, her lawyer advised her against cutting her hair short; therefore, the stipulation was changed to aNo DisqualificationLoser Leaves WWE match.[61] Deville lost the match to Rose at the event in August.[62] She began a hiatus after the defeat.[61]
Final storylines and retirement (2021–2025)
On the January 1, 2021 episode ofSmackDown, Deville returned to WWE in her first appearance since August 2020, and was announced as having been reinstated.[61] She then became the assistant to on-screen authority figureAdam Pearce on the SmackDown brand.[63] She later also began to appear on the Raw brand and making executive decisions herself, such as reinstatingCharlotte Flair after Pearce had suspended Flair,[64] and then adding her to theRaw Women's Championship match atWrestleMania Backlash.[65] In August 2021, Deville became involved in a feud withNaomi, which developed due to Deville's irritation with Naomi's persistence in asking her to put her in matches.[66]
On the April 11 episode ofRaw, after newRaw Women's ChampionBianca Belair had defeatedQueen Zelina in a non-title match, Deville emerged and disclosed plans to name Belair's next challenger for the title. As Belair had her back turned on Deville, Deville blindsided and attacked her, revealing herself to be the mystery challenger before signing the match contract.[67] On April 18, Deville and Belair came face-to-face, during which Belair was almost goaded into attacking Deville. Later, Deville revealed that Belair had to be fined because she laid her hands on an official. Adam Pearce fined Belair $1 and when Deville complained about this, Pearce informed Deville that there was an investigation going on concerning her conduct.[68] On the May 9 episode ofRaw, Deville was no longer a WWE official and returned as an in-ring competitor in a match she lost to the returningAlexa Bliss.[69] Deville made a surprise appearance on the October 11 episode ofNXT, where she attackedAlba Fyre from the crowd, as she aligned herself withToxic Attraction (Gigi Dolin andJacy Jayne) by powerbombing Fyre through the commentary table.[70] Deville then competed atRoyal Rumble on January 28, 2023, where she entered at number 27 and got 3 eliminations before being eliminated byAsuka.[71]
On the March 27, 2023 episode ofRaw, Deville teamed up withChelsea Green and defeated the team ofCandice LeRae and"Michin" Mia Yim to qualify for the Women's WrestleMania Showcase match.[72] At Night 2 ofWrestleMania 39, Green and Deville were unsuccessful, with the match being won byRonda Rousey andShayna Baszler.[73] Deville and Green were drafted to theRawbrand as part of the2023 WWE Draft.[74] On the July 3 episode ofRaw, Deville and Green won atag team turmoil match to earn an opportunity at theWWE Women's Tag Team Championship,[75] which they would subsequently win fromLiv Morgan andRaquel Rodriguez two weeks later, marking the first championship win in Deville's career.[76] On August 7,TMZ reported that Deville had suffered atorn ACL and that she would be out indefinitely.[77] Deville confirmed the injury through her social media channels.[78] On the August 14 episode ofRaw, a returningPiper Niven declared herself as one-half of the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions and replacing Deville as Green's new tag team partner.[79] WWE recognize this date as the end date of Deville's reign, ending her reign at 28 days.[80]
Deville made her return from injury on the May 20, 2024 episode ofRaw, where she appeared in a backstage segment with Shayna Baszler andZoey Stark.[81] On the July 8 episode ofRaw, Baszler and Stark aligned themselves with Deville after weeks of declining the latter's offer, later calling themselves Pure Fusion Collective.[82] On the February 3 episode ofMain Event, Deville was defeated byNatalya in what would be her final match in WWE.[83] On February 7, it was reported that WWE would not be renewing Deville's contract.[84]
In a July 2025 interview withChris Van Vliet, Berenato announced her retirement from professional wrestling but did not rule out a possible return in the future.[85][86][87]
Other media
Berenato co-hosted theYouTube seriesUFC AfterBuzz.[3] She appeared as a main cast member for the ninth season ofTotal Divas.[88]
On July 28, 2022, Berenato alongside fellow wrestler Amanda Saccomanno, best known asMandy Rose, opened their own virtual donut brand named DaMandyz Donutz, delivered byUber Eats inLos Angeles.[97]
Personal life
Berenato isgay, making her the first openly gay female wrestler in WWE.[98][99] Shecame out during an episode ofTough Enough.[100] She is in a relationship with model and fitness enthusiast Toni Cassano.[101] Berenato and Cassano became engaged in February 2023 and then married in February 2024.[102][103]
On August 16, 2020, a South Carolina man named Phillip Thomas was arrested and charged with aggravated stalking, armed burglary of a dwelling, attempted armed kidnapping, and criminal mischief for breaking into Berenato's home inLutz, Florida.[104][7] Berenato was subsequently granted a temporaryinjunction against "stalking violence".[105] In 2023, Thomas was sentenced to 15 years in prison.[106]
Berenato was arrested inAtlantic City, New Jersey in February 2023 for possessing a firearm without a permit. She was released on a summons for a future court date.[107][108] The charge was resolved in December after she completed a six-month pretrial intervention program.[109]
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