Sonya Devilles WWE SummerSlam 2020 storyline was headed toward a shocking climax. She was booked to lose a Hair vs. Hair match to Mandy Rose and return with a completely new look and gimmick. But just days before the big show, her real life turned into a nightmareand it changed everything.
Speaking with CJ Perry on Identity Crisis, Sonya laid out exactly how the attempted kidnapping and break-in at her home derailed not only her SummerSlam angle but also the momentum shed spent years building.
She revealed that she was originally supposed to lose the Hair vs. Hair match and return to TV with a shaved head and a hard reset:
But given the trauma shed just experienced, Sonya knew shaving her head didnt feel right. So she pitched something elsesomething no one expected.
Vince McMahon was completely into iteven if his reaction was very Vince:
The original plan was for Sonya to win the SummerSlam match. But she actually went to Vince and Bruce Prichard to pitch herself to losebelieving Mandy needed the babyface win and that her new character would take her to the next level:
Thats when things completely fell apart. The plan was for Sonya to return right after SummerSlam, but WWE went silent.
Sonya admitted she felt like the company was finally getting behind her. She had support from the fans, confidence on the mic, and creative momentum:
After months away, she pitched the GM characterbut even that was born out of her own initiative. She walked into Vinces office with no storylinejust a suit and an idea.
It was her creativity that got her back on TVnot a long-term creative plan. In hindsight, Sonya believes asking to lose at SummerSlam may have been a mistake:
From her pitch to swing from the metaphorical chandelier to being left off TV with no follow-up, Sonya Devilles SummerSlam story isnt just about a matchits about what could have been one of WWEs most memorable reinventions that never happened.
Are you surprised WWE never followed through with Sonyas schizophrenic character pitch after SummerSlam? Should they have handled her return differently? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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