Daria Berenato (September 24, 1993) is an American judoka, mixed martial artist, and professional wrestler currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) on the Raw brand under the ring name Sonya Deville.
Under her real name, Berenato joined the 2015 season of Tough Enough where she was the eleventh eliminated. In October, 2015, Berenato signed a contract with WWE, and was assigned to their Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.
Professional wrestling career
World Wrestling Entertainment
Tough Enough (2015)
In June 2015, Berenato was announced as one of the thirteen finalists for the sixth season of the WWE competition Tough Enough. But she was the eleventh eliminated from the competition.
NXT (2015–2017)
In October 28, 2015, it was announced that Berenato had signed a contract with WWE, and was assigned to their developmental territory WWE NXT, to begin training. She made her in-ring debut at the December 30 live event in NXT against Nia Jax, where she lost. Under her real name, Berenato made her first televised appearance and in–ring debut on the August 17 episode of NXT, where she competed in a six-woman tag team match along with Mandy Rose, and Alexa Bliss, in which they were defeated by Carmella, Liv Morgan, and Nikki Cross.
Raw (2017-2018)
On the November 20, 2017, episode of Raw, Deville joined Mandy Rose and the returning Paige as they attacked Sasha Banks, Bayley, Mickie James and Raw Women's Champion Alexa Bliss, thus establishing herself as a heel in the process. A week later, the trio's name was revealed as Absolution. Deville had her first televised match on the main roster at Tribute to the Troops on December 19, where she won a six-women tag match along with Mandy and Paige defeating Bayley, Mickie James and Sasha Banks. Deville and the rest of Absolution revealed on the January 1, 2018 edition of Raw that they will be in the women's 2018 Royal Rumble match. On the January 16 edition of Raw, Deville picked up a major victory when she defeated four time Raw Women's Champion Sasha Banks. On Raw's 25th anniversary (January 22), Deville, Rose, Nia Jax and Alicia Fox was defeated by Asuka, Sasha Banks, Bayley and Mickie James after Banks made Fox submit. At the Royal Rumble, Deville entered at Number 10. She eliminated Torrie Wilson before getting eliminated by Michelle McCool. On the February 5th episode of Raw, Raw General Manager, Kurt Angle announced the participants of the first ever Women's Elimination Chamber match, with Deville and Rose being announced as participants. At Elimination Chamber, Deville was the second woman eliminated by James.
During the WrestleMania 34 preshow Sonya participated in the 20-woman Battle Royal ultimately won by Naomi.
Smackdown (2018-2020)
During the 2018 WWE 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. Throughout the summer, Deville would continue her alliance with Rose as the two remained a tag team and competed in various singles and tag team matches. On October 28, Deville also took part of the first ever all women's pay-per-view, Evolution, competing in a battle royal match where she was eliminated by Rose. In November, it was announced that Deville will take part of Team Smackdown for the upcoming traditional five-on-five elimination match at Survivor Series. In her first appearance at the event, Deville was one of the final two women of the team alongside Asuka, but she was eliminated via count out after a brawl with Bayley outside the ring. On January 27, 2019, at the Royal 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. On February 17, Deville and Rose competed in a six-team Elimination Chamber match for the inaugural WWE Women's Tag Team Championship at the namesake pay-per-view, where they were the last team eliminated by the eventual winners Sasha Banks and Bayley.
Shortly after Fastlane, the dissolution angle between Deville and Rose was once again portrayed as both accidentally cost each other matches against SmackDown Women's Champion Asuka. Both Deville and Rose competed in the second WrestleMania Women's Battle Royal during the WrestleMania 35 pre-show, however, they were one of the last competitors eliminated from the match. In May, Deville and Rose were given the opportunity to choose between each other who would be the last competitor for the Money in the Bank ladder match at the namesake pay-per-view on May 19.
Singles competition and non-wrestling role (2020–2022)
After Rose entered a storyline love triangle with Otis and Dolph Ziggler in 2020, it was revealed on the April 3 episode of SmackDown that Deville was working with Ziggler to keep Otis from Rose. Deville then accompanied Ziggler to his match against Otis at WrestleMania 36 on April 5, during which she was attacked by Rose, who aligned herself with Otis. Later that month, Deville called Rose out to brand her selfish, vow to "ruin Rose's life", and attack her. On the May 22 episode of SmackDown, Deville and Ziggler defeated Otis and Rose in a tag team match. In July, Deville attacked Rose backstage and proceeded to cut her hair. The two were originally scheduled to compete in a hair vs. hair match at SummerSlam, 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 a No Disqualification Loser Leaves WWE match. Deville lost the match to Rose at the event in August. She began a hiatus after the defeat.
On SmackDown on January 1, 2021, Deville returned to WWE in her first appearance since August 2020, and was announced as having been reinstated. She then became the assistant to on-screen authority figure Adam Pearce on the SmackDown brand. She later also began to appear on the Raw brand and making executive decisions herself, such as reinstating Charlotte Flair after Pearce had suspended Flair, and then adding Flair to the Raw Women's Championship match at WrestleMania Backlash.
Personal life
Berenato is friends with Maria Menounos and Mandy Rose. She is openly gay.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Square-Up Kick (Step-up enzuigiri)
- Kimura
- Hellevator
- Signature moves
- Body scissors
- Clothesline, sometimes to an oncoming opponent
- Sliding knee strike, to the back of a seated opponent
- Repeated shoot kicks to the midsection of a cornered opponent
- Repeated Crossface Blows
- Spinebuster
- Striking spear, sometimes to an oncoming opponent
- Triangle Armbar
- Gutwrench Suplex
- Tag teams and stables
- Absolution (w/ Paige & Mandy Rose)
- Fire and Desire (w/ Mandy Rose)
- Chelsea Green & Sonya Deville
- Pure Fusion Collective
- Nicknames
- "The Jersey Devil"
Championships and accomplishments
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI ranked her #72 in the 2018 PWI Top 100 Females
- PWI ranked her #60 in the 2019 PWI Top 100 Females
