Sonya Deville Returns To The Ring, Set For The WWE Royal Rumble
Sonya Deville is now official for the WWE Royal Rumble.
Tonight's Royal Rumble go-home edition of SmackDown on FOX saw Deville make her return to the ring against Naomi. While Deville has been involved in a few matches in recent months, this was her first actual match since losing the No DQ Loser Leaves WWE Match to current WWE NXT Women's Champion Mandy Rose at SummerSlam 2020.
The return match on SmackDown saw Naomi get the win. Deville had tried to intimidate referee Dan Engler into helping her win the match, but he promised to call it down the middle. After the bout, a seething Deville came back out, now with her suit jacket on making her a WWE official once again, and announced that she will be in the Women's Royal Rumble Match on Saturday as a way to get back at Naomi.
Deville tweeted after SmackDown and wrote, "Not. over."
There are now just 7 open spots for the 30-Woman Royal Rumble Match. The updated list of announced entrants now looks like this: Deville, Naomi, SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair, Rhea Ripley, Nikki A.S.H., WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella, WWE Hall of Famer Brie Bella, Shotzi, Natalya, Michelle McCool, WWE 24/7 Champion Dana Brooke, WWE Women's Tag Team Champion Carmella, WWE Women's Tag Team Champion Queen Zelina Vega, Impact Knockouts Champion Mickie James, Tamina Snuka, Kelly Kelly, Aliyah, Summer Rae, Shayna Baszler, WWE Hall of Famer Lita, Liv Morgan, Bianca Belair, Sasha Banks.
The WWE Royal Rumble will take place this Saturday, January 29 from The Dome at America's Center in St. Louis, Missouri. Below is the current announced card, along with shots of Deville vs. Naomi on SmackDown:
30-Man Royal Rumble Match
Johnny Knoxville, Austin Theory, Rey Mysterio, Dominik Mysterio, Montez Ford, Angelo Dawkins, Sheamus, WWE United States Champion Damian Priest, AJ Styles, Big E, Kofi Kingston, Sami Zayn, Madcap Moss, Happy Baron Corbin, Kevin Owens, Omos, Dolph Ziggler, Robert Roode, Randy Orton, Riddle, RAW Tag Team Champion Otis, RAW Tag Team Champion Chad Gable, Ricochet, Rick Boogs, WWE Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura, 5 Superstars TBA
30-Woman Royal Rumble Match
SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair, Rhea Ripley, Nikki A.S.H., WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella, WWE Hall of Famer Brie Bella, Shotzi, Natalya, Michelle McCool, WWE 24/7 Champion Dana Brooke, WWE Women's Tag Team Champion Carmella, WWE Women's Tag Team Champion Queen Zelina Vega, Impact Knockouts Champion Mickie James, Tamina Snuka, Kelly Kelly, Aliyah, Summer Rae, Naomi, Shayna Baszler, WWE Hall of Famer Lita, Liv Morgan, Bianca Belair, Sasha Banks, Sonya Deville, 7 participants TBA
WWE Title Match
Bobby Lashley vs. Brock Lesnar (c)
WWE Universal Title Match
Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns (c)
SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos are banned from ringside.
RAW Women's Title Match
Doudrop vs. Becky Lynch (c)
Mixed Tag Team Match
WWE Hall of Famers Edge and Beth Phoenix vs. The Miz and Maryse
Not. over.
— Daria/Sonya Deville (@SonyaDevilleWWE) January 29, 2022
.@SashaBanksWWE is BACK and ready for #RoyalRumble! 💪 #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/ipAyEVOow0
— WWE (@WWE) January 29, 2022
"I'm going to have to call this match down the middle." 👀#SmackDown @SonyaDevilleWWE @NaomiWWE pic.twitter.com/aEOCFxGBDh
— WWE (@WWE) January 29, 2022
Here👏 We👏 Go👏#SmackDown @SonyaDevilleWWE @NaomiWWE pic.twitter.com/uND9OXtUm1
— WWE (@WWE) January 29, 2022
.@SonyaDevilleWWE has taken over!#SmackDown @NaomiWWE pic.twitter.com/UgrczqlcWk
— WWE (@WWE) January 29, 2022
.@NaomiWWE has been waiting a long time to face off with @SonyaDevilleWWE! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/6maCB8WoeB
— WWE (@WWE) January 29, 2022
GLOW AIRLINES #SmackDown @NaomiWWE pic.twitter.com/cUGOCMrcNg
— WWE (@WWE) January 29, 2022
Vindication for @NaomiWWE!#SmackDown @SonyaDevilleWWE pic.twitter.com/pQy1Y8IHiz
— WWE (@WWE) January 29, 2022
.@SonyaDevilleWWE has put herself in tomorrow night's 30-Woman #RoyalRumble Match! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/p4qwlC47Xa
— WWE (@WWE) January 29, 2022