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Royal Rumble.
It was obvious that when she was walking out at the start of the Royal Rumble, that she wasn't going to be an entrant. She was dressed in a three-piece red suit that was probably her best looking one yet. Though, she did get a lot of praise for her coral one that she wore on Smackdown this past Friday. Since she wasn't going to be participating in the Rumble match itself, she was at least going to make her presence known on the Kickoff panel. She had a few words to say about her Smackdown brand now that Adam Pearce seemed to be missing from this evening's events so far. She wasn't mad about his absence. It just meant she had to take her professional role up a notch, and she had no problem doing that.
The Royal Rumble Kickoff panel was compromised of: Charly Caruso, The King, Booker T, and JBL tonight, so Sonya's appearance was definitely going to brighten up Charly's night by adding another woman to the mix. Sonya sat there, adjusting her suit jacket before they were signaled to be going LIVE.
Charly Caruso: Okay, so the women's match tonight is the one to watch out for. Let's get right to it. We have none other than Sonya Deville who is joining us to help break it all down a little bit. Sonya, you've spent a lot of time with these two women. What are your initial thoughts as they head into this championship match this evening?
Sonya Deville: Uh, first of all, hi, Charles. Hello, everyone. Book, long time no see.
Booker T: What's goin' on girl, how you doing?
Sonya: I'm doing good, how you doin'?
Booker: You're lookin' GOOD.
Sonya: Aw, thanks.
JBL: We got rid of Peter Rosenberg, it's like trading in a dump truck for a Lamborghini.
Charly: Your outfits have been on point lately. I think that everyone has been talking about them lately. A new style.. you just got like a new vibe to you.
Sonya: Yeah, I mean.. a chick in a suit, people like it. It doesn't happen that often, but.. even you have a little something going on with your collar over there. I see the gold chain.. we're kind of like twinning right now. BUT, back to the women's championship match. Sasha Banks.. Carmella.. first of all, I have to say from an unbiased perspective that I've been enjoying the Reginald/Carmella stuff and watching Sasha Banks in the ring with Reginald two weeks ago and beating him.. to me.. is evolutionary; for women and the company as a whole. I think that was awesome.
Booker: I mean.. who can't beat that guy?
Charly: Oh, come on, don't take it away from her.
Sonya: Sasha Banks.. she's seasoned. She.. excels in all that she does in the ring and I.. um.. I'm just gonna say that she's not the only boss in town, though, ya know?
Charly: Okay... and that means what? Are you referring to yourself or are you talking about Carmella?
Sonya: No.. I'm referring to myself. But.. I appreciate what the women are doing, and I'm proud, and I'm excited to see this match. I don't know what's going to happen as much as you guys don't know. But... my money's gonna be on, um.. Carmella.   Charly: Well, what do you guys think about what she just said? Booker? Is your money on Carmella?
Booker: I'm just shocked, because since Carmella came back she's been doin' a whole lotta talkin'. And as far as her in-ring IQ.. I feel like it's well below what Sasha Banks brings to the table. I think it's gonna a good night and a great match. But I think Sasha Banks, The Legit Boss is gonna walk away tonight victorious.
Charly: Alright, Sonya, you've been a delight to have on here. I think you really stirred up the panel here.
Sonya: Thanks, Charles. Thanks, guys.
She steps away from the table and from her co-hosts, out of the spotlight light and started making her way backstage. She knew that she was going to get in trouble for the remarks that she made about Carmella being her pick. Not from anyone else in the locker room, but by her girlfriend. She knew that Sasha would be kind of mad that she didn't pick her to win tonight, but it was all business. And she couldn't exactly show favoritism towards her girlfriend when she was technically her boss. That was an uproar waiting to happen that she wasn't exactly ready to face yet. Even though most of the locker room knew they were in a relationship anyway. So far it hasn't caused any strife between anyone, but they'd only been together for a month now and there was plenty of time for her to slip-up and say something and people would start talking about how Sonya was playing favorites. So, the whole Carmella pick was basically something she said to get people off her back and to make nice.
Getting out of her head, she'd made it backstage at this point and there were a few people waiting around for the start of the show, including the Charlotte & Asuka and Nia & Shayna who had a match coming up soon on the Preshow. Sonya gave them a pep talk, or as best she could, being as though none of those women were on her brand. But, Adam Pearce was gone and usually he'd be the one to do that kind of thing so Sonya had to step in his shoes and take over. She wished them luck and watched them walk out of the curtain when their music hit.
She had a pang in her stomach and her heart, a feeling like she was missing out on something. - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Women's Royal Rumble match had just ended. Bianca Belair won from the number three spot, a really hard spot to win from. But she overcame the odds and everyone backstage was overjoyeous of her win. Coming up from NXT, she deserved the win. It was very emotional for her in the ring but even moreso backstage when everyone else got their chance to congratulate her.
Sonya was due on the panel again so she had to leave the celebration early and head out there and put on her own performance. It was hard, though.. because she really wanted to be one of the women out there fighting for a Wrestlemania spot, but she wasn't. She wondered how long she'd let herself keep this manager role until the fighter instincts in her started to want to tear their way out. She could already feel the claws inside of her stomach poking at her, teasing her, asking her if they can come out and play again. She wanted to give in so bad.. the temptation was brutal. Instead, she put her suit jacket back on and joined the panel.
Charly: Everybody, you know us, we were on the Kickoff panel from earlier this evening. I'm Charly Caruso. We have Sonya Deville, JBL, and Peter Rosenberg. Thanks for being back here with us. Now, a lot has already happened this evening. We just saw Bianca Belair become a bonafide superstar. In fact, it's every Superstars dream to be able to stand in that ring and point to the Wrestlemania sign and she just got to live that dream, and entering at number three!
Sonya: I have to say it. Bianca Belair is a competitor that I can get behind. She goes out there and she talks the talk, she walks the walk, she does exactly what she says she's gonna do. And, on my brand? That's that kind of Superstar I want to get behind.   Peter Rosenberg: I felt downright emotional seeing Bianca in there. This is a dream realized and she's an amazing athlete and an amazing person. That was a Rumble moment.
JBL: It was a Rumble moment and she is now on the scene and on the road to Wrestlemania. I've been in title matches on Wrestlemania and it changes your life forever. It changes the perception of the entire world about you. Now it's up to her to enjoy these next couple of months. The main thing is to win at Wrestlemania.
Charly: Absolutely. Immortalized in sports entertainment history. But, also, gentleman, and also.. our female here, lovely-loving having you out here with us. Uh, I can't speak right now. Anyways..
Sonya: Do I make you nervous?
Charly: We have two women who are now our new tag-team women's champions in Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler. Repeat tag-team champions, if you will. I'm still very interested to know what's going on between Lacey Evans and Ric Flair.. it's a little dicey so we won't get into all that. But, Sonya.. what are your thoughts now on Shayna and Nia becoming repeat tag-team champs?
Sonya: Yeah, I mean, two-time tag-team champions is obviously an accomplishment..
Her words were cut off by R-Truth. And she was kind of thankful for the interruption because she always hated talking about the women's tag-team championships and how other people deserve to have them when she, herself, didn't get to secure them when she was in her own tag-team. It was something that she was still extremely bitter about til this day. Truth was coming to the panel and asking for Rosenberg's seat. He was talking about how shaken up he was about the Rumble and losing his 24/7 7/11 I-97 championship to Alicia Fox. But he got it back. But she was looking at what Rosenberg was doing inside. He was setting Truth up, telling him that his childhood hero John Cena was here while trying to distract him from the fact that he was trying to get the ref over there. When Truth got up to look, Rosenberg gave him a nice lowblow to the balls and pinned him to win the 24/7 championship.
Sonya: Wait, is this happening right now? HERE'S YOUR WINNER AND THE NEW 24/7 CHAMPION PETER ROSENBERG.
Charly: What just.. wait, Peter Rosenberg is our new 24/7 champion. That just happened.
Sonya: My mind is blown. I don't know what I just saw. I'm really confused right now.
JBL: This could be the worst event in wrestling history. Peter Rosenberg is a champion.
Charly: Uh, we might have to treat him a little bit differently on the Kickoff show next time, JBL.
Sonya: I feel your distain right now. I'm with JBL on this one.
Charly: Alright, I think we're at a loss for words right now on the panel, so, Michael Cole.. take it over, please.
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