Sonya Deville Reveals Tough Enough Paycheck Details

Sonya Deville’s journey to WWE superstardom started with a $1,000-a-week paycheck on the sixth season of WWE Tough Enough.

While the show only gave her a brief spotlight before she became the third competitor eliminated, that paycheck—and her determination—set the stage for her wrestling career.

“You get paid while you are on the show weekly,” Sonya shared during an appearance on Trading Secrets. “I don’t remember exactly what it was; I want to say $1,000 a week or something while you are there. Once you are gone, you’re gone.”

For Deville, being eliminated wasn’t the end of the story. She immediately flew home and jumped straight into training the next day. “I called WWE and asked, ‘Where can I train in professional wrestling in LA?’ They gave me a school. I went to the school, and that’s where I trained every single day while blowing up WWE’s email, ‘Hire me. Hire me.'”

Although WWE had assured her they planned to sign her, Sonya wasn’t taking any chances. “They told me as soon as I got eliminated that they were going to hire me, but I didn’t believe them. I was like, ‘I’m going to fly back home, I’m gonna go back to bartending and reality, and the dream is going to be over.’” Her persistence paid off when she received the call three months later, officially starting her WWE journey.

While Josh Bredl and Sara Lee were crowned winners of Tough Enough Season 6, Deville proved that success comes to those willing to work for it. Fellow competitors Mandy Rose and Chelsea Green also went on to make names for themselves in WWE, but Deville’s $1,000-a-week start is a reminder that even small beginnings can lead to big things.

Sonya Deville’s story is proof that grit, determination, and a relentless drive can turn a $1,000-a-week gig into a thriving WWE career. From training nonstop after elimination to blowing up WWE’s inbox, she showed the kind of hustle that dreams are made of. Now a staple of the WWE roster, Sonya’s journey from Tough Enough to the main stage is nothing short of inspiring.