Deonna Purrazzo is one of the most decorated women’s wrestlers in recent years, but according to the former Knockouts World Champion, her “Virtuosa” persona still isn’t connecting with AEW fans the way she hoped.
Speaking on the Muscle Memory podcast, Purrazzo opened up about the creative struggles she’s faced since debuting in AEW, revealing that a lack of character development and consistency has hindered her momentum.
“I think after that is when it got difficult, because we didn’t explain to the AEW audience right away what the word ‘Virtuosa’ meant,” she said. “And I think that’s something I’ve struggled with my entire career.”
While Purrazzo made her name in TNA Wrestling with a dominant run that showcased her technical mastery, she acknowledged that many AEW viewers may not be familiar with that history.
“I didn’t want to neglect the fact that the casual AEW fan might not know who I am and what I’ve done and what I’m about,” she added. “And unfortunately, there just like wasn’t time for it, and we never got to explaining what it meant to be the Virtuosa.”
Frustrated by the lack of storytelling, Purrazzo took matters into her own hands during her feud with Thunder Rosa in the summer of 2024.
“I went and I had a series of three vignettes made on my own, and I produced them… and I gave them to AEW,” she revealed. “And I said, ‘I still don’t think we’ve explained to the audience why they don’t like me.’ But then that was almost a year ago, and we’ve not had, like, consistent follow-up yet.”
For Purrazzo, the solution is clear: “The key with any kind of TV company, televised product right now is just consistency,” she emphasized. “I want them to get to know the Virtuosa. Because I feel like, even though I’m a year and a half in, they still don’t necessarily understand all that I’m about.”
Despite the challenges, Purrazzo remains a major player in AEW and ROH. She’s set to compete in the upcoming tournament to crown the first-ever ROH Women’s Pure Champion, where her submission-based offense will be on full display.
