AEW/ROH star Deonna Purrazzo appeared on The Velvet Ropes podcast to discuss various topics, including why she has been taking more independent bookings lately, despite being signed to AEW.
Purrazzo said, “I think that being able to roll with each story you’re given or each place you’re given, I’ve tried to not focus so heavily on like, ‘It has to be this.’ Let’s just go with the flow because things are always changing and sometimes you’re not going to be used. I’m not ever out here like, ‘I deserve to be a world champion’, like I just want to be used. Win, lose, draw — good story, that’s all I want.”
She continued, “I think that being able to ride with the ebs and flows of wrestling right now and realize that if my place isn’t to be the world champion or to be on top or be in a main storyline, let me do something. I’ll be in a vignette every week. If there’s not even that — right now, I’ve been able to take a ton of independent bookings and stay consistent in the ring because I also feel like the end of last year, that was something I was lacking. I wasn’t able to get in the ring on TV consistently. So when I was, I was like, ‘Oh my god, I don’t know how to wrestle anymore.’ It just came to a point where I disappointed myself in a match and I disappointed a lot of other people backstage. I had to take a look in the mirror and say, ‘This isn’t The Virtuosa.’ I didn’t give them The Virtuosa with the reputation I’ve been able to build for myself and I really disappointed myself, so what do I need to do in 2025 to make sure that never happens again. That’s why I’ve loaded my schedule with independent bookings.”
Purrazzo added, “That’s how I can control what I can control. If an opportunity was to come up next week to be in a storyline with Mercedes or Toni or whoever it is, I know that I’m ready and I’m in my peak physical condition to get in the ring and do a good job again. That’s kind of where I’m at of like, I just want to do anything and everything. I’m going to make it happen for myself and I’m going to wait for that call and know that when it comes, I’m ready.”
You can check out the complete podcast in the video below.
(H/T to Fightful for transcribing the above quotes)
