“The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo is making waves in AEW, but her path to this moment was nearly derailed—and deeply meaningful. In a recent in-depth interview, Purrazzo opened up about her AEW debut, Impact Wrestling run, thoughts on women’s tag team wrestling, and her future goals beyond the ring.
Purrazzo’s AEW debut took place in her home state of New Jersey, a dream scenario that almost didn’t happen. “I didn’t know until Tuesday night when they called me and said, ‘Hey, could you come to Newark, New Jersey tomorrow?’” she recalled. Her family was in attendance for the big moment, making the experience even more emotional.
Addressing speculation surrounding her AEW jump, Purrazzo clarified she acted with full transparency. “I got permission from Scott D’Amore, like, 90 days out,” she explained. “I don’t want to contract tamper… I respect this company so much.” After approval, she spoke with Tony Khan and mapped out a future in AEW.
Looking back, Purrazzo named winning the Knockouts World Title at Slammiversary 2020 as her most pivotal moment. “It was do or die,” she said. “I was proving that chip on my shoulder to be right. Like, watch me now.” She also highlighted her Knockouts Tag Team Championship win with Chelsea Green as deeply personal and validating. “She’s my best friend. That’s what I think it would be like to have a sister.”
Purrazzo revealed that she lives with scoliosis, requiring a tailored approach to injury prevention. “Neck bridges and stuff don’t feel good for me. I do a lot of chiropractic work and range of motion training,” she noted.
While often floated as a possible addition to AEW’s women’s division, Purrazzo gave a candid take on women’s tag wrestling. “I don’t love women’s tag team wrestling… I don’t necessarily think we are trained to have incredible women’s tag matches,” she admitted. However, she acknowledged the potential: “If it creates a meaningful division, yes. But I’d only say yes if we’re getting the opportunity to build real tag teams.”
Looking ahead, Deonna is laying the foundation for life after the ring. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to give wrestling up completely,” she said, expressing interest in becoming a producer. Outside the ring, she’s planning to pursue a Master’s in Political Science and is launching charitable work with husband Steve Maclin via Tunnels to Towers, an organization supporting veterans and first responders.
(h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription)
