Deonna Purrazzo spent the better part of the last four years with a chip on her shoulder. The WWE release was the spark that lit a fire under “The Virtuosa,,” She knew her worth and what she was capable of. It was just about finding the right place that would give her the opportunity to show it. Enter TNA. The company provided the technical marvel to shine in the biggest of spotlights within their environment, even headlining shows.
After achieving all the milestones in TNA, Purrazzo felt the time was right to spread her wings further. The free agent was a hot commodity given the body of work she amassed and the reputation she earned. All Elite Wrestling became the landing spot at the start of 2024.
“Walking into any locker room new to you or in a new environment is scary because you’re not comfortable,” she said. “I was in TNA Impact Wrestling for three-and-a-half years, so that was my home. My husband was there. Some of my best friends were there. I got to know everyone on such a personal and intimate level working with them for that long.”
Making the leap was not easy for Purrazzo given the bonds she formed in TNA. However, in the last six months, she has been happy to establish a new relationship with the ladies of the AEW roster, many of whom she has never met or wrestled before.
“I think it has been super positive,” Purrazzo said. “I’ve put my best foot forward with this new company and working with brand new people and telling new stories. I was scared but equally excited.”
The new digs mean adjusting to a new schedule, which isn’t easy when your husband Steve Maclin works for a different company. For Purrazz, the couple has been finding their footing slowly but surely.
“It has been about adjusting when we get to see each other and making those moments special, allowing time for date night or his birthday is this weekend, so celebrating his birthday,” Purrazzo added. “Making those moments special because right now they are far and few between.”
The young veteran finds similarities between the TNA and AEW locker room. One thing that has helped the transition is having the support of real-life best friends like Madison Rayne. Someone who has been in Purrazzo’s shoes. One backstage reunion she looks forward to is Britt Baker.
“It has been interesting because I think in our mind we always envisioned us being there at the same time and doing it together,” she said. “That has not been the case for the last six months, so I’m very excited for whenever Brit comes back and I get to work with her on this kind of level because we never have before. Also, I want to see how she can reinvent herself and what she can do because she is one of the OG girls and has been there since Day 1 as the first woman signed.
“To hear her thoughts and take on the way the division has grown and the potential she sees for the future is interesting. It’s some of the same things I want for our division. It will be fun to work together and achieve that.”
Purrazzo looks back to meeting Baker and another good friend Chelsea Green for the first time at age 19 or 20. To see their journeys and how far they’ve come brings a smile to her face.
“I think at the end of the day we were so fortunate because we got what we wanted out of this. There is still so much we want and left to achieve,” Purrazzo said. “We were 20-year-old girls with these big dreams to take over this industry and change this industry and be world champions and we’ve done that. And somehow through the BS of this industry stayed best friends and positive. If there is anything I want for Chelsea Green and Britt Baker is to be equally or more successful for me. Or Karen Q or Tasha Steelz.
“I’ve been able to cultivate this really tight-knit group of girls who have been there at the beginning of my career and that I consider my family. I don’t have a sister, but if I did it would be Chelsea Green. That is what our relationship is like. To watch her on Monday nights or Friday nights and thrive and do what Chelsea does best is more fulfilling than anything I can do for myself. I know the work she has put into this and what it means to her. I thrive when my friends thrive. To see them do that the last five or six years has been really fulfilling for me.”
For Purrazzo, the AEW women’s division is thriving and finding newfound attention. This could be attributed to herself and the major signing of Mercedes Mone. At the time of the interview, Purrazzo was excited to be part of her first Double or Nothing weekend with Mone battling Willow Nightingale for the AEW TBS championship, as well as “Timeless” Toni Storm defending against Serena Deeb. The fact that there are two big matches on the card is not lost on her. Between those matches and other stories being told including what she is doing with Thunder Rosa, Purrazzo can see the momentum building. Rosa and Purrazzo were just announced to face off at the Double or Nothing Zero Hour.
“I think for myself when a woman comes in and says, ‘This is what I want. These are my terms.’ And then gets it, and then does great business for other women to come thereafter. To watch her thrive in the way she is,” Purrazzo said of Mone. “She is about to get in the ring and I know so many people have been looking forward to watching her wrestle again, I’m one of those people.”
Purrazzo has high hopes for Forbidden Door to come thereafter. She is even dreaming of booking a rematch against Stardom’s Mayu Iwatani. At the same time, the star can see a wealth of possibilities for opponents and the future of the women’s division. With that in mind, Purrazzo would love to see a tag division if rolled out the proper way. When those stars align, there is even a partner in mind.
“I think the most logical answer is Britt. I don’t know if we can have a different rendition of VXT in AEW or what that looks like,” she said. “Coming from a division that has or still has a world tag team championship, it is interesting because I think more opportunities for women is amazing. I don’t think it is something you can introduce and say, “Here is the women’s tag team championship because you wanted it and gave it to you. I think there is a long process of developing real teams and having people have partnerships that are meaningful and long-lasting, especially for women. I think it’s easy to throw girls in there and say you’re a tag team. That hinders women’s tag team division a whole bunch.
“It takes time to build chemistry. A relationship that then you can feel through the screen. I think if there was going to be AEW women’s tag team championship, I would like to see it far out and see our tag division really cultivated and the relationship truly formed. Then maybe there is a tournament to solidify who would wrestle for the titles or who would become champion. Something more with long-term storytelling and a large format instead of just, ‘You asked for it, here it is.'”
If you’re a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, you could argue Purrazzo as the example. Losing her job at WWE was eye-opening not just the pro wrestling side but life in general.
“It was a scary realization of not having anything else and no backup plan. That’s why I chose to go to school. One, if I’m not going to wrestle anymore I need a college degree to get a job. Two, if I do continue to wrestle I need an outlet that isn’t related to wrestling at all. When I was doing my school work I got a bachelor’s in history. My capstone was 25 pages. I don’t have time to pick up the phone to scroll through Twitter and look at what is happening in the wrestling world right now.
“I had to dive into it one hundred percent if I wanted to accomplish it. It was just another roulette for me not to have my heart and soul into wrestling because I felt that destroyed m
e at one point. And if I was going to learn from my mistakes and be better this time around like at Impact when I was able to let wrestling go a little bit and have it not control me 24/7. For me, that outlet was school.”
Check out AEW Double or Nothing on May 26 at 8 p.m. on TrillerTV.
