On the Lightweights podcast with Joe Vulpis, “The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo shared insights into how her AEW debut almost didn’t happen as planned, her cherished memories from her time in TNA (formerly Impact Wrestling), her thoughts on the women’s division, and her aspirations beyond the squared circle.
Her AEW debut was a “dream come true scenario,” especially as it unfolded in her home state. “It’s my debut, for sure,” Purrazzo said, identifying her favorite AEW moment so far. “Being in Jersey, my dad and my stepmom were there, and my in-laws were there. When I knew I was gonna sign, I spoke to Tony Khan, and was like, ‘Just so you know, the first Dynamite is in New Jersey for the new year.’ He was like, ‘Oh, that’d be cool.’ I was like, ‘Just putting it out there, but that’s like a dream come true scenario for me.'” Despite her hopes, the confirmation came down to the wire. “I didn’t know until Tuesday night when they called me, and said, ‘Hey, could you come to Newark, New Jersey tomorrow?’ I was like, I’ve been waiting for this phone call my whole life. Yes, that was gonna happen. I wanted it to be planned that way, but they didn’t plan it that way until the last minute.”
Addressing misconceptions about her journey to AEW, Purrazzo detailed the professional approach she took as her TNA contract neared its end. “I’ve talked openly about talking to AEW while I was ending my Impact contract. I got permission from Scott D’Amore, like, 90 days out, so the beginning of October,” she explained. Respectful of her then-employer, she sought guidance: “‘Hey, you have not spoken to me about renewing my contract. Is it okay? I don’t know anything about contract tampering. I don’t want to contract tamper. I don’t want to do anything the wrong way. I respect you. I respect this company so much. Tell me the right way to go about this.’ He was like, ‘Absolutely. You’re not talking about starting between October and January 1. You’re talking about starting January 1, when you would technically be free. So go talk to whoever you want to talk to.'” This clearance led to productive discussions. “I was able to connect with Tony Khan and get on a zoom call and kind of talk about ideas and what I was looking for and what he was looking for in early December.”
Reflecting on her impactful run in TNA, Purrazzo pinpointed a pivotal moment: “Winning the Knockouts World Championship for the first time at Slammiversary 2020.” She elaborated on its significance, stating, “Leaving NXT, I made such a stink about how I thought I wasn’t used properly and I had more to offer the NXT Women’s Division at the time, and how negatively that affected me. So going into Impact and immediately winning the Knockouts World Championship, I felt like that was do or die for me. I had to deliver. I was also proving the chip on my shoulder to be right. Like, watch me now.” Another cherished memory was “winning the tag team championships with Chelsea Green,” which she described as being “in that same vein of like, this is validation for us, a moment where it meant so much more than winning a championship. It was personal.”
Her bond with Chelsea Green remains a cornerstone of her personal life. “She’s my best friend,” Purrazzo shared. “I don’t have a sister. I only have my brother. Chelsea has a sister. I don’t know what it’s like to have a sister, and I always tell everybody, like, that’s what I think it would be like to have a sister, is my relationship with Chelsea.”
Purrazzo also opened up about managing a lifelong physical condition. “I have scoliosis, so my neck has a slight curve to it. From childhood I have had bulging discs and stuff I’ve just had to work through my whole life,” she revealed. This requires a specific approach to her physical well-being. “I just have to be aware of those potential injuries. A lot of people like to do neck bridges and stuff like that. That doesn’t feel good for me. So for me, I do a lot of chiropractic work. I do a lot of range of motion stuff with him, and that helps manage my scoliosis and potential injuries way more than traditional neck strengthening things for wrestling.”
Regarding the potential for AEW Women’s Tag Team Championships, Purrazzo offered a nuanced perspective. “I go back and forth on this all of the time. I don’t love women’s tag team wrestling. It’s just not something I have a great grasp on, and I think that is for a lot of women,” she admitted. “I don’t necessarily think we are trained to have incredible women’s tag team wrestling matches.” However, she sees the potential if approached correctly. “If we got more experience with a particular tag team partner, like, I think that you need chemistry with a partner. It’s really important to develop a relationship with somebody and tell the audience why you’re in a tag team.” She contrasted meaningful pairings with randomly assembled teams, stating, “If you were just thrown into a tag team…There’s no substance to it. There’s no rhyme or reason to it…I feel like women don’t get the time to tell those stories and develop those relationships, so that’s why I say no.”
Despite her reservations, she acknowledged the upside: “On the flip side, I think it creates so many opportunities for women, a completely new division for women, and particularly in AEW, there’s so many women right now.” Citing examples like Willow Nightingale & Kris Statlander and Skye Blue & Julia Hart, she added, “If we could do that with any of the girls that aren’t going to be in a world championship title picture and create a women’s tag team title division, I think it would create amazing opportunities for us, but I’d only say yes if we’re getting the opportunity to create meaningful tag teams.”
Looking to the future, Purrazzo envisions a continued role in wrestling, even beyond her in-ring career. “Absolutely,” she affirmed when asked about working behind the scenes. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to give wrestling up completely. I think that through all of my experiences, and every company I’ve worked with, and the body of work I’ve created, I think I have a lot more to give to a younger generation coming in. I would love to be a producer and help put matches together and things like that.”
Her ambitions extend outside the wrestling world as well. “I’m hoping to get my Master’s in political science. I’m so excited about it,” she shared. Additionally, “Steve (Maclin) and I are in the beginning stages of working with Tunnel to Towers, which is like a first responder and veteran’s organization, which obviously is really close to our heart because Steve is a veteran. So we’re just trying to work on those outside goals and what we want post wrestling for our family.”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit The Lightweights podcast with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
