Tag: Deonna Purrazzo

Deonna Purrazzo Is All Elite, Makes Debut On Dynamite

There is a new face in the AEW women’s division, and her name is Deonna Purrazzo.

The former 3-time Impact Knockouts World Champion appeared on Wednesday’s episode of “AEW Dynamite” to confront Mariah May after May won her in-ring debut against Queen Aminata. The New Jersey audience welcomed their hometown hero with uproarious applause as she strutted to confront May in the ring. Purrazzo played to her home crowd, and claimed that if “Timeless” Toni Storm — who melodramatically expressed her disdain for, and subsequent departure from, New Jersey in an earlier segment — didn’t want to be in New Jersey, then New Jersey did not want Storm.

Purrazzo then turned her attention to May and singled out her affiliation with Storm. She issued a message for May to deliver to her idol.

“It doesn’t matter where she runs or where she hides,” Purrazzo said. “I will find her, because, Mariah, I am All Elite!”

Purrazzo was one of the free agents reported to have hit the market at the beginning of 2024. While she reportedly did briefly discuss a return with WWE, Purrazzo had previously listed AEW as her preferred promotion post-TNA/Impact. Purrazzo has only wrestled one match for AEW, when she competed in a losing effort against Mercedes Martinez in a ROH Women’s Championship match in 2022. But now, in Purrazzo’s own words, AEW is in the age of “The Virtuosa”.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

https://twitter.com/TonyKhan/status/1742729636327354546
https://twitter.com/DeonnaPurrazzo/status/1742928030358728817

Backstage Update On Contract Status Of Impact Wrestling’s Deonna Purrazzo

Another major free agent is on the horizon, with former Impact Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo the latest star to enter free agency soon. 

According to a report from “Fightful Select,” Purrazzo will become a free agent on January 1. As per the report, no deal with Impact has been reached and one of the reasons is because Purrazzo is looking to explore her options with other promotions. Her last date with the promotion is this weekend’s Impact Wrestling Final Resolution tapings in Canada.

Sources that spoke with “Fightful” revealed there are no issues between Purrazzo and Impact Wrestling and the door is open for her return. While there were graphics of her for the Impact to TNA Wrestling name change, she won’t be signing a contract anytime soon because of her interest in exploring her free agency.

Purrazzo joined Impact Wrestling in 2020 after WWE released her in the summer of 2020, which ended her two-year stint with the company. In her time with Impact, she held the Knockouts title three times and was also the Impact Knockouts Tag Team Champion. Purrazzo also became the champion of other promotions while under contract with Impact. She was the ROH Women’s Champion for 115 days, losing the title on the May 4, 2022 episode of “AEW Dynamite” to Mercedes Martinez, and was the AAA Reina de Reinas Champion for 252 days.

Earlier this year, Purrazzo stated that she would be open to a return to WWE despite her first run leaving her with a bitter taste.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Top IMPACT Star Deonna Purrazzo Comments On AEW Debut On Next Week’s Dynamite

ROH Women’s World Champion and IMPACT star Deonna Purrazzo will be making her AEW debut on next week’s Dynamite.

It was announced on last night’s Dynamite that Purrazzo will wrestle ROH Women’s Interim World Champion Mercedes Martinez.

Purrazzo has reacted to the announcement via Twitter, as seen below.

Purrazzo and Martinez also engaged in a Twitter interaction later.

Ever since AEW President Tony Khan purchased Ring of Honor last month, Purrazzo has been teasing her arrival on AEW TV.

Last October, Purrazzo explained why she was eager to wrestle against or tag with Dr. Britt Baker, her best friend in real life.

“To have that crossover with women and possibly wrestle someone like Britt or tag with someone like Britt, who is my best friend in real life,” Purrazzo told  Busted Open Radio. “It would just be very special for us, I think as friends, but for women’s wrestling too. And that’s the whole point of all this. It’s to grow and evolve women’s wrestling. We haven’t had a lot of those firsts yet, so any time you can kind of get your hands on that and claim it as your own, I think it’s important these days.”

For what it’s worth, Purrazzo signed a contract with IMPACT Wrestling in October 2020. At the time, Josh Mathews revealed via Impact Press Pass that Purrazzo had agreed to a long-term deal with the company.

Deonna Purrazzo lost the AAA Reina de Reinas Championship to Taya Valkyrie at Saturday’s Rebellion pay-per-view.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Deonna Purrazzo’s Opponent (Melina) For NWA Empower Revealed On Impact

Impact Wrestling’s Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo will defend her championship against former ex-WWE Superstar Melina at NWA Empower on Saturday, August 28.

Last night, on Impact Wrestling, Purrazzo and Matthew Rehwoldt came to the ring to celebrate their King and Queen Tournament victory from Homecoming. Just as Purrazzo was listing off her accolades since joining Impact, Mickie James came down to the ring and brought a contract in hand. Several weeks ago, James and Purrazzo made a handshake agreement that Purrazzo would attend NWA Empower later this month. James wanted to make it official.

Before “The Virtuosa” signed on the dotted line, she wanted to know who exactly her opponent was going to be. Lucky for Purrazzo, James brought Melina with her to the Impact Zone. As Purrazzo and Melina signed their half the contract, Melina guaranteed she’ll win the title the same way Purrazzo won her’s the first time around- in her first title request against Jordynne Grace at Slammiversary last year.

Melina made her NWA debut in November 2019. One month later, at Into The Fire, she made her in-ring debut teaming with Marti Belle. They took on and lost to former NWA Women’s Champion Allysin Kay and ODB. Since then, she has teamed with another former NWA Women’s Champion and current AEW star, Thunder Rosa, and recently fought against Kylie Rae back in June.

Currently, Purrazzo is on her second reign as the Knockouts Champion. Her first reign came at Slammiversary of last year against Jordynne Grace. This was the first title opportunity she received after making her first appearance with the company last summer. She lost the title to Su Yung at Bound For Glory last October but made up for it when she beat Yung at Turning Point to regain the title back. Purrazzo’s last title defense was against Thunder Rosa at Slammiversary.

Before she meets Melina, Purrazzo will face Faby Apache in a Champion versus Champion match for both the AAA Reina de Reinas and Impact Knockouts Championship at Triplemanía XXIX next Saturday. This could change the landscape of who faces Melina in a few weeks.

Below is the updated card for NWA Empower:

NWA Women’s World Championship:

Kamille (c) vs. AEW’s Lelya Hirsch

NWA Women’s World Tag Team Championship (Vacant):

TBA vs. TBA

Impact Wrestling Knockouts Championship:

Deonna Purrazzo or Faby Apache (c) vs. Melina

Chelsea Green vs. TBA (NWA Women’s Invitational Cup Finals)

NWA Empower will be available exclusively on Saturday, August 28, on FITE TV.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Deonna Purrazzo Heading To Impact Wrestling Following Release From WWE

Deonna Purrazzo didn’t waste time landing in a new promotion following her WWE release, as the former NXT wrestler was shown in a vignette this week on Impact.

The video begins with Purrazzo introducing herself as “The Virtuosa,” followed by her explaining what that means. No word at this time on if Deonna has signed a full-time deal with Impact.

As you’ll recall, the 25-year-old was released in April amidst cost cutting measures in WWE. She, as well as others in NXT like Taynari Conti and Cezar Boni, were quietly let go.

Watch the video shown on Impact below.

https://twitter.com/IMPACTWRESTLING/status/1265453684172996609

Deonna Purrazzo Reportedly Signs WWE Deal

deonna purrazzo wwe nxt deal mae young classic two roh all in

WWE has reportedly signed Deonna Purrazzo to a deal and the popular independent wrestler will apparently report for duty at the Performance Center in a few weeks.

Squared Circle Sirens first reported that the 23-year-old inked a contract. PWInsider also claims it to be true.

Purrazzo has competed in ROH, ECWA, SHIMMER, and STARDOM. She also wrestled on a few episodes of NXT and was an alternate in the first Mae Young Classic.

It’s worth noting that Deonna has been announced for All In on September 1. The second Mae Young Classic, however, will seemingly tape in August. One might imagine she’d be a competitor.

Io Shirai and Keith Lee are also rumored to have signed WWE deals.

https://twitter.com/DeonnaPurrazzo/status/1001181523482234880

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet