Deonna Purrazzo Reveals Former AEW Champion Helped Get Her Signed to AEW

Deonna Purrazzo is All Elite. The Virtuosa made her official AEW debut on the first AEW Dynamite of the new year, confronting Mariah May moments after May won her debut singles match. Purrazzo declared that she has her sights set on AEW Women’s Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm, establishing an all-too-familiar goal of gold for herself. Prior to joining AEW, Purrazzo was a featured player on Impact Wrestling (now known as TNA Wrestling), having her most successful run there from 2020 until 2023. She captured the Impact Knockouts Championship on three occasions and reigned with the Impact Knockouts Tag Titles once with Chelsea Green. 

Britt Baker Helped Deonna Purrazzo Land With AEW

The Virtuosa knew it was time.

“I knew my contract was coming up with Impact, and I felt like, if it was time to leave, it would be now,” Purrazzo said on Talk is Jericho. “If this was the territories, now would be the time to leave.”

Purrazzo went into 2024 as one of wrestling’s hottest free agents. While there was likely going to be interest from WWE, Purrazzo had her sights set on AEW from the jump.

“Britt Baker actually connected me with Tony Khan and we got to talking,” Purrazzo continued. “I knew the first Dynamite of the new year was going to be in New Jersey, that’s where I’m from, so I was like, ‘That would be a dream scenario. Dream come true if we could do that,’ and it all worked out.”

Purrazzo has been hot-shotted to a headlining program with AEW Women’s Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm, her first AEW feud. Purrazzo is no stranger to competing for gold, as much of her time in Impact revolved around that company’s women’s division’s prizes.

“I was the champion for a very long time in IMPACT. I got to work with all of the women that were in the locker room, and it was like, ‘What other stories are there to tell?’” Purrazzo added. “Everyone has kind of put me over at that point. I’ve beaten everybody. They kind of figured maybe I was on my way out, so I got to do the favors and put everyone else over on my way out. There was no one new coming in that I could work with. I don’t know what else there is to tell here.”

Purrazzo takes on Anna Jay tonight on AEW Dynamite, airing at 8 PM ET on TBS.