Deonna Purrazzo Has Officially Signed with AEW and Makes Big Debut on Dynamite

AEW hit the ground running in 2024 with a packed episode of Dynamite, and fans who tuned in saw the surprise debut of an Impact Wrestling fan favorite. 2024 is set to be a big year for free agents in the wrestling world, and one of those free agents has now made AEW their home. That free agent is none other than former Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo, who crashed Mariah May’s in-ring debut to let Toni Storm know she will hunt her down. Purrazzo also revealed she is officially All Elite, and while May attacked her, Purrazzo sent her reeling from the ring.

After Purrazzo came to the ring, she said, “Oh Renee, Renee I’m sure you know this, but I’m from New Jersey! And, if Toni Storm doesn’t want to be here, but then trust me, we all don’t want her here either. But Mariah, um, I have a message you can pass along to Miss. Storm. Let her know it doesn’t matter where she runs or where she hides, I will find her. Because Mariah, I am All Elite, and we are in the age of the Virtuosa.”

May wasn’t happy with what she had to say, replying, “Okay, well, Deonna, I’m not the messenger so tell her yourself b****.” May then slapped Purrazzo but Purrazzo then came back with a big kick to the head that knocked May out of the ring and to the floor. 

Purrazzo has been with Impact Wrestling since 2020, and ever since she has become a foundational member of the Knockouts division. Purrazzo is a three-time Knockouts World Champion, with reigns of 98 days, 343 days, and 90 days on her resume. Purrazzo has in the past hoped for a match against Britt Baker, and now as part of AEW, that can actually happen, though she can also face AEW’s deep roster of talented women and any other free agents that might eventually call the promotion home.

In a previous interview with the Gabby AF podcast, Purrazzo addressed her free agency and her contract status. Purrazzo said, “I wish that I knew anything, but I don’t [laughs]. The last couple weeks have been really interesting because obviously, we’ve seen tons of stuff about my contract status come out on social media, and I’ve not really addressed it too much because I don’t really have anything to say yet, and I’ve been able to have some really great conversations with people all across the board.”

While she might be in AEW now, Purrazzo is incredibly appreciative of her time in Impact and says that her three years in the company really changed the trajectory ion her career and people’s perception of her.

“The only thing I can say is, I feel validated, and I feel like the work that I’ve been able to put in at IMPACT has really changed the entire trajectory of my career and the perception of me,” Purrazzo said. “Going into IMPACT, I had, I think my time in NXT deemed me a little bit difficult, a little bit outspoken, a little bit maybe cocky or overconfident, and I think that I’ve been able to rehab that image of myself and show able to show people like, no, I’m a team player,” Purrazzo said.

Yes, of course, I want to be the champion, and I want to be at the top, but I can also be a champion and handle all the responsibilities that come with that,” Purrazzo said. “It’s opened a lot of doors for me going into this free agency. I don’t have an answer. I don’t have any details or anything because I just don’t know yet.”

“There’s a lot of pros and cons to every place that I could go. Also, I will say, my heart is so full for IMPACT that whether I stay or go or whatever the case is going to be, it’s not gonna be an easy decision, no matter what my decision is. To stay is to be with my family,” Purrazzo said. “Obviously, my husband’s there, and I’ve had the time of my life and the career moments of my life there, but also I have to weigh is it time to maybe try to do that somewhere else. So it’s very difficult.” (h/t: Fightful)

Are you excited for Purrazzo being in AEW? Let us know in the comments and as always you can talk all things wrestling with me on Threads @mattaguilarcb!