AEW Star Deonna Purrazzo Discusses Mentality Following WWE NXT Release

In April 2020, WWE confirmed that they had released "WWE NXT" star Deonna Purrazzo from her contract. Fast forward to 2024, Purrazzo, known as "The Virtuosa," is now a regular fixture in All Elite Wrestling, and a former three-time Knockouts Champion for TNA (fka Impact Wrestling). During a recent interview with "SHAK Wrestling," Purrazzo reflected back on the series of emotions that preceded her runs in Impact and AEW and followed her departure from WWE. 

"It was different coming into AEW," Purrazzo said. "I was a completely different person than when I started with then Impact Wrestling. I was just off of being released from NXT, kind of not doing anything. Honestly, I was in a really weird personal space that I didn't even know if I wanted to keep wrestling at that point. I just had completely fallen out of love with the only thing I ever loved. So it was a really weird [feeling of] I don't even know who I am anymore. When I spoke to [Impact executive] Scott D'Amore, and this was back in April 2020, we had a really good understanding of the place that I was in. We were just going to feel it out and see how I felt coming in, and if it was going to be long term, then we'd talk later down the road."

Eventually, Purrazzo struck a deal that would bring her to Impact Wrestling, under the condition that she be allowed to present herself as "The Virtuosa" while also maintaining the intellectual property surrounding it. Purrazzo later made her Impact in-ring return in June 2020 by targeting then, and current, Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "SHAK Wrestling" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.