Hotseat: Deonna Purrazzo
MARVEL STUDIOS' BLOCKBUSTER film, Spider-Man: No Way Home, helped popularize the concept of the “multiverse,” and the potential for cosmic forces to somehow bring different worlds together so that three versions of Spidey could share the same movie screen.
Deonna Purrazzo has been living a version of that fantasy over the last year. But, in her story, she beat the other two Spider-Men for their championships. Two years after arriving at IMPACT following a disappointing stint in WWE, the self-professed “Virtuosa” has not only solidified herself as one of the biggest stars of the Anthem Sports & Entertainment-owned wrestling company, but has also conquered other promotions along the way.
But for a three-week stretch, she wore the IMPACT Knockouts title for 15 straight months until losing it to Mickie James in November, defending it against all challengers—including wrestling legends like Jazz, ODB, and NWA star Melina. In August, Purrazzo traveled to Mexico to win the prestigious AAA Reina de Reinas championship, which she still holds at press time. And, if that wasn’t enough, on January 9, Purrazzo defeated Rok-C in a title-vs-title match to pick up the Ring of Honor Women’s World championship.
Purrazzo’s success can be attributed to her wrestling proficiency, which has earned her a reputation as one of the best technicians in the sport, regardless of gender. It’s also a testament to a support system of equally talented and hungry competitors, including best friends Britt Baker and Chelsea Green, and the knowledgeable veteran wrestlers working behind the scenes at IMPACT.
Despite all her accomplishments, the New Jersey native is far from done making history—and is even making plans to teach it. More than once, Purrazzo brought up her ambitious “bucket list” in this recent conversation with PWI Senior Writer Al Castle.
Why don’t we talk about the most timely thing: you winning the Ring of Honor championship? I know you’ve got a long history with Ring of Honor. So, is this
