Deonna Purrazzo is speaking openlyand painfullyabout the body shaming she went through after arriving in AEW, and this time shes laying it all out in her own words.
In a new interview on Gabby AF, the AEW star was asked how she handles online negativity now that shes in a healthier mental space. That question led Purrazzo to revisit the intense bodyshaming she endured when she first debuted in AEWand why it changed her life far beyond the ring.
Purrazzo explained that while anonymous trolls are easy to dismiss on paper, the nonstop repetition made the abuse impossible to escape.
Purrazzo said the real harm wasnt just seeing the commentsit was how they lingered in her mind.
Purrazzo revealed that when she first arrived in AEW, the backlash became so severe that the company had to turn off comments on one of her posts. What hurt most was that fans ignored the wrestling entirely.
Deonna Purrazzo explained that the backlash hit her immediately, and relentlessly as she couldnt even sleep that night.
She added that although some online trolls are easier to ignore, the constant wave of cruel messages eventually infiltrated her thoughts.
Purrazzo admitted the emotional toll was so heavy, it almost derailed her career before it could begin.
Today, the ROH Womens Pure Champion is in a better placethanks to therapy, support from her partner, and setting boundaries with social media. But she made it clear that the impact of that period still lingers.
And in a touching gesture, Purrazzo offered her voice and empathy to anyone going through something similar.
Purrazzos honesty is a much-needed reminder that behind every wrestling character is a human being dealing with real pain. Her strength in speaking out not only reclaims her storyit gives others permission to do the same.
What do you think about the way wrestling fans interact with talent online? Should promotions do more to protect wrestlers from harassment? Drop your thoughts below and lets keep the conversation going.
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