At the start of 2025, Deonna Purrazzo competed in some high-profile matches for All Elite Wrestling, including a singles bout against former AEW Women's Champion Toni Storm and a four-way TBS Championship eliminator. Now at the end of the year, Purrazzo is a regular fixture in Ring of Honor, with the brand new ROH Pure Women's Championship strapped around her waist. In between, though, came a rough stretch of time for Purrazzo, one that admittedly left her questioning her place in the professional wrestling industry, and at times, absent from in-ring competition.
During an interview with "Gabby AF," Purrazzo opened up about the rocky months that preceded her ROH title win, which materialized at Final Battle. "I've really had to go back to my roots and go back to the indies because I felt like I wasn't getting enough reps," Purrazzo said. "And when I was getting reps, I wasn't confident in myself and I wasn't putting out the best version of The Virtuosa that I could. I just think throughout the year I've really had to grind and mow around in the s*** so I can get to the top.
"It was a really defeating year in terms of is there a place for The Virtuosa in this new wrestling landscape, in this new company," she continued. "I think that the Pure Women's Championship is definitely my style of wrestling. Ring of Honor is my heart and my soul, so to see where this women's division is, and now to be a part of leading it, is really special and has made all of the trials and tribulations this year, the doubt, the worry, and the insecurity worth it."
From March until August, Purrazzo's presence on AEW-ROH programming ranged from nonexistent to limited, with only a handful of matches making it to the air. After resurfacing at ROH Death Before Dishonor on August 29, however, Purrazzo's presence noticeably increased, culminating with her win in the finals of the ROH Pure Women's Championship tournamenton December 5.
According to Purrazzo, her championship victory came as a surprise to her, especially considering that her semi-finals opponent would have been Queen Aminata, who was heavily involved in "AEW Dynamite" and "AEW Collision" storylines at the time. As such, Purrazzo initially believed that Aminata was a shoo-in for the Pure Championship tournament finals. Instead, a neck injury forced Aminata to forfeit her semi-finals match, which meant that Purrazzo would automatically advance to the finals against Billie Starkz.
Regardless of the circumstances surrounding her path to the title, Purrazzo remains grateful for the opportunity to cap off her 2025 on a high note, and perhaps more importantly, in a place she's loved for over a decade.
"I said it after I won the title, I've been a part of this company for 10 years in some way, shape or form," she said. "I am a former Ring of Honor Women's World Champion. There was at one point back in like 2020 that I really didn't think going to Ring of Honor would ever be a possibility for me again. And so I think that to come full circle, and now be the first ever Pure Women's Champion is something that I think I define what this title means in my style of wrestling and how I've adapted it through the years. Again, it was just kind of the perfect way to end what I might call a really crappy year."
As of writing, Purrazzo has yet to defend her ROH Women's Pure Championship, though she has recently scored a tag team victory over Billie Starkz and Diamante on "ROH on HonorClub." "The Virtuosa" is reportedly signed to AEW-ROH through 2026.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Gabby AF" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
