Deonna Purrazzo Discusses NXT Tryout, Working For ROH And TNA, More

– Deonna Purrazzo spoke with Wrestling Inc for a new interview. Some highlights are below:

On if she has any crazy Rip Rogers stories: “Oh, you have no idea (laughs). I’ve known him for about three years, but the first time I met him in person is probably my favorite. Damian and I picked him up from the airport, and it was just him. We were like ‘do you have any bags?’ and he said ‘no, I’m good.’ He had his fanny pack and that’s it. I went to shake his hand and he gave me this stink eye and said ‘so you think you’re tough, huh?’ and just walked away! I was like, ‘okay! I guess this is how this is going to go!.”

On what made her want to become a pro wrestler: “I knew when I was 9 I wanted to become a pro wrestler. I have a twin, his name is Dominic. All his friends came over and watched wrestling. I’ve always kind of been around it my whole life, but when I was 9, I saw Stone Cold hit someone with a steel chair and I was hooked instantly. I saw the women do it, Trish and Lita, Jacqueline, Victoria and I knew I wanted to do that.”

On the evolution of women’s wrestling: “I’ve actually gotten a chance to tell Bayley this, I can still resonate with the stories they told through the NXT Takeovers, and the Four Horsewomen and the revolution. It really inspires me. In part, I guess I have something to do with it, but on WWE’s level, stirring up the news, I feel accomplished and empowered. I’m so happy that girls that had the same dream as me have had the chance to see those dreams. Now meeting them and getting to wrestle at the same level as them, my dreams are coming true through them.”

On how her first NXT appearance came about: “It was so out of nowhere! I feel like that’s the theme of my career so far. I had no idea I was going until 14 hours before I got on a plane. They asked me if I could be in Orlando and I said ‘No problem, I’m there.’ I had no idea if I was going to wrestle or who it would be against. Another one of my trainers is Shawn Bennett, who is one of the refs down there, so I had some familiar faces and people I knew from being a Rosebud and stuff. It wasn’t uncomfortable, it was that weird anticipation of this is where it starts if something happens to me. It was fun to be at Full Sail with NXT.”

On if she makes an effort to try to be as visible as possible: “Yeah, I think that’s the whole point of being a wrestler – you don’t want to limit yourself. I was lucky to be taught that early on. In TNA when I did the Knockouts PPV with Brooke Tessmacher, it was my 8th match in front of a live audience. So my trainers pushed me to make the most of every opportunity. It’s been great timing, because so much has changed and we’ve seen so many things happening that we never thought would happen. Hopefully my experience in working with all three companies in such a short amount of time can open up the doors for other people to do that as well.”

On if it’s true that Brooke Adams recommended her for the TNA PPV: “Yes. Her and Robbie E were dating at the time, and Robbie E was one of the people who helped me train from the beginning. Rob and I are good friends, and he and Damian are best friends. They started together in 2000, and he’s been there every step of the way for me. So they had seen me train and do live matches. It was one of those things like ‘we need a person, who do you recommend?’ Rob and Brooke stuck their necks out for me.”

On if it was intimidating to be wrestling for TNA in her eighth match: “Oh, you have no idea (laughs). It was so last minute. I think Rob called me on a Thursday and I flew down ten hours later. Rob called and said ‘Hey, you’re doing this. Christy Hemme’s going to call you.’ So I’m like ‘what?’ Christy Hemme calls me and they set me up to fly me out the next day. I grew up watching her on Raw, and now you’re calling me? To be there and be around so many people I grew up watching like the Hardys and Bobby Lashley. It was like a surreal moment for me, very full circle. I grew up wanting to be like these people, and now I’m one of them, and I’m not ready to be one of them. I had basic gear I bought online and kickpads and wrestling sneakers. I wasn’t ready to be in that position, but I was very lucky that all the critiques they gave me that day I could use to go back and wow them next time.”

On what kind of feedback she’s had from promotions: “So far, they seem happy with my work. As you said, I’m very young. I’ll be 22 next month. It’s a lot of telling me I’m good now but give me time and maybe I’ll get better. I think that’s the biggest issue with pushing forward anywhere right now, is my age.”

On of she’s had talks with ROH, TNA or WWE about signing: “A little bit with each one individually. I had my WWE tryout, so that’s a conversation in itself. Nothing is set in stone. I’m happy doing what I’m doing, being a free agent, working for them when they need it and make a platform. In the last year or so, I think that’s what they’ve been looking for. A lot of the guys that are the big stars aren’t homegrown anymore. They want people to go out and have that experience and be the best at it, or they want you from scratch. I’m not a super athlete, so I need to be really good at wrestling. What I would like to do if I’m not going to sign anywhere is to go to Japan and train there, or travel the US and Canada, Puerto Rico. I want to be the best wrestler I can be and right now that’s my main goal.”

On what the NXT tryout was like: “I was so nervous going in. I feel like I was in a weird position. I had wrestled for them six times before my tryout, so I didn’t know what else they wanted to see from me. It was really hard. As a wrestler, and I think it’s something other wrestlers relate to, we’re so grateful to be in that position that we don’t want to be disrespectful to anyone. We’re quiet and observing and want to learn everything possible from these world-renowned trainers. But they’re like ‘show us personality!’ That was the hardest thing for me. The drills and rolls are something anyone mentally can get through, it was more that I have to show you who I am outside of wrestling and that’s the hardest part for me. I had so much fun and gained such a respect for the athletes that come into wrestling having no prior experience. The bodybuilders and the figure competitors – people are asked to take a flip bump without doing a forward roll before. If you ask me to do a flip bump – that’s easy, I can do that in my sleep! I’ve been doing that four days a week for three years. To ask someone on their first day, I thought ‘Oh my God, I would be terrified.’ For them to be able to jump right in and do what we do and try to do it as well, I gained a lot of respect for them.”