Deonna Purrazzo: I’d Like To See More Women In Creative, Talent Relations, And As Agents And Producers

Deonna Purrazzo wants to see women step into backstage roles in wrestling more.

Compared to the past decade, women’s wrestling has made a lot of progression in several different areas in wrestling. More and more women are being featured on the main event scene and being given the proper time and investment required to grow their characters.

While speaking with The Ledgera magazine, Purrazzo was asked what progress in women’s wrestling she’s most proud of and what the business still needs to work on. Purrazzo explained that she was proud of seeing more women stipulation matches and them closing out more shows.

“I’m most proud of how normal it has become to see women in stipulation matches and main-eventing television and pay-per-views. Twenty years ago, women often weren’t given the time, investment or storylines necessary to warrant those opportunities. Now, we’ve proven over and over again that when the work warrants the spotlight, women can deliver in it.

I’ve been fortunate enough to experience that progress firsthand. I main-evented three PPVs during my time in TNA/IMPACT and became the first-ever Iron Woman of IMPACT. I main-evented AEW Dynamite while under contract with TNA, defending the ROH Women’s World Championship. In AEW, I was one half of the first-ever televised women’s Texas Bullrope match. Last year, we saw the first women’s Blood & Guts match, and in ROH, Athena has main-evented PPV after PPV.

I’ve always believed women shouldn’t be given the spotlight simply because we’re women. We should be given it because the work we’ve done warrants it. What we’re seeing now is evidence that women’s wrestling draws fans’ attention and deserves the same opportunities as the men because, every time we’re given one, we continue to deliver.”

While she was proud to see the stuff happening on television, Purrazzo also realizes that there’s still some work left to do behind the scenes. She wants more female wrestlers to get into backstage roles.

“Where I think we still have work to do is behind the scenes. Wrestling can still feel like a boys’ club, especially when it comes to positions of influence and decision-making. I’d like to see more women in creative, more women in talent relations, and more women working as agents and producers. We’ve proven that women belong in every position in front of the camera. Now, I’d like to see that same progress reflected in the people helping shape what happens behind it.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Purrazzo said that her time in TNA Wrestling shaped her most as a performer. Fans can read her full comments here.