Purrazzo has dealt with the obstacles since she was a child.
Joe Vulpis of the Lightweights Podcast conducted an extensive interview with Deonna Purrazzo. As the conversation went on, she was asked to name some of the most painful moves to take in the ring. Since publishing the article, we've been made aware that the interview was actually filmed in September 2024.
That led to Purrazzo sharing that she has scoliosis and has dealt with bulging discs since she was a child.
"Body slam (is a move that hurts). Number one, two and three. Um, no. Body slam’s up there for me. I just don’t like it. I think it’s the worst bump to take. Spinebuster. My neck doesn’t have the strength. My neck always slams back and it hurts. I hate it and like, a fallaway slam is coming to mind of it’s just uncomfortable.
Yes (I train my neck). But not in the way wrestlers are taught to -- so I have scoliosis. So, my neck has a slight curve to it and I just, from childhood, have bulging discs and stuff that I’ve just had to work through my whole life… So, I have to just beware of those potential injuries so, a lot of people like to do neck bridges and stuff like that. That doesn’t feel good to me. Or, a couple training schools that I’ve been to want you to hang your neck over the edge of the ring and pick it up and that is very uncomfortable for me so for me, it’s more of doing a lot of chiropractic work, I do a lot of range of motion stuff with him, and that helps manage scoliosis and potential injuries way more than traditional neck strengthening things for wrestling… Knock on wood, I’m so blessed that the scoliosis hasn’t ever played an issue into my wrestling but, there’s so much room for error in wrestling as a whole so, it can be very scary."
Purrazzo is in the midst of her 11th year as a wrestler. She is currently signed with All Elite Wrestling.
If the quotes in this article are used, please credit Lightweights Podcast with Joe Vulpis with an H/T to Fightful for the transcriptions.
