AEW and ROH star Deonna Purrazzo recently spoke with former TNA talent and ring announcer SoCal Val to discuss a number of topics, which includes AEW’s tuition reimbursement program and being body shaming from fans.
Purrazzo earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University back in 2023, while working for TNA. She is now at the halfway through her earning her Masters Degree.
On AEW’s tuition reimbursement program, which was a deciding factor to sign with the company.
“AEW is so great in encouraging us to go back to school. They have a program where they reimburse us for our tuition up to a certain amount every year. That was a really big part of why I was happy to go there. I had just gotten my bachelor’s degree the summer of 2023 and I was like, maybe I want to get a master’s. But going somewhere that’s going to be supportive of that was huge for me. And so I’m very, very grateful that they’ve made it so easy and so seamless for me to be able to go back to school. And I’m halfway through my masters degree.”
On body shaming from the fans online.
“I had to realize that these people who comment ‘I’m fat,’ ‘you’re a pig,’ ‘you’re disgusting,’ ‘lose weight,’ ‘maybe then you’ll get booked,’ all of these comments are not my actual supporters. And being able to shift that in my brain — that person is not paying to come watch me wrestle, they’re not buying a ticket to Dynamite, they’re not buying a ticket to the independent show I’m wrestling at in Chicago. Those aren’t the people, and I don’t need to focus on those people. I like to have fun with it now, but it’s taken me a lot of therapy to get to that point. It’s taken a lot of conversations with my friends, my husband, and my family to get to that point — to be this strong. But I think that if you’re willing to put that work in for yourself, then no one can stop you. No one on Twitter is keeping me up anymore at night. No one on Twitter is making me cry anymore at night. I’m not giving them the power because they’re not being supportive in other aspects. They don’t deserve it.”
Purrazzo last appeared on ROH programming this past June. Her most recent appearance on AEW programming was back on February 26 episode of Dynamite, with a loss to Harley Cameron.
Purrazzo made her AEW debut on the January 3, 2024 episode of Dynamite, which took place at the Prudential Center in her home state of New Jersey. She is a three-time TNA Knockouts Champion and is married to TNA International Champion Steve Maclin.
You can watch the full interview below:
Quotes are courtesy of F4WOnline.