AEW: Deonna Purrazzo on AEW Signing & Backstage Update on Her Signing, Bryan Danielson on In-Ring Career Future, More News

Jan 5, 2024

Deonna Purrazo Comments on Her Recent Signing with AEW

As noted before, this past Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite show in Newark, New Jersey featured former Impact Wrestling talent Deonna Purrazzo making a surprise appearance. During her promo segment with Mariah May, Purrazzo stated that she was “All Elite” which AEW CEO Tony Khan confirmed afterwards that she had signed an official contract.

Purrazzo recently reflected in Twitter about her surprise appearance in front of her home state crowd and her recent signing with AEW.

Home is where my heart is ❤️

My debut, my hometown, my husband, my parents.

I haven’t stopped crying. I think I’ll live on cloud 9 forever ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Xhss2oAWQU
— The Virtuosa (@DeonnaPurrazzo) January 4, 2024

Forever a Jersey Girl. This was a dream come true!

Thank you @TonyKhan 🥹❤️ https://t.co/PA36wkGlBE
— The Virtuosa (@DeonnaPurrazzo) January 4, 2024

Fightful Select reported that their sources stated that the tron video, entrance theme music, and other elements used for her AEW television debut this past Wednesday were finalized a day or two ahead of time. It was reported that Impact talents Steve Maclin and Tasha Steelz were in attendance backstage to support Purrazzo’s official debut for the company.

Bryan Danielson Comments on His Current Plans for Part-Time In-Ring Career

Tokyo Sports held a recent interview with Bryan Danielson. One of the topics discussed included Danielson’s thoughts about his current plans for the future of his wrestling career following his retirement as an active in-ring wrestler later this year.

“I’ve been wrestling every week for a long time, and I’m trying to narrow it down in terms of matches. After this year, I’ll probably have five to ten matches a year.

Danielson also stated that Hiroshi Tanahashi, El Desperado, Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi, Shingo Takagi, and Tomohiro Ishii are some people he would like to compete against in matches in New Japan Pro Wrestling.

English translation via Fightful.com

AEW News & Notes

Fightful Select reported that their sources within AEW stated that Ortiz’s recent comments about Santana no longer wanting to work with him being the reason why they split up as a team in AEW was accurate.

In a response to a wrestling fan on Twitter, Malakai Black recently stated that the rumors of him refusing to take pins is the reason why he did not have any singles matches in AEW in 2023 is not true. The fan stated “That’s what happens when you refuse to take a pin or put anyone over.” in response to another fan pointing out that Black did not have any singles matches in AEW in 2023 which led to Black responding stating “Usually I don’t reply because these laughable takes from goofballs like this nerd is why this place is the equivalent of people opening their front doors and screaming their excrement laced opinions into the street, however: bullshit, never happened, isn’t a thing. Happy ny.“

In a recent interview with the Notsam Wrestling podcast, Adam Copeland gave his thoughts about a funny moment from his career during the pandemic era of wrestling. Copeland stated “Now, I also remember hearing one of the crew guys fart while I was taking a move (while wrestling in front of no fans). That happened, that happened (he laughed). No, it happened, and I heard the laughs after it happened and we’re taping a match and I’m like, right, that just happened. I heard that and that bump really hurt. It really, really hurt. Yes, yeah (it was like a fart in church), except it was the Tropicana Field.” (Transcript h/t: PostWrestling.com)

In a recent interview with the Gabby AF podcast, Eddie Kingston gave his thoughts about his current plans for his life after he retires from wrestling. Kingston stated “Yeah, I want to go to Alaska, get a little hut, and be left the fuck alone. I just want to be left alone. I want a Razer phone, the old school Razer flip phone. My mother will have my number and that’s it. I just want to be left alone. I want to make enough money to be left alone. I’m not too proud. If I get out of here and don’t have enough money, I’ll work at a grocery store, I don’t care. I just want to be left alone by that time when I get out. As I get older, I just want to be more and more left alone.” (Transcript h/t: Fightful.com)

Dax Harwood recently commented on Twitter over the dislike some wrestling fans have towards tag team wrestling. Harwood stated “Over the last few weeks, I’ve seen people tweet, “insert name should be in a singles match!” or “why are they wasting insert name in a tag team?!” Yall, tag team wrestling IS a draw, & has been for MANY years. Just because one person held a monopoly over wrestling & didn’t care for tag teams, doesn’t mean it’s a step down! Rock & Roll Express, Road Warriors, Midnight Express, Arn & Tully, New Age Outlaws, etc., all drew BIG money! Tag Team Wrestling CAN be the main event; patting us on the back, I feel we’ve proven that a couple of times. Now that my crybaby soapbox rant is over, tag some of your favorite UNSIGNED tag teams! I’ll start: The Dawson Brothers: @zanedawson @dawsonbrandpw The Midnight Heat: @_MidnightHeat I’d love to see everyone else’s favorite.“

In a recent interview with Denise Salcedo, Claudio Castagnoli gave his thoughts about who he would like to compete in a match against that he has not faced off before in his career. Castagnoli stated “Yes, there’s a lot. What happens is I will see somebody wrestle or I’ll hear about somebody, and I’ll be like, ‘Oh yeah, him too.’ These are just the top of my head. Kyle Fletcher, for example. Will Ospreay, haven’t wrestled him yet. Okada. I think I had a tag match against him a long, long time ago, but no singles. Tanahashi. Oh yeah, Okada, I just wrestled in that six-man. Same with Tanahashi, same with Ishii, Naito. There’s a whole bunch of New Japan guys. SANADA. The list goes on and on. There’s a whole bunch of other guys. I did have two singles matches with Mistico, the original Mistico in WWE, but non-televised. Maybe one for TV would be fun, just for posterity. Then there’s a whole bunch of guys in CMLL that I’ve never been I the ring with. Ultimo Guerrero, Rey Bucanero, all those guys. There’s a whole bunch of guys in AEW that I haven’t been in the ring with that I want to [face], like Action Andretti, that I haven’t had a singles match with. Darius Martin, so forth. I think we had a tag match with him. There’s a whole bunch of guys in AEW as well. Brody King was on my list until the Continental Classic. Jay White, RUSH, Strickland. I was never in the ring with Strickland yet. Keith Lee, I haven’t had a singles match with him either. So the list goes on and on.” (Transcript h/t: Fightful.com)

AEW recently announced one new match for the card of their AEW Collision show on January 6th in Charlotte, North Carolina: