Deonna Purrazzo feels “defeated” over not defending the ROH Pure Women’s Championship yet.
During a recent interview with Rob Williams of BCP+, reigning Ring of Honor Pure Women’s Champion Deonna Purrazzo opened up about not defending the title yet. She had won it at Final Battle 2025 by defeating Billie Starkz in the tournament finals to crown the inaugural champion.
Deonna Purrazzo described it as “defeating” as she’s constantly looking for what more she can do to change the situation. She’s only had one match for ROH in 2026, which came on the February 5 episode, where she teamed up with Hyan and Maya World to defeat Athena, Billie Starkz, and Diamante.
“Probably a little disappointed to not have defended my championship yet,” Deonna Purrazzo began. “I think that I am constantly trying to wrap my brain like, ‘What else can I do? What more can I do? How much more of myself can I give?’ For that not to be reciprocated in any environment, not just in Ring of Honor, is really defeating for me.
“I think a lot of my self-worth comes from my body of work, in being able to participate actively and feel like I’m making a difference in women’s wrestling. I think that it’s been a really rough, I wouldn’t even say just 2026 and say it was a really rough year. 2025 into right now, that I’ve not really been able to do that at the level I previously done it at. I don’t know what else I can do to change that,” Deonna Purrazzo said.
Deonna Purrazzo is taking independent bookings
Speaking further, Deonna Purrazzo addressed her recent tweet about taking independent bookings. She believes her self-worth comes from actively competing, and she’s looking to do it elsewhere until she gets the opportunity in ROH.
“I think a lot of my self-worth comes from my body of work, in being able to participate actively and feel like I’m making a difference in women’s wrestling. I think that it’s been a really rough, I wouldn’t even say just 2026 and say it was a really rough year. 2025 into right now, that I’ve not really been able to do that at the level I previously done it at. I don’t know what else I can do to change that,” Deonna Purrazzo said.
“So for me, it was like, ‘Okay, if I’m not gonna get these opportunities here, I need to stay ready, I need to stay crisp for when they do come,” Deonna Purrazzo continued. “So I went out and put out a tweet, ‘I’m gonna take independent bookings, and I’m gonna try to stay ahead of that ring rust that I might get if this year continues on this path. That way, I’m trying to control everything I can control.’
Purrazzo and her husband, Steve Maclin, are putting together a charity wrestling event
Purrazzo also opened up about advocating for various causes alongside her husband, Steve Maclin. They are putting together the Battle for the Brave charity wrestling event on June 6 to support the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. She finished by saying she’s looking to stay busy and active by taking independent bookings.
“Like I said, it’s really defeating, it’s really upsetting, but at the end of the day, this is business, and I have to continue to run my own at whatever stakes that costs. For me and Steve, it’s being able to give back and doing all this advocation work through Tunnel to Towers and through this New Jersey education systems. Now I need to do that in my wrestling life, and that’s taking independent bookings, staying busy, and staying active,” Deonna Purrazzo said.
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