"I don’t want to go to work"- AEW star reveals the impact of shocking body-shaming incident

An AEW star recently addressed a viral body-shaming incident that she had to endure during her early days in All Elite Wrestling. In January 2024, Deonna Purrazzo made her AEW in-ring debut in an episode of Collision. She battled Red Velvet in a singles match.

However, some body-shaming comments made by fans online overshadowed the moment. Now, over a year later, Purrazzo has shared how the experience continues to impact her.

During an interview with Mighty Pursuit, she said:

"You have to go back to work, right? And so it’s like you have to put the gear back on and go back out there again. You’re under contract… I think I cried because I was, like, 'I don’t want to. I don’t want to put on gear. I don’t want to go to work. I don’t want to be in front of all these people in spandex knowing they’re judging me and knowing that they are looking for something to point out negative about me.' I don’t think I had ever felt like that before." [H/T: Ringside News]

Check out her comments in the video below:

The Virtuosa has battled well-known competitors like Toni Storm and Thunder Rosa since joining Tony Khan's promotion. While she hasn't appeared on AEW programming since February 2025, she is still active in Ring of Honor.

AEW star Deonna Purrazzo recently revealed her scary medical condition

Deonna Purrazzo recently disclosed that a severe illness has affected her wrestling career since she was a young girl.

In an interview with Joe Vulpis on the Lightweights Podcast, Purrazzo disclosed that she suffers from scoliosis, a spinal disorder that has caused her neck to bulge with discs. She avoids neck-strengthening exercises like neck bridges because of this, which seems to exacerbate her condition.

''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," she said. [H/T: ITR Wrestling]

Check out her comments in the video below:

The Virtuosa later confirmed that she trains safely using different techniques.

About the author

Karan Raj is a senior writer in Sportskeeda's AEW division. He holds an engineering degree from Manipal University, but his passion for sports motivated him to pursue an MSc in Sports Business from the University of Liverpool. Karan has been in the sports marketing industry for the past seven years.

As a lifelong WWE fan and enthusiast of wrestling entertainment, he has always been drawn to the industry's unique blend of sports and storytelling. Karan was introduced to the business by his elder sister when he was 10 years old.

Before assuming his current role at Sportskeeda, Karan worked for several reputable organizations, such as Ting Works LLP and Sportz Interactive, wearing different hats. He also wrote the anthem of UP Rudras, a hockey team that played in the Hockey India League. Karan conducts thorough research while writing articles and only relies on credible sources for information.

Karan's favorite pro wrestler is Seth Rollins. He admires The Visionary's versatility as a performer and his ability to play both heel and babyface characters to perfection. Besides Rollins, Karan looks up to Roman Reigns for his storytelling skills and ability to captivate audiences.

In AEW, he enjoys watching Will Ospreay compete inside the ring. Karan loves The Aerial Assassin's technical in-ring ability and athleticism. If Karan could go back to the Attitude Era, he would combine forces with Jericho and promise to elevate his career to the same level as The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin.When not writing about pro wrestling, Karan loves to play and watch football. It is a huge part of his life.

He is also a massive fan of tennis and is learning to play the sport. Apart from sports, he also knows how to play the ukulele.

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Edited by Yash Mittal