During the media call for ROH Death Before Dishonor, AEW President Tony Khan addressed Deonna Purrazzo’s status, revealing that a “negative experience” in Mexico with a partner promotion contributed to her extended absence from television. In response to a question from Jon Alba of Sports Illustrated, Khan also confirmed that Purrazzo is set to make her return as a participant in the upcoming ROH Pure Championship Tournament.
Khan did not elaborate on the specifics of the incident but noted Purrazzo has not wrestled in Mexico since a CMLL event in December 2024. She was also not part of the joint AEW and CMLL Grand Slam Mexico card in June. “Deonna had gone down to Mexico, and this is something you can grow and learn from, and had an experience down there that wasn’t positive with our partners,” Khan stated. “Having one match that doesn’t go great shouldn’t be the end of a run or change anything.”
This explanation adds a new layer to previous reports from July 2025, which had attributed her time off-screen to a “domino effect” caused by shifts in creative plans. At that time, it was understood that an injury to ROH Women’s Television Champion Red Velvet forced a postponement of the Pure Championship Tournament. This led to other talent being redirected to a tournament for an interim TV title, leaving Purrazzo without a storyline.
Despite the situation in Mexico, Khan was emphatic about his support for Purrazzo and his desire to reintegrate her into the company. He explained that AEW’s heavy focus on international partnerships throughout 2025 made it difficult to find the right moment for her return until now.
“I really want to get Deonna going again,” Khan said. “I think she brings a lot of positive things and I really want to stress, if one thing doesn’t go perfectly, it’s okay to take some time and we’ll reevaluate when the right thing comes up and we’ll slot you back in. Based on the positive sentiment she’s been putting out there and her wanting to do the work… absolutely, I want to give Deonna opportunities.”
Purrazzo, who is not sidelined with an injury, remains under a long-term AEW contract signed in early 2024, which runs until early 2027. Her last appearance on AEW television was on the February 26, 2025, episode of Dynamite. Her most recent match under the company’s banner was at a Ring of Honor taping on June 21, 2025.