A Ring of Honor women’s pure champion was officially crowned nearly one year ago at Final Battle and there has only been one person who has held the title.
Deonna Purrazzo.
“The Virtuosa” has defended the belt against every challenger who has stepped up to her. OutKick Dropkick was on hand in Philadelphia at Death Before Dishonor earlier this year when Purrazzo put Steph De Lander away.
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Deonna Purrazzo makes her way to the ring during AEW Collision on June 15 at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown, Ohio. (Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Purrazzo has beaten everyone who has tried to take the title away from her and with her reign coming up to the one-year mark. It could be time for the Ring of Honor star to call out those on the roster to do better and try harder to grab the belt. She had a couple names in mind when asked about possible challengers.
“There’s a few people that come to mind,” she said. “After Supercard of Honor in May, I wrestled Janai Kai in a proving ground match, and I think she’s phenomenal. I think she embodies what the pure wrestling style at its core really is, and I’d really love to see her be used more within Ring of Honor, but then rise to the ranks and challenge me again. And I feel like, you know, I’m confident in myself. I believe that I could beat anybody and trap them in the Fujiwara, but I think she might give me a run for my money for sure.”
Kai may be one of the underrated wrestlers on the scene right now. Her vicious kicks have helped her win titles elsewhere and would be a formidable challenger to Purrazzo’s title.
Purrazzo also named a mixed martial artist who she’d love to get into the ring with.
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Deonna Purrazzo celebrates after winning her match during AEW Collision on June 15, 2024, at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown, Ohio. (Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire)
“The other person, and we’re about to see her as we talk, challenge Mercedes Moné for the AEW Women’s World Championship, but Marina Shafir,” she told OutKick Dropkick. “Obviously, we know Marina’s MMA background. We know her intensity and how she trains and her relationship with The Death Riders. I think that’s so pure wrestling. And I think that if there’s anyone who could defeat me, it would be Marina Shafir, but I’d like to give her a run for her money.”
Shafir will get a crack at the AEW Women’s World Championship at Full Gear on Saturday.
Purrazzo has held the title for 343 days after defeating Billie Starkz to become the inaugural champion. Taking the belt off Purrazzo isn’t going to be easy, but the women she named would definitely be up to the challenge.
For now, Purrazzo is focused on her own event – JTown Smackdown. The wrestling showcase will take place at Jefferson Township High School in Oak Ridge, New Jersey, on Friday night.
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The event will highlight a major funding issue the school and districts in the region have been facing for quite some time.