While Deonna Purrazzo has established herself as one of the most decorated singles champions in women’s wrestling today, “The Virtuosa” isn’t shy about admitting where her comfort zone ends. The three-time TNA Knockouts Champion recently opened up about her struggles with tag team competition, offering a candid perspective that challenges the current state of women’s tag wrestling.
The Virtuosa’s Tag Team Dilemma
Purrazzo’s championship resume speaks volumes about her singles prowess. Between her trio of TNA Knockouts Championship reigns and her successful run as ROH Women’s Champion, she’s carved out a reputation as a dominant individual competitor. However, when circumstances force her into tag team situations, the experience becomes less enjoyable.
During her appearance on the “Lightweights Podcast with Joe Vulpis,” Purrazzo didn’t mince words about her feelings toward women’s tag team wrestling. The discussion arose when she was asked about AEW potentially establishing a women’s tag team division.
“I don’t love women’s tag team wrestling. It’s just not something, like, I have a grasp on. Like, I think that is for a lot of women. Like, I don’t necessarily think we are trained to have incredible tag team wrestling matches.”
The Training Gap in Women’s Wrestling
Purrazzo’s observation touches on a deeper issue within women’s wrestling development. Her comment about training highlights a potential blind spot in how female wrestlers are prepared for different match styles. Unlike their male counterparts who often develop tag team skills early in their careers, many women focus primarily on singles competition.
However, Purrazzo acknowledges that experience can bridge this gap. She notes that when women wrestlers invest significant time working with a consistent partner, the dynamic can evolve and improve substantially.
Chemistry Over Convenience
The TNA star didn’t stop at identifying problems – she also offered solutions. Purrazzo emphasized that successful tag teams require genuine chemistry and authentic relationships between partners. More importantly, she stressed the need for compelling storytelling that explains why two wrestlers have joined forces.
Her biggest critique targets the industry’s tendency toward random pairings in women’s tag team wrestling. These thrown-together combinations often lack the foundation necessary for meaningful feuds or memorable matches.
“There’s no substance to it. There’s no rhyme or reason to it.”
A Dream Partnership With Real Foundation
When pressed about who she would choose as an ideal tag team partner, Purrazzo’s answer revealed her philosophy about authentic partnerships. She immediately pointed to Britt Baker, citing their genuine friendship outside the wrestling business as the foundation for potential in-ring chemistry.
This choice perfectly illustrates her earlier point about tag teams needing real relationships. Rather than selecting a partner based purely on in-ring ability or storyline convenience, Purrazzo values the personal connection that could translate into compelling television.
Industry Implications
Purrazzo’s honest assessment arrives at a time when multiple promotions are evaluating their women’s divisions. AEW has experimented with women’s tag team wrestling but hasn’t fully committed to a dedicated division. Meanwhile, WWE continues to feature their Women’s Tag Team Championships across multiple brands with mixed results.
Her perspective suggests that simply creating titles and divisions isn’t enough – promotions need to invest in proper training and storytelling to make women’s tag team wrestling truly successful.
As “The Virtuosa” continues her impressive singles career, her candid thoughts on tag team wrestling offer valuable insight into an overlooked aspect of women’s wrestling development. Will promotions take note of her suggestions and invest more heavily in building authentic tag team partnerships, or will the random pairing trend continue to dominate women’s tag team wrestling?
