5 Released WWE stars AEW should have signed but didn't

#3. Deonna Purrazzo - Was IMPACT Wrestling lucky to sign her before AEW?

In hindsight, IMPACT Wrestling must be given credit for signing Deonna Purrazzo well before AEW could. She had a two-year stint in WWE that disappointingly ended with just 16 televised matches.

When Vince McMahon's company released her in 2020, it was a big relief as she didn't share the same creative vision as the team behind the scenes in NXT. Regarding her disappointing run, Purrazzo said that nobody understood the Virtuosa persona or character.

She revealed that she was told it was "too outlandish," and anything she said fell on deaf ears:

"I just felt like there were so many excuses and I was the person where it didn’t matter what I said or did or changed, they had an opinion and that was that,” said Deonna Purrazzo.

IMPACT Wrestling was quick to snatch her, although the partnership with AEW has resulted in a bigger chance of the Forbidden Door being opened. She said she's happy for AEW Women's Champion Britt Baker's success and wants to team up with her someday.

Purrazzo is in the prime of her career, and Tony Khan's promotion missed out on a huge signing for the women's division.