The MVPs of IMPACT Wrestling's Pandemic Era

#2 Current IMPACT Wrestling Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo

Deonna Purrazzo is a two-time IMPACT Wrestling Knockouts Champion

Current IMPACT Wrestling Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo is arguably one of the best female professional wrestlers on the planet today.

The pandemic began for The Virtuosa by being released by WWE due to budget cuts associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. After being released by WWE she returned to IMPACT Wrestling during the May 26 episode of IMPACT on AXS TV.

.@DeonnaPurrazzo won the Knockouts Championship at #Slammiversary last year and has spent much of the year DOMINATING the division. But will a mystery opponent be her undoing at #Slammiversary? #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/UN9BjLICRb

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) July 16, 2021

Purrazzo immediately found success in IMPACT, defeating Jordynne Grace to win the Knockouts Championship for the first time at Slammiversary. The Virtuosa's momentum only continued from there.

Purrazzo successfully defended her Knockouts Championship against Jordynne Grace in the first ever Knockouts 30-minute Iron Man match at IMPACT Emergence, winning by two falls to one.

Deonna Purrazzo eventually dropped the Knockouts Championship at Bound For Glory, losing the championship to Su Yung who was a replacement for Kylie Rae. However, Purrazzo quickly won the championship back the following month, defeating Yung in a No Disqualification match at Turning Point.

"I know sometimes things around here get to be a little bit of a hot mess but Slammiversary is truly going to be iconic. We're in Nashville here...might be a little hardcore country."@DeonnaPurrazzo expressed her frustrations about #Slammiversary to @ScottDAmore. #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/r8MkPj3W8I

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) July 16, 2021

Since then, Deonna Purrazzo has defended the Knockouts Championship against the likes Rosemary, Taya Valkyrie, Havok and ODB. She also defeated legendary wrestler Jazz in a Title vs Career match at Hardcore Justice, ending Jazz's in-ring career.

The Knockouts division has long been a cornerstone of IMPACT Wrestling programming. Despite the difficult circumstances presented by the pandemic, Deonna Purrazzo has been able to elevate the division to new and impressive heights.