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Despite only being in Impact Wrestling for less than two years, Deonna Purrazzo has quickly made a really strong case that she could very well be the greatest knockout in the promotion's 20-year history.
Over the years, Impact has managed to build what is regarded as one of the greatest women's divisions in all of professional wrestling, and as a result, many of the best women to ever step inside the squared circle have plied their trade in the promotion at one point or another. The likes of Gail Kim, Awesome Kong, Mickie James, and Taya Valkyrie have all staked their claims as some of the best knockouts in Impact history, but Purrazzo's impressive run may have already pushed her to a level none have reached before her.
Whether it be her impressive title reigns, her stellar in-ring work, or her overall star power, the Virtuosa has regularly been one of the best things in Impact since her arrival, and she is very much already in the conversation as one of the best to ever work for the promotion.
Purrazzo Has Impressive Accolades
One thing that separates Purrazzo from the majority of the greats to have been an Impact knockout over the years is her impressive title reigns during her run in the promotion. Her lengthy spell with the Impact Knockout World Championship is one of the best in company history, and coming in at 343 days is the second-longest ever, only behind Valkyrie's 377-day run.
With two reigns as Impact Knockouts World champion, Purrazzo has the second-longest amount of combined time as champion with her 441 days as champion only beaten by Gail Kim's 711 days over her seven title reigns. It's incredible to think that the Virtuosa hasn't even been in Impact for two years yet, but has managed to accumulate over 400 days as champion. It's entirely conceivable that by the time she leaves Impact, Purrazzo could have held the championship for longer than anyone else ever, only adding to her impressive accolades and furthering the proof that she is the greatest knockout ever.
Even after losing the Impact Knockout World Championship, Purrazzo has embarked on stellar runs with both the AAA Reina de Reinas Championship and the Ring of Honor Women's World Championship and continues to showcase both titles regularly in Impact. She has constantly been portrayed as a dominant champion, and as a result, her work with every title she's held has not only elevated her standing in the company but it's also made the championships themselves feel much more prestigious than they have in the past.
Purrazzo's title reigns aren't the only impressive accolades she's picked up in Impact though, winning the Homecoming King and Queen Tournament alongside Matthew Rehwoldt, as well as winning the Knockout of the Year award twice and the Impact Wrestler of the Year award once.
She Is Superb Both In The Ring And On The Mic
Impact has had some great wrestlers in the past, and they've had some great talkers, but with Purrazzo they have a perfect combination of the two. The 27-year-old has regularly been one of the best in-ring workers in the promotion since her debut in 2020, and stands out as one of the greatest performers on the roster, regardless of gender. Her matches with Jordynne Grace and Mickie James are just some examples of the excellent work she is capable of in-between the ropes.
She is also an exceptional talker and has shown on numerous occasions her ability to cut excellent promos, furthering her rivalries and increasing the hype surrounding her matches. Particularly her rivalry with James, the promos the two shared was incredibly entertaining, and really helped raise the feud to another level between them.
The Champ-Champ Challenge
One of the most unique aspects of Purrazzo's character right now is her champ-champ challenge. As she holds two different women's championship titles, the decision to offer an open challenge to anyone willing to face her, and give them a choice of which belt they would like to compete for, is a truly original concept that immediately sets her apart from any champion to have issued open challenges in the past.
Not only that, but the Virtuosa continues to have incredible matches with just about anyone who steps up to the plate, and the champ-champ challenge has become one of the most entertaining aspects of Impact television in recent months. She even displayed how dominant a champion she was when she offered to put both on the line in a triple threat match recently and still came out on top.
Sure, there may be an argument to be made that she isn't the best knockout in Impact history yet, but if she continues on the trajectory she is currently treading, there is no doubt she will end her career as the greatest of all time.