AEW president Tony Khan has addressed the absence of Deonna Purrazzo from AEW and ROH programming, revealing insights on when the former Knockouts Champion plans to return. Purrazzo, last seen wrestling on the January 25 episode of AEW Collision, has primarily competed on the independent circuit, with her most recent match against Lili La Pescadita occurring on August 15, 2025.
Background on Deonna Purrazzo’s AEW Absence and Future Plans
Deonna Purrazzo was initially anticipated to play a central role in the ROH Pure Women’s Championship tournament, possibly even capturing the title. However, that tournament was ultimately canceled, and Purrazzo’s television appearances in AEW and ROH became scarce. At the ROH Death Before Dishonor media call on August 28, Tony Khan opened up about Purrazzo’s time away from AEW and outlined her path forward.
Khan expressed strong confidence in Purrazzo’s abilities, stating,
“I think Deonna is a really, really great wrestler. I think she had a great, you know, when she came into AEW, she had a lot of success. And I think she still could find her footing here and do really, really well.”
Khan also detailed a challenging experience Purrazzo faced while wrestling in Mexico with partner promotion CMLL last year.
“I guess I’ll just be honest, I think Deonna had gone down to Mexico, and again, this is something that I think you can grow and learn from, but had an experience down there that wasn’t positive with our partners. There was a match I had planned for, actually, this pay-per-view that I had called off due to injury. And I really wanted to get Diana going again because, I think, I’m just being really honest, it’s okay if something doesn’t go well. And I want to be able to give somebody an opportunity to come back from something.”
Continuing his thoughts, Khan remarked on the importance of offering support despite setbacks:
“And I think Diana is a really, really good wrestler, and having one match that doesn’t go great shouldn’t be the end of a run or change everything. I really appreciate a lot of the stuff Diana said recently, like positive comments about AEW, and I feel positively about her, too. That’s why we brought her here.”
Although Purrazzo has been absent from AEW’s televised events, Khan commended her professionalism and mindset.
“I think Deonna’s somebody that is a good example recently of how to conduct yourself in the locker room, and even if you’re not necessarily featured on TV at that point, being very positive in the sentiment of the company and also expressing an interest in going out and wrestling and competing, and taking advantage of the opportunities, to go out there and get in the ring and make the most of them and valuing that.”
Purrazzo’s last televised match was on June 21 on ROH Honor Club, marking a significant gap in her AEW appearances. The statements from Khan suggest that her return to AEW programming is still a priority, with a path forward that values her resilience and talent.
Tony Khan’s Reflections on Chris Jericho’s Role and Potential Return
During the same ROH Death Before Dishonor media call, Tony Khan addressed the ongoing absence of AEW star and former World Champion Chris Jericho, sharing his perspective on Jericho’s contributions and future with AEW and ROH.
Khan praised Jericho’s impact on the wrestling industry and AEW’s development:
“I certainly could talk for a long time – I mentioned earlier being verbose – and I have to think Chris Jericho’s one of the greatest and most important people ever in AEW and has been a great two-time ROH World Champion.”
Highlighting Jericho’s extensive achievements, Khan added,
“For somebody that’s won nine world championships in the sport of pro-wrestling, Chris Jericho is – it’s incredible to say – but has achieved so much in so many different promotions, and when you talk about him, you could talk about companies all over the world, but certainly we wouldn’t be as fortunate to be in this position – I would never be where I am in AEW without Chris Jericho, nor would we be in a position where I could have bought ROH, so I’m very grateful to Chris.”
Khan expressed a strong desire to welcome Jericho back:
“I think the world of Chris, and I would love to have Chris back, and certainly he’s been a great, great star for us since the very beginning of AEW, and then here in ROH as well, as we talk about Death Before Dishonor and the great ROH events, Chris has come in and been involved in some great memorable matches.”
Reflecting on Jericho’s career highlights with AEW and ROH stars, Khan said,
“I just got done talking about Bandido. I could talk for days about great Chris Jericho matches and memories. Last night we had a reunion of Kenny Omega and Hangman Page, they’ve both had their great matches and altercations with Chris Jericho and he’s been a huge part of both of their careers and in the launch of AEW and where we are right now.”
Khan also shared a personal admiration for Jericho, referencing a significant moment from his youth:
“The first time I ever set foot in 2300 Arena was actually Chris’ last night in ECW and it was very important to me because I’d been a fan of Chris since I was a very, very young kid. Since I was 12 years old I would count Chris among my very favorite wrestlers for the past 30 years, and I’m very fortunate to work with him.”
In closing, Khan expressed hope for Jericho’s return at the right time.
“So if and when the time presents itself, hopefully, would love to have Chris back, and I think the world of him, and Chris Jericho’s always in the highest of standing with me and with AEW and ROH, where he has been a great champion, a great ambassador, a great leader and a great friend to all of us, and Chris Jericho’s a huge part of our companies here. So thanks for asking.”
Looking Ahead: Implications for AEW and ROH
Tony Khan’s comments help clarify the current situations of two key figures within AEW and ROH, offering fans hopeful signs about their future involvement. For Deonna Purrazzo, despite setbacks including a difficult experience in Mexico and a canceled match due to injury, Khan’s support stresses her potential for a successful comeback within AEW.
Similarly, Khan’s reflections on Chris Jericho underline the immense respect held for Jericho and the desire for his eventual return, reinforcing AEW’s commitment to its veteran talent and the legacy he continues to build.
With Purrazzo continuing to work independently and staying positive within the company, and Jericho remaining an iconic presence, AEW and ROH fans can anticipate both stars playing significant roles once they return to television. These developments suggest a continued emphasis on resilience, growth, and honoring veteran contributions as the promotions progress.
