Deonna Purrazzo Didn't Want IMPACT Knockouts Championship Rematch

Deonna Purrazzo has revealed she didn't want to get a rematch for the IMPACT Knockouts Championship she lost to Mickie James at IMPACT Bound For Glory.

James ended Purrazzo's 343-day reign as Knockouts Champion at Bound For Glory in October, but The Virtuosa is set for a chance to get the Title back when the two meet in a Texas Death Match at IMPACT Hard To Kill next month.

After almost a year as Knockouts Champion, Purrazzo has admitted she wanted to go in a different direction where her character just couldn't stomach the idea of the Knockouts Championship being without her, while also giving other talent Knockouts the opportunity to become champion as well.

Talking to Fightful, Purrazzo said: "I think that I had eighteen months of that role and I was gone from TV for three or four weeks and honestly, that was my idea. I was like, ‘Let me disappear for a little bit and then come back.’

"If I had it my way, I wouldn’t have a rematch. I wanted it to be so dramatic and, ‘I can’t even stand the look of the Knockouts Championship without me. There’ll never be another [Camelot].’ I really wanted that moment.

"Of course, they really wanted a rematch. Mickie and I have been telling such a great story. This is my first real feud. Not being in that role is okay because I was in it for so long. I really pushed over the year to have other people do other things.

"We had this crossover with AEW and NWA and I really pushed for, ‘Well, if it can’t be me, let it be someone else.’ We have so many talented women on our roster that deserve to be in the spot that I was or in a similar spot that I am. So it’s nice to see other people getting that opportunity as well."