AEW's Deonna Purrazzo Debuted on WWE SmackDown - Forbidden Door Twist!
Last night during WWE SmackDown, I nearly spit out my drink when this popped up on screen: an AEW/ROH star casually appearing in the middle of WWE programming.
No, it wasn't a surprise run-in or some wild crossover angle—it was Deonna Purrazzo starring in a Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) commercial, flexing her online degree game while the blue brand was still rolling.
I snapped this pic right off my TV (see below) because the timing was too perfect. One second we're watching intense in-ring action, the next we're getting life advice from The Virtuosa about balancing wrestling and schoolwork.
It's peak wrestling meme material: the "Forbidden Door" isn't getting kicked down by Tony Khan and Triple H shaking hands... it's getting politely opened during a commercial break for higher education.
Deonna graduated in 2023 with her Bachelor’s (shoutout to her for crushing it while touring and competing), and now her ads are running during WWE shows like it's no big deal.
Talk about learning anywhere—even on your rival's network!
Props to her for the hustle, though.
While some wrestlers are grinding for TV time, Deonna's out here main-eventing ad breaks and inspiring people to hit the books. Tony Khan, are you taking notes? Maybe book her next feud against "The Syllabus" or something.
