After reports stating Deonna Purrazzo, Lacey Lane, and MJ Jenkins were signed made the rounds, yesterday July 17, WWE confirmed they’re a part of the latest round of Performance Center recruits.
Io Shirai heads this class and will be participating in the upcoming Mae Young Classic II.
Here’s what WWE had to say about the rest of the women:
Twenty-four-year-old “Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo, from Jefferson, N.J., also joins the WWE PC. A former national competitor in cheerleading, Purrazzo was inspired to become a sports-entertainer after watching WWE Hall of Famers Trish Stratus and Lita. She began training for the ring in 2012 and made her wrestling debut in December 2013. In short order, Purrazzo ascended the ranks of the independent scene, competing for organizations like Ring of Honor, Beyond Wrestling and the East Coast Wrestling Association. Revered for her technical wrestling prowess, Purrazzo has submitted many opponents with her feared Fujiwara Armbar. She has also wrestled in England, Puerto Rico, Canada and Japan, including competing in Tokyo’s world-famous Korakuen Hall.
Another crossover athlete is Winter Park, Fla.’s Lacey Lane, who has excelled both inside the wrestling ring and on the basketball court. Accepted to Shaw University on a full athletic and academic scholarship, Lane played guard for the Bears basketball team during their 2012 NCAA Division II championship season. That same year, she was also nominated for the NCAA Woman of the Year award. After graduating magna cum laude, Lane turned her focus to sports-entertainment. A product of The Dudley Boyz’ Team 3D Academy of Professional Wrestling, Lane has competed in the U.S. and Mexico.
Brooklyn, N.Y.’s Monique Jenkins, better known to wrestling fans as MJ Jenkins, also comes to the WWE PC from the independent scene. Originally trained by WWE Hall of Famer Johnny Rodz, Jenkins made her in-ring debut in 2011, and has also received coaching from the Dudleys at the Team 3D Academy. Jenkins has wrestled in the Northeast, New England, Florida and the Dominican Republic. She attended WWE tryouts at the Arnold Classic in 2016 and at the Performance Center last February.
What do you think of this news? Do you think any of them aside from Io will participate in the MYC II? Sound off in the comments below.
