“We were in Columbus for Final Battle and I actually was supposed to have the next day off, my niece was turning two,” Purrazzo said. “It was her birthday party, so I wasn’t supposed to be at Collision in Columbus. Literally as I’m about to walk through the curtain, Billie and I started the pay-per-view, Tony [Khan] pokes his head around and is like, ‘So Madison, this is your hometown, what if you and Deonna tag tomorrow?’ I was like, ‘Do you need me to be here? Because I’m not supposed to, but I’m more than happy to be here, 1000%.'”

Rayne joined the AEW-ROH team in 2022 as a coach for AEW’s women’s division and a part-time wrestler. Prior to that, she competed for Ring of Honor — under different management — in 2008 before returning for a longer run that stretched from 2017 until 2019. Rayne’s biggest success came in TNA Wrestling, where she enjoyed runs as a five-time TNA Knockouts World Champion, three-time TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champion, and commentator.

At the time of filming her interview, Purrazzo expressed interest in pursuing the newly-minted AEW Women’s Tag Team Championship with Rayne. “We’ve been in every company at some point together in some dynamic, so I think that there’s that natural chemistry that we also have just being so close that will come alive in the ring if we get more opportunities,” she said. As it turned out, however, Purrazzo’s next tag match with Rayne, aired on January 1, would be their last together and Rayne’s last career bout overall.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “Gabby AF” with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.