Last night, Deonna Purrazzo joined IMPACT Wrestling as the newest addition to their impressive Knockouts division. It was an excellent signing that will help bolster an already stacked roster. However, the news sparked more criticism around AEW and its women’s division.

This is a familiar pattern. A hot free agent hits the market and fans immediately assume they will head to AEW. When they don’t, detractors claim they failed again to sign a notable female star. It happened when WWE signed Mercedes Martinez and it’s happening again today.

After Deonna Purrazzo’s vignette appeared on the latest episode of IMPACT!, one fan, in particular, took to Twitter to express his disappointment. This complaint caught the attention of Kenny Omega, who has played a big role in AEW’s women’s division. Omega said he was happy for Deonna and assured the fan that he was proud of their product.

Admittedly, AEW’s women’s division has had some setbacks. The new company has earned some of the scrutiny that it has received. On the other hand, they have also improved quite a bit this year. The women’s matches were one of the highlights of Double or Nothing over the weekend.

More to the point, this insistence on referencing AEW every time another company makes a great move involving women’s wrestling seems to miss the goal of its existence. The Elite’s focus was to make an alternative for wrestling fans. It’s important to recognize that one or two promotions shouldn’t be the only options.

What IMPACT is doing with their Knockouts division is a step forward. Their growth shouldn’t be seen as AEW’s failure because it’s good for the industry as a whole. There’s room for more than one company to succeed.

In truth, AEW made so much noise last year because they presented another option for fans and wrestlers in the US. As a result, they’ve forced other companies to step up, as well.

Parity is a good thing. It’s important to the growth and stability of women’s wrestling. We should root for IMPACT, Ring of Honor, NWA, and indie promotions to do well too. It creates a healthy industry where performers can be fulfilled and fans can find the product they prefer.

Sure, it would’ve been a treat to see Deonna Purrazzo wrestle for AEW. Still, it’s just as exciting to think about all of the amazing matches she can have with Jordynne Grace, Kylie Rae, Taya Valkyrie, and Tessa Blanchard. “The Virtuosa” should thrive in the Knockouts division. Considering her struggles with WWE, this is a positive outcome.

We should all applaud IMPACT Wrestling for making such a phenomenal turnaround in the last year because it’s good for everyone. AEW still has time to establish new stars and build up its women’s division. It doesn’t have to happen overnight. Their position in the wrestling industry continues to promote parity and that’s more important than any single signing.

What do you think? Drop a comment below and let us know what you think of Deonna Purrazzo heading to IMPACT.