Toni Storm: Committed to AEW for Life, No WWE Return Planned

While speaking with the ECW Original, Storm told Sandman that once she's done with All Elite Wrestling, fans will supposedly never see her again. She said:

“I’m on a five-year deal and I can’t remember how long. But I’m a lifer for AEW. There’s no like, ‘Oh, well, I’ll see what happens.' When I’m done wrestling, you’ll never see me again. You’ll never see me in any other capacity, or in any other company, for that matter.” (h/t: F4Wonline)

Sandman later told Toni that’s how he felt about ECW, and he was going to be with the promotion forever, but of course, fans know how that turned out. The company went under in 2001. Storm agreed that it does happen, though when asked if she would return to WWE, she made it clear that it was a no. Her reasoning behind the choice is that she felt like she didn’t fit in with WWE.

“No, and that’s no offense to them, I think they’re great. I understand them for exactly what they are: They’re a machine, they’re a business and I just don’t fit in with their whole schtick and that’s cool. I love a lot of the people that work there. And it’s like yes, get that money, get that power but realistically, in my life, that’s it. I could do another 20 years with AEW.”

Storm has been with AEW since March 2022. She made her debut on the March 30, 2022, episode of Dynamite, where she wrestled against The Bunny in the first round of the Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament. Storm didn’t start doing her “Timeless” gimmick until late 2023, when she turned to the Golden Age of Hollywood and actresses like Gloria Swanson and Bette Davis. This gimmick is honestly the best consistent thing in AEW.

A Look At Toni Storm’s WWE Run

So what was Storm’s WWE run like? She signed a contract with the company in May 2018, and before signing an official contract, Storm was one of the participants of the 2017 Mae Young Classic.

During her career, she wrestled on NXT UK, NXT, and SmackDown. Her claim to fame was winning the 2018 Mae Young Classic by defeating IYO SKY at the first Evolution PLE and holding the NXT UK Women’s Champion for over 200 days. She made her main roster debut on the July 23, 2021, episode of SmackDown, where she defeated Zelina Vega. Other than that, it’s safe to say that Storm got lost in the shuffle and didn't stand out like she does now in AEW.

WWE granted Storm’s release at the end of December 2021. Her last televised WWE match was on Christmas Eve, and it was a title match. She would end up losing to then-SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair. Now Storm is a 4-time AEW Women’s Champion, and her next match will be at the AEW All Out pay-per-view on September 20. Storm is set to defend the AEW Women’s Title against Jamie Hayter, Kris Statlander, and Thekla.