Upon returning to All Elite Wrestling back in December, Toni Storm was being presented to the audience in an amnesia storyline. Due to this angle, she didn’t possess any memory of her earlier stint with the company, essentially making her a rookie in the scene. She also didn’t have any memory of her previous three title reigns before reverting to Timeless.
That being said, Toni Storm, the once mentor of Mariah May, was intending to “follow her footsteps.” The self-proclaimed AEW rookie had picked up a huge win in her ‘short career’ on Dynamite during the Maximum Carnage edition as she won the Casino Gauntlet Match to earn the right to challenge for the AEW Women’s Title at Grand Slam in her home country of Australia.
After this bout, Toni Storm vs. Mariah May rematch has been announced for the title at the AEW Grand Slam in the former home country. Heading into the bout, the challenger basked in glory with the fact that she gets to go toe-to-toe with the biggest women’s star on the roster in AEW that Mariah May, is.
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In a conversation with The Takedown, Toni Storm asserted that she’s yet to have a proper conversation with May backstage. She further admitted that she’s super intimidated by the work the former Stardom star has put up during her Japan days. As such, she’s keen on following the footsteps of May to match up to her level.
“Best in the business today. She’s the real deal. I’m not gonna lie, I’m super intimidated. I hope I get an opportunity to show some respect. I hope she doesn’t think I’m rude for not coming and saying hello,” Toni Storm stated keeping her kayfabe aspect intact in the interview.
“I’ve never really met a star so big before and I’m just such a huge fan of her work. I’ve seen stuff she’s done since Stardom. I mean, it’s just insane. I just wanna be like her. I wanna follow in her footsteps.”
Mariah May and Toni Storm have a long history in and out of the AEW
While the current “Rockstar” gimmick-holder may not remember meeting Mariah May earlier in her career, they do share an illustrious history. Even before ‘The Timeless’ Toni Storm started an alliance with the current Women’s World champion in AEW, the two used to share a friendship in Stardom.
Mariah May made her AEW debut as a protégé of Toni Storm back in 2023 and then she eventually turned on the latter to win her first title in the company back in All In PPV in August. Then on the AEW Dynamite: Winter is Coming edition in Dynamite, the former champion resurfaced on AEW programming.
