Toni Storm May Never Return to WWE for Major Reason

Toni Storm is thriving in AEW, where she’s had a stellar run as Women’s World Champion across four reigns. Her “Timeless” persona, cinematic promos, and rivalry-driven storylines have made her a standout on AEW television.

Before joining Tony Khan’s company, Storm first made her mark in WWE, winning the Mae Young Classic and the NXT UK Women’s Championship. She eventually left WWE in 2021 to pursue new opportunities and landed major success in AEW.

Many AEW contracts, including the company’s top stars, are set to expire this year and next, leading to speculation about who might join WWE. On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez discussed possible moves, and Toni Storm’s name came up among those who could be future WWE targets.

However, Meltzer believes WWE likely wouldn’t pursue Storm because her popular “Timeless” character wouldn’t fit the company’s usual approach to talent from other promotions. WWE has a history of rebranding incoming stars rather than reusing established gimmicks.

“WWE may not want to recreate her AEW gimmick. That’s not usually how they operate.”

Additionally, it was also noted that Tony Khan highly values Toni Storm and would likely offer a better contract to keep her, as she’s a centerpiece of the AEW women’s division and a proven ratings draw.

“Tony Khan would likely outbid them anyway. She’s one of his top stars right now.” [H/T Ringside News]

Jim Ross Names Toni Storm AEW’s MVP

Legendary commentator Jim Ross recently heaped praise on Toni Storm. On his Grilling JR podcast, Ross examined the AEW roster ahead of Forbidden Door in London and singled out Storm’s unique appeal. He even went on to name her as AEW’s MVP.

“I think Toni Storm is my MVP. I think she’s my favorite AEW wrestler right now. She books a lot of her own stuff, and she’s creative as hell in matches, creative like an agent would do…Toni Storm is something special. She’s my MVP. I can’t remember her having a non-entertainment outing on television. She’s just really, really creative.”

“She’s just really, really good. Everything I watched last night, she came out to the ringside, and it was the whole presentation. Her facials, her physicality, when she got involved. She’s just an old school throwback. Like I said, my MVP of AEW right now, and I’m happy that she’s doing well. She’s a real nice person.”

Storm will defend her AEW Women’s Championship against Athena at Forbidden Door on August 24, but Athena’s ROH Women’s World Title will not be on the line.