Toni Rossall[1] was born inAuckland on 19 October 1995,[2][3] and moved to Australia'sGold Coast with her mother at the age of four after her parents separated.[4] At the age of 10, while living on the Gold Coast, she discoveredWWE on television and developed an interest in professional wrestling.
Rossall began training at a smallGold Coast wrestling company and debuted on 9 October 2009 when she was 13 years old.[5] After five years of honing her skills with that company, she decided at the age of 18 that she wanted to receive further training to become a better wrestler; she got her mother's permission to move to England and live with her grandmother inLiverpool,[1][4] where she trained underDean Allmark.[1] She then started working internationally in countries such as Finland, France, Germany, and Spain.[1] She took part in a WWE tryout camp inMelbourne during WWE's 2014 Australian tour,[6] and attended another tryout camp inManchester during WWE's 2015 UK tour.[7]
Progress Wrestling (2015–2018)
Rossall made her debut under thering nameStorm (laterToni Storm)[8] forProgress Wrestling on 14 April 2015 in a losing effort against Elizabeth.[9] In May 2017, she became the inauguralProgress Women's Champion after defeatingJinny andLaura Di Matteo in athree-way match.[10] This marked the first time that female wrestlers competed in the main event of a Progress event.[citation needed] Throughout the year, Storm went on to successfully defend the championship numerous times against challengers likeKay Lee Ray, Laura Di Matteo andCandice LeRae. She lost the title to Jinny at Chapter 69: Be Here Now.[citation needed]
World Wonder Ring Stardom (2016–2018)
In 2016, Storm began working for the Japanese promotionStardom, where she won theSWA World Championship on 24 July.[11] On 2 October 2016, Stardom officially announced that Storm had signed with the promotion.[12] She would hold the championship for arecord-setting reign of 612 days.[13] After winning the2017 Cinderella Tournament on 30 April,[14] Storm also won the 2017 5★Star GP on 18 September, becoming the first wrestler to win the two tournaments in the same year.[15] On 24 September, Storm became the newWorld of Stardom Champion in an unplanned finish whenMayu Iwatani waslegitimately injured during a title defense against her, prompting thereferee to stop the match and award Storm the title.[16][17] On 9 June 2018,Kagetsu defeated Storm in a title match, ending her reign at 258 days.[18]
On 24 November 2019 on theTakeOver: WarGames post-show Q&A session withTriple H, Storm was announced to be a part of the NXT Women's Survivor Series team by team captain Rhea Ripley.[32] AtSurvivor Series, Storm was eliminated via submission byNatalya andSasha Banks.[33] AtNXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool II, Storm competed unsuccessfully in a triple threat match for the NXT UK Women's Championship against Kay Lee Ray and Piper Niven.[34] Storm participated in the women'sRoyal Rumble match at thenamesake pay-per-view and entered at #20 but was eliminated by Shayna Baszler.[35] Storm wrestled her last match in the brand on 27 February 2020 episode ofNXT UK, losing to Kay Lee Ray in an"I Quit" match.[36]
After an 8-month hiatus, on 4 October 2020 atTakeOver 31, Storm returned to NXT following the NXT Women's Championship match between Io Shirai and Candice LeRae.[37] She then joined Candice LeRae's team withDakota Kai, andRaquel González forTakeOver: WarGames, turningheel.[38] AtRoyal Rumble, she entered as #7 and was eliminated by Rhea Ripley.[39] She then competed in a triple threat match for the NXT Women's Championship involvingMercedes Martinez and reigning champion Io Shirai atTakeOver: Vengeance Day in a losing effort.[40] On 10 March 2021 episode ofNXT, Storm challenged Shirai for the title, where she was again unsuccessful.[41]
In an interview withRenee Paquette six months later, Storm said of her departure from WWE:
It was cool at one point and then it wasn't. It changed and I didn't want anything to do with it. My main goal in wrestling was to be on [WWE's main roster] and then I got there [and] realised that this is just not going to work out. [...] I abruptly quit. I woke up that morning having no idea that I was going to quit [and] it was a complicated ordeal. I had built up frustrations with the place for a very long time, like a lot of people do. They don't give a shit, so why should I? This isn't going to work. I'm not going to succeed here, I can just see it. [...] I like to think that I've been around wrestling long enough to know—I just know what's right and what's wrong for me and what I like and what I don't like, and I just didn't like it in the end. I didn't feel that appreciated. And I just felt like they, at times, didn't have very much respect for me. I feel like over time they just crushed my love for wrestling. It just wasn't even wrestling anymore. You're not even allowed to say "wrestling". I thought my whole purpose in life was to go to WWE, but then over time I realised it's just pro wrestling that I love. It's not a company that I love.[50]
On 11 January 2023 episode ofDynamite, Storm teamed withSaraya in a losing effort to Hayter and Baker. Shida accidentally assisted the opposing team with her signature kendo stick, where Baker was able to capitalize, allowing for Hayter to pin Storm for the win.[62] The following week, Storm and Saraya turned heel as they attackedWillow Nightingale and declaring war on the AEW Women's locker room, they would also attempt to recruit Ruby Soho.[63] AtRevolution, after Hayter defeatedRuby Soho and Saraya, Soho attacked Hayter and Baker officially aligning with Storm and Saraya.[64] On 10 March, the group became officially known asThe Outcasts.[65] Over the next month, they continued a winning streak against the homegrown talent while humiliating them with their signature branding using spray paint.[66][67][68]
AtDouble or Nothing, Storm defeated Hayter to win her record-setting second AEW Women's World Championship.[69] On the first episode ofCollision on 17 June, Storm and Soho made the debut in a tag team match against Blue andNJPW Strong Women's Champion Willow Nightingale.[70] Storm then retained her title against Nightingale atForbidden Door.[71] In July, Storm defeatedTaya Valkyrie in a title match atBattle of the Belts VII.[72] On 2 August episode ofDynamite200, Storm lost the title to Hikaru Shida, ending her second reign at 66 days.[73][60] Storm failed to regain the title in afour-way match involving Shida, Saraya, and Baker atAll In where she got pinned by Saraya.[74] AtAll Out, Storm turned on The Outcasts when she stopped Soho from using spray paint againstAEW TBS ChampionKris Statlander in their title match.[75] AtGrand Slam, Storm failed to win the AEW Women's World Championship from Saraya.[76]
"Timeless" (2023–present)
Devastated over losing the AEW Women's World Championship to Shida, Storm'spersona underwent a drastic change to that of a demanding and paranoid woman, cosplaying as aGolden Age of Hollywood starlet with the catchphrase "chin up, tits out, and watch for the shoe".[77][78] She dubbed herself "Timeless"Toni Storm on the 4 October episode ofDynamite.[79] Following the 25 October episode ofDynamite, Storm began to be accompanied in vignettes and to the ring byLuther, who serves as her personalbutler.[80][81] In the same episode ofDynamite, it was announced that Storm would face Shida for the AEW Women's World Championship atFull Gear.[82] In the shows that followed after the announcement, Storm began appearing after Shida's matches in attempts to steal Shida's spotlight, to Shida's initial confusion and later annoyance; Shida attacked Storm after one such attempt.[83][84][85] On the 8 November ofDynamite, the debutingMariah May was introduced as an obsessive fan of Storm.[86][87] In the following months, Storm adopted May as an "understudy" and protégé.[88][89] At Full Gear on 18 November, Storm defeated Shida to win the AEW Women's World Championship for a record-tying third time.[90] On December 30 atWorlds End, Storm successfully defended the AEW Women's World Championship againstRiho.[91]
Mariah May (left) was introduced as Storm's obsessive fan in November 2023, and would later become her "understudy" and play "the part" of Storm's previous persona until betraying Storm in July 2024
On 3 March 2024 atRevolution, Storm successfully defended her title againstDeonna Purrazzo.[92] It was also at Revolution that May adopted Storm's previous "Rockstar" persona, sporting Storm's old ring attire and entrance music, and would begin wrestling matches onDynamite andCollison in this persona as a tribute to Storm.[93] On April 21 atDynasty, Storm successfully defended the AEW Women's World Championship against Thunder Rosa.[94] On May 26 atDouble or Nothing, Storm successfully defended her title againstSerena Deeb.[95] During Stardom's June 2 event, Storm and May appeared in a vignette where Storm challenged May's friend and formerStardom tag partnerMina Shirakawa to a match atForbidden Door.[96] On the June 5 episode ofDynamite, Shirakawa accepted the challenge.[97] At Forbidden Door, Storm retained the title; following the match, May convinced Storm and Shirakawa to put aside their differences by initiating a three-way kiss.[98] It had been teased that May was conflicted about who to side with, and that she was romantically tied to both women.[98] On the July 10 episode ofDynamite, May defeated Willow Nightingale in the finals of theOwen Hart Foundation Women's Tournament to earn a shot at Storm's championship on August 25 atAll In; May and Storm celebrated after the match, but May then viciously attacked Storm and Luther with the tournament championship belt and bloodied Storm with her own high heel, turning Storm face after being a tweener alongside May for months.[99] The two would attack and insult each other at any given opportunity over the next month until All In, where Storm hesitated to use the bloodstained high heel as a weapon, allowing May to take advantage and end her third AEW Women's World Championship reign at 281 days.[100]
After nearly four months on hiatus, Storm made her return on December 11 atWinter is Coming, now under her previous "Rockstar" persona, where she confronted May after May's successful title defense against Shirakawa.[101] She began acting as if she just made her debut in AEW and had no memory of her "Timeless" persona, being friendly and respectful towards May.[102][103] After winning aCasino Gauntlet match atMaximum Carnage to earn title shot against May,[104] she returned to her "Timeless" persona and revealed that her "Rockstar" act was all a ruse.[105] On 15 February 2025 atGrand Slam Australia, Storm defeated May to win the AEW Women's World Champion for a record-setting fourth time.[106] On March 9 atRevolution, she defeated May to retain her championship in a "Hollywood Ending" falls count anywhere match, ending their feud.[107] On April 6 atDynasty, she retained her title againstMegan Bayne.[108] On May 25 atDouble or Nothing, she defended her title against Shirakawa, with whom she would then begin teaming up in tag team matches.[109] On July 12 atAll In, she successfully defended her title against the2025 Owen Hart Foundation Women's Tournament winnerMercedes Moné.[110] AtForbidden Door on August 24, Storm successfully defended her title againstAthena, who executed herCasino Gauntlet contract.[111] On September 20 atAll Out, Storm lost her title toKris Statlander in afour-way match, also involving Jamie Hayter andThekla, ending her fourth reign at 217 days.[112] On October 18 atWrestleDream, Storm failed to regain the title from Statlander.[113] On November 12 atBlood & Guts, Storm competed in the first ever women'sBlood and Guts match, but her team was defeated after Storm surrendered to save her tag team partner Mina Shirakawa.[114]
On 28 September 2024, it was revealed that Storm would faceLa Catalina at the CMLL Viernes Espectacular event on 11 October, marking her CMLL debut and her first match in Mexico.[118] On the 2 October edition ofCMLL Informa, she cut her first promo for CMLL, sending a warning out to everyone on the roster about her arrival.[119]
Professional wrestling persona
Beginning in 2023, Storm took on the persona of a Golden Age of Hollywood starlet, drawing comparisons toGloria Swanson andNorma Shearer
While competing on the independent circuit, Storm began to develop different personas before settling on one highly influenced by her enjoyment of 1980sglam metal music, leading her to take on a "rock star" aesthetic. This persona carried on through her time under the WWE banner and into the early goings of her run in AEW.[120]
Beginning in the latter half of 2023 in conjunction with her disassociation from The Outcasts stable, she adopted the "Timeless" Toni Storm persona which saw her transition into the character of a demanding and paranoidGolden Age of Hollywood starlet.[77][78] As part of the transition, Storm dropped her previous rock star aesthetic and began sporting abobbed and curled haircut, wearing early 20th-century fashion-inspired outfits and appearing in black and white vignettes.[121] During her matches, Storm began to dictate to AEW's "director", telling them "I'm ready for my close up" (quotingGloria Swanson's character inSunset Boulevard) before a dramatic zoom as well as speaking directly to the audience to inform them "and now a word from our sponsors" just before a commercial break.[122] The "Timeless" persona drew comparisons to actresses Swanson andNorma Shearer.[77][123] Later elements of the gimmick, especially during her feud withMariah May, took inspiration from other Golden Age films such asAll About Eve andWhat Ever Happened to Baby Jane?[124]
"Timeless" Toni Storm is also known to speak in comically frank terms about herself and her sexuality, referring to herself as "this whore you all adore, this slut you can’t rebut, this tramp is still the champ".[125] Additionally, Storm is openly bisexual onscreen, having romantic relationships with other women wrestlers such as Mariah May and Mina Shirakawa.[126][127]
Storm's "Timeless" persona has been critically lauded within professional wrestling and was awarded the "Best Gimmick in professional wrestling" award in theWrestling Observer Newsletter awards in back-to-back years (2023 and 2024).[128][129]
^Lambert, Jeremy; Ross Sapp, Sean (29 December 2021)."Toni Storm Gone From WWE".Fightful.Archived from the original on 29 December 2021. Retrieved29 December 2021.
^John Pollock, Wai Ting (7 March 2024).AEW Dynamite 3/6/24 Review.Post Wrestling. Event occurs at 1:04:00.It's perfect for the understudy type of character that she's playing
^"Women's Championship".wxw-wrestling.com (in German). Westside Xtreme Wrestling (wXw).Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved26 June 2022.
^"wXw Femmes Fatales 2017".wxw-wrestling.com (in German). Westside Xtreme Wrestling (wXw). 7 October 2017.Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved26 June 2022.
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