Video: Backstage Footage Following Mariah May's Attack On Toni Storm On AEW Dynamite
In a turn of events that crushed the dreams of romantics everywhere and confused poor Mina Shirakawa, Mariah May celebrated her Owen Hart tournament victory on "AEW Dynamite" last night by attacking her mentor, AEW Women's World Champion "Timeless" Toni Storm. And it wasn't any old garden variety attack either, as the assault ended with Storm's butler Luther flying off the stage, Storm lacerated from a belt shot, and May standing over her mentor, covered in Storm's blood.
If that angle didn't satisfy the sickos out there, AEW gave them more of what they want earlier this afternoon, when they posted exclusive backstage footage on X immediately following the attack. The first half of the video showed a satisfied, almost euphoric May descending into the backstage area, where she was asked briefly to explain her actions. May instead pushed the camera to the side and walked off, not yet ready to reveal whether she had planned to betray Storm from the moment she arrived in AEW last fall.
Soon after came Storm, who was helped to the back by referees Rick Knox and Stephon Smith, still gushing a ton of blood from her forehead. Seemingly alternating between a state of semi-consciousness and sadness, Storm also had nothing to say, briefly staring off into the distance, blood dripping from her nose, before she collapsed against the stairs.
EXCLUSIVE: Witness the AFTERMATH of @MariahMayx's BRUTAL BETRAYAL of #AEW Women's Champion, #ToniStorm! pic.twitter.com/CoIE30jcpA
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) July 11, 2024
How Storm will recover physically, and especially emotionally, from the betrayal of her protege remains to be seen, but she will need to do so fast. With May's victory in the Owen final last night, she has secured herself an AEW Women's World Championship against Storm at AEW All In at London's Wembley Stadium next month, in a match that will see May, a London native, have the psychological and hometown advantage.