Toni Storm Reveals Scrapped WWE Storyline For Her On SmackDown
While Toni Storm is still finding her feet working for All Elite Wrestling, the New Zealand-born wrestler's path on the "SmackDown" roster could have been a lot different before her WWE departure in December 2021.
Speaking with Chris Jericho on the Talk Is Jericho podcast, Storm disclosed an intriguing storyline presented to her that never came to fruition during her short time on the blue brand.
"They put me in a debut match. That seemed to go well. It seemed like something was going to happen and nothing really did," Storm said. "There was bits and pieces here and there, like, 'Oh, you're in love with Rick Boogs and the love triangle with Dolph Ziggler,' and that never really went anywhere. Just bits and pieces here and there.
"And then I was working with Charlotte and stuff seemed to be picking up from there, but then, with a lot of contributing factors, kind of just led to me saying, 'You know what? I can't f*cking do this anymore and I need to change my life because, to be honest, I'm so depressed here.'"
After defeating Zelina Vega in her debut match on "SmackDown" in July 2021, Storm did not have a precise direction on television. Eventually, she found herself placed in a storyline with "SmackDown" Women's Champion, Charlotte Flair, some months later, but ultimately lost in her title match on Christmas Eve. Just days later, Storm walked away from WWE following a house show in Washington, DC.
Before making her main roster debut, Storm began her wrestling career in Australia before moving to the United Kingdom performing for the likes of PROGRESS Wrestling and wXw in Germany. She also headed on multiple tours in Japan with World Wonder Ring Stardom.
Storm began appearing for WWE in 2017, starting with the inaugural Mae Young Classic. She ultimately found a home on NXT UK, reigning as the NXT UK Women's Champion for 231 days. The 26-year-old then moved across the pond to the United States to appear weekly on NXT a year after winning the 2018 Mae Young Classic at WWE Evolution, before eventually challenging for the NXT Women's Championship in the early months of 2021.
Following her exit from Vince McMahon's organization, Storm resurfaced on March 30 earlier this year, debuting for AEW as a mystery opponent on "Dynamite", entering the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament. Her most recent match for the company came on June 3, when she defeated Zeda Zhang on AEW "Dark".
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit Talk Is Jericho with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions.