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Toni Storm in WWE has long been a tale of disappointment and a lack of follow-up on her potential. Even her title feud with SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair managed to undermine Storm's status as a challenger when much ado was made about cream pie gags before her eventual loss on the Christmas Eve episode of the Blue Brand.
Her brief and underwhelming stint on the main roster has come to an end, however, with news breaking that Toni Storm has been released, per her own request.
Despite such a frustrating final chapter, the New Zealand-born Australian managed to showcase herself well with NXT UK as both the Mae Young Classic winner in 2018 and NXT UK Women's Champion.
It goes without saying that there will be a number of promotions putting the feelers out for Toni Storm as soon as she is available. With a number of suitors, Impact Wrestling has seen its women's division flourish and of course a return to Stardom is yet another option.
But without a doubt the excitement comes from the prospect of seeing Storm emerge in AEW. With an ever expanding women's division and a brand new TBS Champion set to be crowned, there awaits a plethora of opponents, it's just a matter of who and when.
#5 Toni Storm vs Jamie Hayter
Another former fixture of Stardom and women's wrestling in the UK, Jamie Hayter has established herself as a regular fixture in AEW through her alliance with women's champion Britt Baker. Despite being a multi-time women's champion in her own right, she is yet to have a match to truly showcase her remarkable in-ring ability.
We have seen glimpses of Hayter's brilliance in her outings against Thunder Rosa and Riho, but it very much feels like we need an opponent to unlock and highlight her talent.
Toni Storm, who has faced Hayter only once throughout her career. The same year Storm was crowned the winner of the Mae Young Classic, she lost to Hayter in Pro Wrestling: EVE's SHE-1 tournament final. Both Storm and Hayter fought a spectacular three-way alongside Kris Wolf in a beautiful showcase of what women's wrestling could and should be.
They are yet to have a singles battle, and AEW is as good a venue as any to finally see the showdown. Their clash would not only be a dream match for fans of British women's wrestling but a platform for both Toni Storm and Jamie Hayter to cement themselves as legitimate threats to the throne.
#4 Toni Storm vs Ruby Soho
Toni Storm finds herself in an all-too familiar position for a plethora of women's wrestlers in wrestling free agency. However, she can take solace in the fact that Ruby Soho had to endure a similar journey before making her way to AEW, where the TBS Tournament finalist has enjoyed a rich vein of form.
It's an unfortunate circumstance that we have yet to see a collision between Soho and Storm materialize, especially given their concurrent runs with WWE. Both represent two leading figures in women's wrestling, despite their lack of mainstream success thus far, and would only serve to compliment each other in the ring.
Ruby Soho is on the precipice of capturing the TBS title and could well see Toni Storm arrive in AEW to put the champion through her paces. Whichever the case, any battle between the two will be a must-see spectacle and a showcase of the wealth of talent that finds itself slipping through the WWE net.
#3 Toni Storm vs Thunder Rosa
Going from an opponent that would make Toni Storm look like a million bucks, to a sleeping star-maker in the AEW women's locker room. Thunder Rosa is yet another former women's champion in her own right, having held the NWA Women's World Championship prior to signing with AEW full-time.
Britt Baker may have taken the majority of the plaudits following but their Lights Out match served to show the physicality and intensity Thunder Rosa brings to the table. Rosa has earned a repute in AEW as a reliable in-ring worker to turn to when a good showing is needed.
Her talent and work-rate has seen her become a focal point of the tournament to inaugurate the TBS title, reaching the semi-finals against the unbeaten Jade Cargill and beating Jamie Hayter on her way.
She has gone from strength-to-strength in AEW this year, and now resides in the upper echelon of the women's division. Thunder Rosa would work well as an introductory feud with Toni Storm, thanks to her status as a former women's champion and her seeming inability to produce a bad outing.
#2 Toni Storm vs Hikaru Shida
Wherever Toni Storm lands next, she needs to be treated for what she is, a legitimate challenger and face of the division in waiting. Standing her opposite former AEW women's champion Hikaru Shida would be a surefire way for AEW to signal their intentions.
Shida lost her championship to Britt Baker at Double or Nothing 2021, but has shown no signs of slowing down her quest for greatness as she sought to become the inaugural TBS Champion. In the midst of her hunt for gold, Shida has been embroiled in an intense rivalry with the Women of a Thousand Holds, Serena Deeb.
Maybe we could see a rematch eight years in the making? Storm was just eighteen years old when she defeated Shida in tag team action during a 2013 REINA show. 2021 could see a singles showdown between the two to show how far they have both come since.
#1 Toni Storm vs Britt Baker
Britt Baker, too, has seen her own WWE pursuit end in disappointment. The current AEW World Women's Champion was used as an enhancement talent for Nia Jax in 2016 before defeating Tesha Price in a dark match during the Mae Young Classic 2018 tapings. But that was all she wrote for the doctor in WWE.
She has since turned her fortunes around in AEW, rising to the top of the women's division in the company and wrestling in general. Britt Baker represents a key figure in women's wrestling in 2021.
Toni Storm can once again take solace in the fact that Britt Baker completely turned her fortunes around during her time with AEW. If Baker, as an enhancement talent can make the most of opportunities to rise through the ranks, then it makes all too much sense that someone as decorated as Storm will take AEW, well, by storm.
Britt Baker would be a great adversary both in-ring and on the mic, elevating Toni Storm in a manner befitting her talent while delivering a compelling story.
