Toni Storm
Toni Rossall (born 19 October 1995) is a New Zealand-Australian professional wrestler. She is currently signed to WWE, where she performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Toni Storm. Storm previously performed on the NXT UK brand where she held the NXT UK Women’s Championship. Storm first gained attention in WWE from her 2017 and 2018 performances in the Mae Young Classic tournament. Storm progressed to tournament’s semi-finals in 2017, and won it in 2018 at the WWE Evolution pay-per-view (WWE’s first all-women’s PPV).
Beyond WWE, Storm has performed in Japan-based World Wonder Ring Stardom (aka, “Stardom”), where she was the first non-Japanese wrestler to hold its world title (the World of Stardom Championship), and had a record-setting reign of 612 days. Storm also held Stardom’s SWA World Championship. In the UK-based Progress Wrestling, Storm held the Progress Women’s Championship. In the Germany-based Westside Xtreme Wrestling (wXw), Storm held its wXw Women’s Championship twice.
On 26 August episode of NXT UK (aired on 28 November), Storm lost to Rhea Ripley in a final tournament match to determine the inaugural NXT UK Women’s Champion.[27] In a rematch on 12 January 2019 at NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool, Storm defeated Rhea Ripley to capture the NXT UK Women’s Championship[28] and reigned as champion until 31 August 2019 at NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff, where Storm lost her NXT UK Women’s Championship to Kay Lee Ray, ending her reign at 231 days.
On 24 November 2019 on the NXT TakeOver: WarGames post-show Q&A session with Triple H, Storm was announced to be a part of the NXT Women’s Survivor Series team by team captain Rhea Ripley. At Survivor Series, Storm was eliminated after Natalya and Sasha Banks aligned and locked in a Bank Statement/Sharpshooter Combination. At NXT 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. Storm participated in the women’s Royal Rumble match at the namesake pay-per-view and entered at #20 but was eliminated by Shayna Baszler. Storm wrestled her last match in the brand on 27 February 2020 episode of NXT UK, against and lost to Kay Lee Ray in an “I quit” match. Storm will not challenge for the NXT UK Women’s Championship as long as Kay Lee Ray is the champion.[29]
After a 8-month hiatus, on 4 October 2020 at NXT TakeOver 31, Toni returned to NXT following the NXT Women’s Championship match between Io Shirai and Candice LeRae.[30] On 25 November 2020 episode of NXT, Toni attacked Ember Moon, turning heel for the first time in her WWE career. She then joined Candice LeRae’s team with Dakota Kai, and Raquel González for NXT TakeOver: WarGames.[31] She competed in a triple threat match for the NXT Women’s Championship involving Mercedes Martinez and reigning champion Io Shirai at NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day in a losing effort.[32] On 10 March 2021 episode of NXT, Storm challenged Shirai for the title, where she was again unsuccessful.[33] At the NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver pre-show, Storm was defeated by Zoey Stark.[34]
