How Becoming Timeless Transformed Toni Storm's Career Forever

A lot of times in pro wrestling, what you see from a wrestler is what you get. This doesn't just apply to certain wrestlers either, it applies to all wrestlers. Whether it's because they became comfortable in their persona early on, or because they were only able to make it to a certain point in the card, plenty of wrestlers end up staying largely the same throughout their careers, maybe with a minor tweak here or there. It's hard to blame any of them; when something works, it's quite easy to stick with it, and if a wrestler is fortunate enough to make it to the top of the card early on, there's very little reason to change. As a result, the list of wrestlers who actually reinvent themselves throughout their career is small, though it's proven vital to their longevity.

Oddly enough, some of the best examples of wrestlers transforming themselves are associated with AEW. Chris Jericho may be a polarizing figure at this point in his career, but he remains a relevant figure, and one in line for a big pay day from either AEW or WWE in the next few months, because he has constantly tried to evolve. Has it always worked? No, but the sheer attempts to do so, coupled with Jericho's charisma, has allowed him to remain in the game and succeed at a high level. Sting is another great example; he went from being the blonde surfer sting with the bright colors in his facepaint to Crow Sting, later Joker Sting, and by the end a combo of them all (albeit with the Crow Sting facepaint), the evolution of his character being important to his staying power. And then there's "Timeless" Toni Storm. And if you're a younger fan, you may be thinking "huh? Surely Toni Storm has always been 'Timeless.' Not quite.

Of course, before she was "Timeless," Toni Storm was still pretty good. Having debuted at 14 years old, Storm was attending WWE tryouts by 19 years old and becoming a breakout sensation between PROGRESS Wrestling in the UK and World Wonder Ring Stardom in Japan when she was 20/21 years old. That she wound up in WWE's Mae Young Classic twice, winning the 2018 tournament, and signed with WWE before she was 23 was less of an accomplishment as much as it was an inevitability given her talent and high potential. Certainly, one can argue that the rest of her WWE run was a disappointment, and that her first year or so in AEW was a mixed bag. But even still, most wrestlers would take the career Storm had going into the summer of 2023, which included successful runs in Japan and the UK, a decent career in WWE, and two reigns as AEW Women's World Champion. That's nothing to sneeze at.

And because of that, it really goes to show just how much the transition from regular Toni Storm into "Timeless" Toni Storm took the Gold Coast, Australia native from a star to a mega star. And it didn't happen overnight either; many critics will tell you that it took some time for Storm to work out the kinks before the gimmick translated both in ring as well as from a character perspective. But the results are clear as day now; in her "Timeless" persona, Storm is not only the top star of AEW's improving women's division, but has arguably been the promotion's top star. She had what many consider to be the greatest feud in AEW history with Mariah May. And to date, she remains the only woman to look Mercedes Mone in the eye and make her blink in an AEW ring. The original incarnation of Toni Storm was quite good. But it cannot be denied that becoming "Timeless" turn Storm from very good into a potential Hall of Famer.