Steve Carrier on March 27, 2026
AEW was reportedly forced to scrap major creative plans involving Toni Storm at the last minute, and the latest update reveals just how significant those changes really were.
Storm was originally scheduled to compete in a No Holds Barred match against Marina Shafir on the Dynamite following AEW Revolution. That match was meant to serve as the launching point for a much larger storyline, but everything changed the same day the show aired.
Instead of wrestling, Storm was written out through a backstage segment where she was discovered unconscious in her dressing room by Mina Shirakawa. Shirakawa then stepped in and attacked Shafir, shifting the direction of the program immediately and setting up the mystery attacker storyline that is now unfolding on television.
According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the original plan had Storm defeating Shafir to begin a championship feud with AEW Women’s Champion Thekla. Those plans were abandoned just hours before the show went live after AEW learned Storm would not be able to compete.
“Toni Storm has been reported as being out of action until 2027. There are a number of stories floating around but it is obviously something that they want to keep under wraps. It is not an injury situation and it came up on 3/18 the day of the show as all plans until the afternoon were for Storm to beat Marina Shafir to lead to the start of a Thekla vs. Toni Storm program for the title. When they found out she could not wrestle, they laid out the injury angle and will be doing a tease akin to Who Shot JR? with clues and such and multiple potential assailants.”
That detail paints a clear picture of how close AEW came to launching a major title storyline before being forced to pivot. The planned feud between Storm and Thekla would have positioned Storm directly back into the championship picture, making her sudden removal even more impactful from a creative standpoint.
The change also explains why Mina Shirakawa was quickly inserted into the segment, as AEW needed to shift direction immediately while still keeping momentum within the women’s division. Instead of beginning a title chase storyline, the company pivoted toward a mystery-based angle designed to keep fans guessing while Storm remains off television.
Another detail adding intrigue to the situation involves how Storm appeared publicly after the segment aired, suggesting the on-screen injury angle was strictly storyline-driven rather than reflective of a physical setback.
“Storm did an injury angle on television and did an autograph signing over the weekend not selling any injury at all.”
The fallout from these scrapped plans could have lasting consequences for AEW’s women’s division. A title program between Toni Storm and Thekla would have immediately reshaped the championship scene, but with those plans now off the table, the division appears to be moving in a different direction while Storm’s future remains uncertain.
Do you think the cancelled Toni Storm vs. Thekla feud would have been a strong direction for AEW, or did the sudden pivot create a more interesting storyline opportunity? Share your thoughts and leave your feedback in the comments.
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