AEW is now bracing for Toni Storm to be sidelined for the rest of 2026 at the very least following the injury that forced her off the March 18 episode of Dynamite, with creative already pivoting around her absence.
Storm was written out during Dynamite in Fresno through a non contact backstage attack angle. The segment included subtle clues to spark fan speculation, while AEW already has a clear direction planned for revealing the attacker.
She had originally been set to face Marina Shafir in a no holds barred match, but was pulled after not being medically cleared. Mina Shirakawa stepped in as a late replacement and defeated Shafir using Storm Zero. Just minutes before the broadcast, AEW shared footage showing Storm bloodied in her locker room, with Shirakawa and Luther checking on her.
Bryan Alvarez of F4Wonline.com reported the situation was legitimate, confirming Shirakawa was not part of the original plan. The latest update suggests the injury is far more serious than first believed, with AEW now preparing for a lengthy absence that could stretch through the remainder of the year.
The development also throws a wrench into the teased storyline with Ronda Rousey, who made a surprise appearance at AEW Revolution on March 15 and confronted Storm after her win. Dave Meltzer has since indicated there has been no word of a Storm versus Rousey match currently being scheduled.
AEW has yet to publicly confirm details on the injury, and Storm has not addressed her condition.
