Wednesday’s episode of AEW Dynamite featured “Timeless” Toni Storm scheduled to face The Death Riders’ Marina Shafir in a No Holds Barred Match. However, Storm was reportedly attacked earlier in the day by an unknown assailant.
As a result, Storm’s Timeless Love Bombs partner, Mina Shirakawa, took her place in the match and secured a victory over Shafir.
According to Fightful Select, Storm was intended to compete on Dynamite but was ultimately not cleared to wrestle. The report stated that the situation was described as a “deliberately non-contact” angle.
It was indicated that Storm would not be returning anytime soon, as AEW was preparing for the possibility of her not being cleared to compete through at least the entirety of 2026. Notably, the final decision not to clear Storm was made just 10 minutes before Dynamite began.
Bryan Alvarez mentioned on the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio that Storm has a legitimate injury. He advised that speculation regarding the severity of the injury should be approached with caution.
Alvarez suggested that if it were a minor injury, it would have made more sense for Shafir to win, allowing the feud to continue later. The fact that the match ended in this manner implies that Storm’s absence may be prolonged.
AEW also shared an image of Storm lying out backstage with various “clues” meant to spark interest in a mystery angle surrounding the attack. In the image, Storm is depicted with a head wound and lying in a pool of blood, surrounded by several items designed to promote speculation about her assailant.
The report notes that plans and a creative direction are in place for the storyline involving the “attacker.”
