Toni Storm

**Toni Rossall** (born 19 October 1995) is a New Zealand-Australian professional wrestler best known by the ring name**Toni Storm**. She is currently signed to WWE, where she performs on the SmackDown brand. She was a former and the second ever NXT UK Women's Champion.

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She first gained attention in WWE from her 2017 and 2018 performances in the Mae Young Classic tournament. She progressed to the 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). In 2018–2021, she performed on the NXT UK, NXT, and SmackDown brands before her release in December 2021. Beyond WWE, Storm has performed in the 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). She also held Stardom's SWA World Championship for a record-setting reign of 612 days. In the UK-based Progress Wrestling, she held the Progress Women's Championship. In the Germany-based Westside Xtreme Wrestling (wXw), she held its wXw Women's Championship twice.

## Early lifeEdit

Toni Rossall was born in Auckland, New Zealand on 19 October 1995, but moved to Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia with her mother at the age of 4 when her parents separated. At age 10, while living on the Gold Coast, she discovered WWE on television and developed an interest for professional wrestling.

## Professional wrestling career

### Early career

Rossall began training at Impact Pro Wrestling's Australian affiliate (not to be confused with the United States-based Impact Wrestling) and debuted for the company under the ring name Storm on 9 October 2009, when she was 13 years old. After five years of honing her skills in Australia, she decided she wanted to become a better wrestler; at the age of 18, she convinced her mother to let her move to England, where she moved into her grandmother's home in Liverpool. While in England, she trained under Dean Allmark. She started working internationally in countries such as Finland, France, Germany, and Spain. Storm took part in a WWE tryout camp in Melbourne on the 2014 WWE Australian tour and the 2015 WWE UK tour.

### Progress Wrestling (2015–2018)

Storm made her debut for Progress Wrestling on 14 April 2015, being defeated by Elizabeth.

In May 2017, Storm became the first ever Progress Women's Champion after defeating Jinny and Laura Di Matteo in a three-way match. This match marked the first time that female wrestlers competed in the main event of a Progress event.[citation needed]Throughout the year, Storm went on to successfully defend the championship numerous times against challengers like Kay Lee Ray, Laura Di Matteo and Candice LeRae. She lost the title to Jinny at Chapter 69: Be Here Now.citation needed]

### World Wonder Ring Stardom (2016–2018)

In 2016, she began working for the Japanese promotion World Wonder Ring Stardom, where she won the SWA World Championship on 24 July. On 2 October 2016, Stardom officially announced that Storm had signed with the promotion. After winning the 2017 Cinderella Tournament on 30 April, Storm also won the 2017 5★Star GP on 18 September, becoming the first wrestler to win the two tournaments in the same year. On 24 September, Storm became the new World of Stardom Champion in an unplanned finish, when Mayu Iwatani was legitimately injured during a title defense against her, prompting the referee to stop the match and award Storm the title. On 9 June 2018, Kagetsu defeated Storm in a title match, ending her reign at 258 days.

### WWE (2017–2021)

#### Mae Young Classic (2017)

On 16 June 2017, WWE announced Storm as one of the first four participants of the Mae Young Classic. Storm entered the tournament on 13 July, defeating Ayesha Raymond in the first round. The following day, Storm defeated Lacey Evans in the second round and Piper Niven in the quarterfinals, before being eliminated from the tournament in the semi-finals by Kairi Sane.

#### NXT UK Women's Champion (2018–2019)

On 9 May 2018, Storm was advertised for the upcoming United Kingdom Championship Tournament. On 24 May, Storm signed a WWE contract.On 18 June at the United Kingdom Championship Tournament, Storm defeated Killer Kelly and Isla Dawn in a triple threat match to become the #1 contender for the NXT Women's Championship. The following day at the NXT U.K. Championship, Storm was defeated by the defending NXT Women's Champion Shayna Baszler.Months later, she participated in the second Mae Young Classic, a tournament she won when she defeated Io Shirai at WWE Evolution.

She also participated in a tournament to crown the inaugural NXT UK Women's Champion, but she lost against Rhea Ripley. In a rematch on 12 January 2019 at NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool, Storm defeated Ripley to win the title. She reigned as champion until 31 August 2019 at NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff, where Storm lost her title to Kay Lee Ray, ending her reign at 230 days.

#### Return To NXT UK (2019–2020)

On 24 November 2019 on the 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 via submission by Natalya and Sasha Banks. 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, losing to Kay Lee Ray in an "I quit" match.

#### NXT Black and Gold (2020–2021)

After a 8-month hiatus, on 4 October 2020 at TakeOver 31, Storm returned to NXT following the NXT Women's Championship match between Io Shirai and Candice LeRae. She then joined Candice LeRae's team with Dakota Kai, and Raquel González for TakeOver: WarGames. At Royal Rumble, she entered as #7 and was eliminated by Rhea Ripley. She then competed in a triple threat match for the NXT Women's Championship involving Mercedes Martinez and reigning champion Io Shirai at TakeOver: Vengeance Day in a losing effort. On 10 March 2021 episode of NXT, Storm challenged Shirai for the title, where she was again unsuccessful.

#### SmackDown (2021)

Storm debuted on SmackDown on 23 July episode, defeating Zelina Vega.She was then defeated by Vega during the Queen's Crown tournament in the first round. She participated in the 5 on 5 Survivor Series elimination match at Survivor Series; eliminating both Carmella and Vega but was then eliminated by Liv Morgan. Storm then began a program with SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair with Storm winning their first bout via disqualification. She then received her title opportunity on the Christmas Eve edition of SmackDown in a losing effort. This was her last televised appearance in WWE as the following week on 29 December 2021, Storm requested a release from her WWE contract, which was immediately granted. In an interview with Renee Paquette, Storm explained the reasons led to her departure from the company.

### Return To WWE (2022–present)

#### SmackDown (2022–present)

On January 4, 2022 episode of Friday Night SmackDown. Toni Storm made her unexpected return to WWE by attacking SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair. She stared that she was personal called by Vince McMahon to come back to WWE. He apologize for the way she was treated by him in her main roster debut and run on SmackDown. So she aspect his apologize and signed a new WWE Contract. She said he said that she was going to be treat as upcoming star she is. One week later on SmackDown. The SmackDown Women’s Championship Match was made official for the Royal Rumble (2022).

## Other media

Rossall made her video game debut as a playable character in WWE 2K20,and subsequently in WWE 2K22.

In August 2022, Rossall was featured as the cover girl of Fitness Gurls magazine.

## Personal life

In June 2020, it was revealed that Rossall was dating Juice Robinson.On 30 September 2021, Rossall revealed that she and Robinson were engaged. The two later married in 2022.

On 22 June 2021, Rossall came out as bisexual during her Takeover of the NXT Instagram account for Pride Month.

## Championships and accomplishmentsEdit

* **All Action Wrestling**

* + AAW Women's Championship (1 time)

* **British Empire Wrestling**

* + BEW Women's Championship (1 time)

* **Pro Wrestling Alliance Queensland**

* + PWAQ Women's Championship (1 times)

* + PWAQ Women's Underground Championship (1 time)

* **Pro Wrestling Illustrated**

* + Ranked No. 13 of the top 100 female wrestlers in the PWI Women's 100 in 2019

* **Progress Wrestling**

* + Progress Women's Championship(1 time)

* + Natural Progression Series IV

* **Sports Illustrated**

* + Ranked No. 7 in the Top 10 Women's Wrestler of the Year (2018)

* **Westside Xtreme Wrestling**

* + wXw Women's Championship (2 times)

* + Femmes Fatales (2017)

* **World Wonder Ring Stardom**

* + SWA World Championship (1 time)

* + World of Stardom Championship(1 time)

* + 5★Star GP (2017)

* + Cinderella Tournament (2017)

* + Stardom Year-End Award (1 time)

* + - MVP Award (2017)

* **WWE**

* + NXT UK Women's Championship(1 time)

* + Mae Young Classic (2018)