5 best Toni Storm moments in WWE
It has been reported by Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful that Toni Storm and WWE have parted ways. The news came just five days after Toni's televised SmackDown Women's Championship match against Charlotte Flair.
The report suggests that Toni Storm specifically asked for her release from the company. Many of the promotion's recent releases have been cited as budget cuts, but this particular release does not fall under that bracket, according to Sean Ross Sapp.
Those that I spoke to within WWE believe Toni Storm asked for her release from the company, though I'm also making an effort to reach out to those close to her. The memo that went out did not list budget cuts as the reason, as has been tradition of late.
It appeared that things had been looking up for the New Zealand-born superstar on SmackDown recently as she was in the midst of the biggest push of her main roster tenure. Sadly, it has now come to an end, on her own terms.
Her last appearance for the company came at the December 28 house show in Washington, DC. Storm competed in a Triple Threat match for the SmackDown Women's Title involving champion Charlotte Flair and Sasha Banks.
This list will take a look at the five best moments of Toni Storm's career in WWE.
#5. Toni Storm's WWE debut in 2017
Wrestler of the Year 2017 | Toni Storm - wp.me/p4gNlF-2NS https://t.co/t3v33b4HdZ
What a year it was for Toni Storm in 2017. She made headlines across the independent scene by becoming the first-ever Progress Wrestling Women's Champion in the UK.
She also competed in Japan for Stardom, winning the 2017 Cinderella Tournament and the 2017 5★Star GP.
She got her big break in the United States when WWE came calling and asked her to compete in that year's Mae Young Classic. The inaugural tournament also saw the likes of Rhea Ripley, Bianca Belair and Shayna Baszler compete.
Toni Storm managed to make it all the way to the semi-finals, defeating Ayesha Raymond, Lacey Evans and Piper Niven A.K.A. Doudrop before eventually being eliminated by tournament winner Kairi Sane.
Storm spoke to FOX Sports about competing in the first-ever all-women's tournament:
"That was nerve-racking. I was out doing all the tapings, all of the interviews and getting ready for it for about 10 days in Orlando. It was just 10 days of nerves, I was terrified. It was so nerve-racking because it’s WWE, it’s the top place, it’s where I’ve always wanted to be. I nearly had a heart attack." (h/t Wrestling Inc.)
It certainly capped off an incredible year for Toni Storm, who was finally introduced to the WWE Universe for the first time.