Toni Storm’s Sudden Departure From AEW TV Reportedly Not Due to Injury

The sudden departure of former AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm from AEW TV has led to a ton of speculation among fans. Storm battled Marina Shafir in a one-on-one contest at Revolution earlier this month.

Following her victory, she was confronted by UFC veteran Ronda Rousey. This led to speculations among fans about a potential program between the two in the coming days.

Storm was scheduled for a No Holds Barred Match against Shafir on last Wednesday’s Dynamite, but she was eventually replaced by Mina Shirakawa after being found lying in a pool of blood in her locker room. Following that, Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer reported that Toni Storm is expected to be out of action for a “long time,” leading many to wonder if she is nursing a serious injury.

However, Dave Meltzer on Sunday’s Wrestling Observer Radio claimed that Toni’s sudden departure from AEW television is not due to “not an injury or anything like that” and that the company found out about her situation (which he didn’t disclose) on the day of the show itself. According to Meltzer, the company was under the impression that things would proceed as planned as late as Wednesday morning.

“On Wednesday, she is there. She is set up to wrestle in this match, and they had to do this emergency angle to take her out and put Mina Shirakawa in,” Meltzer said.

Notably, Fightful Select reported last week that AEW is prepared for Toni Storm “to not be cleared to wrestle through 2026 at the minimum.”

EXCLUSIVE: "Timeless" Toni Storm has been taken out backstage ahead of tonight's #AEWDynamite and her No Holds Barred Match with @MarinaShafir! pic.twitter.com/PcsVjwULrt

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) March 18, 2026