Note on How Involved Tony Khan Was In Developing Timeless Toni Storm Character in AEW

AEW President Tony Khan reportedly played a major role in creating Toni Storm’s “Timeless” character. New details have shed more light on how one of the company’s most successful gimmicks came together behind the scenes.

Storm’s transformation into “Timeless” Toni didn’t happen overnight. After leaving WWE in 2021, Storm debuted in AEW the following year and quickly rose to the top of AEW’s women’s division. However, in 2023, she was catapulted into a new level of popularity when she adopted the persona of “Timeless” Toni Storm, drawing inspiration from classic Golden Age Hollywood films, particularly All About Eve and Sunset Boulevard.

During a recent Fightful Select Answers Q&A, Sean Ross Sapp noted that Khan was “heavily” involved in developing the Timeless Toni Storm persona. He also recalled that Tony Khan had previously cited All About Eve as a ‘huge inspiration’ behind the character and her heavily acclaimed storyline with Mariah May (now known as Blake Monroe in WWE). Khan was “very important” to the angle and character.

In earlier interviews, Khan also credited host and onscreen interviewer RJ City as a key collaborator, saying City was the only one who understood the classic movie references and helped bring those ideas into a wrestling setting.

You can feel the tension between both competitors as Mariah May & the AEW Women's World Champion Toni Storm CLASH this Sunday at #AEWRevolution!

Watch #AEWDynamite LIVE on TBS & Max@ReneePaquette | #ToniStorm | @MariahMayx pic.twitter.com/HHTrxkpPbk

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) March 6, 2025