AEW ALL ELITE ASSESSMENT: Toni Storm and Harley Cameron – Evaluating a main event and potential rising star act

In this edition of the All Elite Assessment, I’ve decided to shine some much needed spotlight on the strong but underserved AEW Women’s Division. The column has been spurred on by the recent Toni Storm vs. Taya Valkyrie technical difficulties on Battle of the Belts VII – a perfect encapsulation of the bad luck, sporadic creative, and puzzling use of the division in 2023.

Toni Storm

Background

New Zealand born Toni Rossall has journeyed the wrestling world to arrive at the peak of the AEW women’s roster. A true drifter of the squared circle, the ring-rechristened Toni Storm has traveled the globe acquiring varying techniques and plenty of fans along the way. Beginning her grappling education as a teen, Storm would initially compete in her adopted home of Australia before emigrating to England to further her development. Using the burgeoning UK independent scene as a base, Storm would travel Europe to hone her craft before venturing further east to the highly praised Stardom promotion.

WWE would soon notice the growing popularity of women’s wrestling and its potential. Moving away from its “Divas” branding, WWE attempted to legitimize its female division with initiatives such as the Mae Young Classic and an increased focus on legitimate women’s competition in NXT. Storm was ready-made for such an initiative as she possessed the in-ring experience coupled with a contemporary presentation.

Entry and success in two Mae Young Classics were next on the agenda (a semi-final loss in the inaugural classic before victory in the sophomore installment). NXT and NXT UK were Storm’s next ports of call and championships followed.

With her star on the rise, a call-up to the WWE main roster seemed inevitable. In July 2021, it appeared as though Storm’s journey had reached its natural next stop as she was promoted to Smackdown. The blue brand was not her home for long, though. A combination of poor creative and a perceived lack of respect led to Storm requesting her release just months later, a request granted in late December 2021.

Journey

With Storm’s free agent status and AEW’s perceived shallow female roster, it was only a matter of time before the athletic antipodean would arrive in All Elite. Coincidentally, it was another tournament, this time the inaugural Owen Hart Foundation which would introduce Storm to AEW fans. Storm would defeat The Bunny on her debut and then conquer frequent opponent Jamie Hayter before falling to eventual winner Britt Baker in the semi-final. Revenge would be exacted weeks later, though, as Storm would defeat Baker in a Number One Contender’s qualifier.

That title shot would be contested in a losing effort to then-champion Thunder Rosa at Forbidden Door 2022. Failure would be short-lived as an injury meant Rosa would vacate her title. The newly available title would be claimed by Storm in a competitive four-way opposite Baker, Hikaru Shida, and Hayter. A short reign followed before Storm dropped the title to the uber popular Hayter at the Full Gear 2022 PPV.

Early 2023 heralded a change in character direction for Storm as she sided with the Saraya in attacking a defenseless Willow Nightingale, turning both WWE alumni heel in the process. The duo soon became a trio as Ruby Soho joined the ranks of the now-named The Outcasts. The decision would pay dividends for Storm as she would soon recapture the AEW Women’s Title from the clearly injured nemesis Jamie Hayter at the Double or Nothing PPV. Storm has remained champion (as of typing) defending her title opposite Nightingale and the aforementioned Taya Valkyrie.

Future

Notice from the above musings that very little has been written thus far regarding Toni Storm’s character. This feature is not unique to Storm in AEW, but as the company’s women’s champion, more emphasis needs to be put on the title holder. Too often the female roster members are featured in a consistent quarter of Dynamite with very little change from week to week.

Since winning the title, Storm has been given very little in terms of character or narrative progression outside of making the L symbol and derivatively spray painting fallen opponents. As part of a trio, Storm feels like a team player, a gang member, part of a mean girls clique but not the alpha. Give the AEW audience, a video package explaining Storm’s goals and aspirations, a sit-down interview with the hugely talented Renee Paquette, or an in-ring promo (not in quarter 7!) with Storm front and center, flanked by her stablemates.

The injury to Jamie Hayter has no doubt derailed creative plans for the summer and Hayter’s return could reignite the stalling division and Storm’s title reign. A clash between the two at the upcoming All In would be hugely popular with a voracious crowd familiar with both Hayter and Storm. If Storm is a placeholder until Hayter returns, then why not give Storm a career-defining moment which elevates her for future programs.

All too often AEW relies on contrived short-term booking for its women’s division. On the Friday Rampage, Storm interrupted a victorious Valkyrie. A title match was made for the next night on the back of that one promo exchange. This approach neither builds excitement for Storm or credibility for the title. Long-term booking should be the focus for AEW Creative for the remainder of 2023.

Verdict

Storm has struggled to make a significant imprint on mainstream wrestling despite being a multi-time title holder. Her talent and presence deserves better. A heel character feels the right fit for now, but stronger, more focused character progression is a must to unleash obvious potential.

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Harley Cameron

Background

Like Toni Storm, Danni Ellexo is a native of Australasia, but is a freshman in the wrestling sorority when compared to the record of the AEW Women’s Champion.

Born on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Harley Cameron has little experience but has gained recent plaudits with a comfort in front of the camera and live audience alike.

Debuting in 2021, Cameron competed at Shine 74 before her first appearance on AEW Dark in 2022.

Journey

Cameron’s main roster debut occurred during the introductory QTV segment on AEW Dynamite. An association with the newly crowned TNT champion Powerhouse Hobbs led to increased TV time for perennial mid-carder Q.T. Marshall. This in turn led to the debut of QTV. A parody of the TMZ news updates, QTV was heavily derided. Cameron would be seen in the background of these segments offering heelish asides as Marshall analyzed Hobbs’s latest opponent.

Cameron would gain greater visibility as she began to accompany QTV stablemates Hobbs, Marshall, and Solo to the ring and act as a distracting presence at ringside.

With confidence building, Cameron gained live mic time (and an online viral moment) when confronting Anthony Bowens of The Acclaimed. A comical misunderstanding between the two showed some range from Cameron and has led to further narrative attention.

Future

Cameron has shown an aptitude for entertaining in the short period she has been part of AEW. The QTV segments may have been divisive, but has introduced a new talent.

Some may argue that Cameron’s on-screen presentation may be a throwback to a Divas era best forgotten, but as WWE’s narrative involving Alpha Academy and Maxine has proven, there is still room in the wrestling sphere for a unserious B-story to work.
If Cameron has aspirations to transition to wrestling on a more consistent basis, then there is no better template than WWE’s Trish Stratus. Stratus, a former fitness model, initially debuted as a valet but ascended to the top of her division through hard work and a kinetic crowd response.

If not, Cameron still provides something different to her more in-ring focused colleagues. Difference is an advantage with a roster the size of AEW’s.

Verdict

A surprise positive from the QTV segments, it remains to be seen if this is Cameron’s 15 minutes of fame or if longevity lies ahead.

NOW CHECK OUT THE PREVIOUS COLUMN: AEW ALL ELITE ASSESSMENT: Colten & Austin Gunn and Juice Robinson – Evaluating a main event and potential rising star act

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