Toni Storm signs with AEW, qualifies for Owen Hart Foundation women’s tournament

Toni Storm has signed with AEW and is the first to qualify for the Owen Hart Foundation women’s tournament.

Storm made her debut on tonight’s Dynamite, defeating The Bunny with the Storm Zero. After the match, Excalibur said that Storm was the first to qualify for the tournament, which begins in May, with the finals taking place at Double or Nothing on May 29.

AEW later confirmed on social media that Storm had signed with the company.

Storm previously signed with the WWE in 2017 and had spent nearly four years in NXT and NXT UK, winning the NXT UK Women’s Championship on one occasion. She was called up to the SmackDown roster in July of last year but was used sparingly until she began feuding with Charlotte Flair in November. She lost a SmackDown Women’s Championship match on the edition of SmackDown that aired on Christmas week. A week later, Storm requested and was granted a release from WWE.

The Owen Hart Foundation men’s tournament qualifiers will begin on next week’s Dynamite, with women’s qualifiers continuing. Another qualifier between Skye Blue and Jamie Hayter was announced for this Friday’s Rampage.