One last WWE release in 2021 to have everyone reeling! It was announced yesterday that Toni Storm was leaving the company and many fans, media, and those backstage were shocked by the news. More on this story, below.
Backstage Reacts To Toni Storm WWE Release
As per some reports, Toni Storm requested her release from the company. WWE then granted it.
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.
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) December 29, 2021
She was in Baltimore for a WWE house show last night but flew home (on her own dime). According to Fightful Select, many within the company were “blindsided” by the news that Storm requested her release.
The report notes that one source reveals it would’ve been hard for the company to not grant her a release. This is because there were so many superstars fired this year because of “budget cuts”.
A WWE memo did announce Toni’s departure internally. However, there were no mentions of budget cuts.
It’s highly probable that Toni Storm’s contract has a 90-day non-compete clause. This means she’d be free to compete as of Tuesday, March 29th.
Toni Storm WWE Release – What Comes Next?
There’s no word on where Toni will go next. Although, she clearly has a bright future ahead in wrestling.
At 26 years of age, she entered WWE in 2017. She began with the company as a participant in the Mae Young Classic that year.
By the summer of 2018, she signed a contract with the WWE. She would eventually win the 2018 Mae Young Classic and become the NXT UK Women’s Champion.
Storm worked in the NXT UK brand until fall 2020. It was then that she was called up to the main NXT brand in the U.S.
This past summer, she debuted on the main roster, landing on SmackDown. She faced Zelina Vega and defeated her.
Before her release, Storm was in the title race picture, battling it out with current SmackDown Women’s Champion, Charlotte Flair. In fact, she was competing in Triple Threat title matches during house shows this past week, against Flair and Sasha Banks.
What’s next for Storm? Only time will tell.
On to some incredible news in the land of wrestling. Legendary Jim Ross announced he is cancer-free.
Jim Ross Is Cancer Free
Thankfully, good old J.R. recently revealed he is cancer-free yesterday. The AEW commentator first let fans know of his condition back in late October.
Source: New York Post, Twitter, Screenshot
At that point in time, he noted he had the issue for over a year. She started skin cancer treatments in late November.
The Announcement Everyone Wanted To Hear
Jim Ross hit social media to announce the good news. The post is below.
I’m CANCER FREE!
We did it!
See you tonight on #AEWDYNAMITE at 8 ET!
???????????? pic.twitter.com/4X9tmFtWTQ
— Jim Ross (@JRsBBQ) December 29, 2021
Originally, Ross was planning to work while he underwent 22 radiation treatments. However, since he started, he’s been away from AEW programming.
JR clearly enjoys his job and didn’t want to let skin cancer stop him. With that said, he may not have realized initially, the toll the treatments take and he’s been gone from AEW since.
The good news is, he returned last night to Dynamite, which aired live from Jacksonville’s Daily’s Place. It’s great to know that Ross is back doing what he loves.
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