Bayley wanted a top AEW star, NOT Mercedes Moné, in Damage CTRL

AEW stars made headlines during WrestleMania 41 week after being spotted in photo ops with Bayley and other WWE Superstars. The inaugural Women's Tag Team Champion is close with AEW TBS Champion Mercedes Moné, but has now revealed she had big plans for Toni Storm in WWE.

The Role Model has found most of her success as a babyface in WWE. However, Bayley returned from hiatus at SummerSlam 2022 to launch Damage CTRL with Dakota Kai and IYO SKY. The heel faction took the women's division by storm, but the veteran was later booted from the group as it evolved into the current version with Kai, SKY, Asuka, and Kairi Sane.

Toni Storm would have been the perfect fit for Damage CTRL, according to Bayley. The RAW Superstar recently spoke with INSIGHT's Chris Van Vliet and was asked about the original idea for Damage CTRL. In addition to SKY and Kai, Bayley had different ideas for the original Damage CTRL, including involvement from Alba Fyre, Raquel Rodriguez, and the current AEW Women's World Champion.

"I had a whole [plan], there's five of us, my pitch for Damage CTRL. I also had Raquel in it. I also had Alba Fyre in it. I had so many other girls in mind, too. I had Toni Storm. I wanted Toni Storm in it," Bayley said.

Storm and Bayley have shared the ring just once. The 2021 Royal Rumble saw Bayley enter at #1, while Storm was the seventh entrant. The Role Model went 29:08 before Bianca Belair eliminated her, while Storm went 11:21 until Rhea Ripley tossed her out of the ring.

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Toni Storm announced for non-AEW event

Toni Storm wrestled for CMLL and Stardom last year while away from the All Elite Wrestling storylines. Now she's set for a special appearance at Prestige Wrestling.

The AEW World Women's Champion has been announced to appear at Prestige's Combat Clash '25, but she will not be wrestling. Storm is featured front and center on the promotional material for the event.

Matt Cardona, The IInspiration, Mustafa Ali, and Cedric Alexander will also be appearing at Combat Clash. The event is set for Sunday, July 13, at Viking Pavilion in Portland, Oregon.