The Toni Storm AEW feud has escalated as Marina Shafir, representing the Death Riders, delivered a bold threat. The animosity reached a new level after Shafir aimed harsh words at Storm following a series of recent confrontations throughout late 2025, raising tensions within the All Elite Wrestling women’s division.
Toni Storm, formerly the AEW Women’s World Champion, found herself embroiled in this heated rivalry with Marina Shafir after a pivotal tag team match. The feud began when Storm and Mina Shirakawa, competing as the Timeless Love Bombs, bested Shafir and Megan Bayne in the Women’s World Tag Team Championship Tournament. Following that defeat, Shafir targeted Shirakawa, making a statement during the Blood and Guts match by forcing Storm to witness her partner being attacked. These early moments added fuel to an already fiery conflict between the two competitors.
The hostilities continued at AEW Worlds End, where Storm’s team claimed victory in a Mixed Nuts Mayhem match. However, the scales tipped on the December 31 episode of Collision, as the Death Riders managed a decisive win in a tornado mixed match, signaling the back-and-forth nature of this rivalry. Most recently, Storm and Shafir clashed again during Darby Allin’s contest against Wheeler Yuta on AEW Collision, increasing the spotlight on their personal grudge.
Marina Shafir’s Direct Challenge Adds Fuel to the Fire
The ongoing tension reached a boiling point when Marina Shafir issued a scathing promo directed at Toni Storm. Shafir’s comments underscored the personal motivations driving her campaign against Storm and the Timeless Love Bombs. During the fiery outburst, Shafir made her intentions clear—she is aiming for psychological as well as physical dominance over Storm in the AEW ring.
Shafir’s in-ring aggression has commonly targeted Storm’s character and persona, hinting at her belief that Storm’s focus on “love, romance & oranges” is a weakness she can exploit. Shafir did not hold back, promising to make Storm pay for any perceived distractions and signaling that she considers Storm an easy target due to her emotional approach.
“A woman who gets distracted by love, romance & oranges. You’re making this way too easy for me.”
— Marina Shafir, AEW competitor
This harsh message, delivered on All Elite Wrestling channels, left little doubt that the feud is both personal and professional. Shafir’s comments have set the stage for even more intense confrontations between the two athletes in upcoming AEW events, as both seek to outdo the other in and out of the ring.
Toni Storm Discusses Her WWE Experience and Character Development
Before joining AEW, Toni Storm’s career included a stint in WWE from 2017 to 2021. During her time in Stamford, she transitioned from NXT to the main roster, debuting on the July 23, 2021 episode of SmackDown. Storm competed in various matches, even earning a shot at the Women’s Championship against Charlotte Flair, although she did not capture the title.
Storm eventually requested her release in December 2021, which WWE granted immediately. Reflecting on her time with WWE during an appearance on the Marking Out Podcast, Storm opened up about the unique challenges she faced regarding creative direction and character identity.
“In the WWE, I don’t think I was told what to do enough. I wasn’t told to do anything, actually. I wasn’t told like, I mean, obviously you were told what to do under certain circumstances. But overall, I don’t feel like I was told what to do enough. I was very lost.I mean, there’s direction in things like, ‘This is how you do it, this is what you do, this is what you do on television, this is cameras.’ But then, I guess in regards to a character — I was never like, I mean they write promos, but like I was just kind of — just did it. I wasn’t really told like, ‘Do this. Today you’re a cat and this is your character. Your name’s bloody Tori Smith.’No one told me anything. And I kept my name the whole time, and it was like I had complete creative freedom to be honest. I saw where others didn’t and others were given things. So it’s a very difficult thing for me to grasp. Am I getting too deep?”
— Toni Storm, Pro Wrestler
Storm’s remarks suggest that despite the perception of restricted creativity in WWE, she often felt adrift without clear character guidance, which complicated her development as a performer. Her perspective highlights the distinct contrasts she’s experienced between WWE’s structure and AEW’s approach, informing her current storylines and character work.
What’s Ahead for Storm and Shafir in AEW?
The Toni Storm AEW feud with Marina Shafir is primed to be one of the defining rivalries in the division as 2026 unfolds. The involvement of other prominent names, such as Mina Shirakawa and Megan Bayne, as well as the ongoing presence of factions like the Death Riders, ensures the story will remain intertwined with other key AEW events. The emotional investment from both Storm and Shafir, along with the increasingly personal nature of Shafir’s attacks, has captured audience attention and increased anticipation for their next showdown.
The outcome of this rivalry could significantly impact the direction of the AEW women’s roster, potentially influencing future championship opportunities and the fate of alliances like the Timeless Love Bombs and the Death Riders. As AEW continues to headline high-stakes broadcasts and pay-per-view events, all eyes will be on whether Toni Storm can withstand Shafir’s psychological warfare and respond in kind, or if Shafir’s threats will prove prophetic in the ring.
"A woman who gets distracted by love, romance & oranges. You're making this way too easy for me."
EXCLUSIVE: @MarinaShafir sends a HARSH message to Toni Storm! pic.twitter.com/wrKzxu4kX2
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 4, 2026
