In a recent interview that AEW President Tony Khan conducted with Justin Barrasso from Sports Illustrated, he discussed tonight’s episode of Dynamite. He also talked about the ongoing storyline between wrestlers Mariah May and Toni Storm, as well as his discussions last year with Bryan Danielson about the plot.
Here are some key takeaways from their conversation:
When Tony Khan first started discussing plans with Mariah May, he shared, “I reached out and communicated I had a unique concept for her in AEW, which was part of a long-term strategy. That very night, she responded, and thus, our journey began.”
Speaking about his conversation with Bryan Danielson about the storyline, he said, “On our way home from Double or Nothing, Bryan and I had an engaging discussion about wrestling, and he asked me if I had been following Mariah’s work. I mentioned that I had noticed her rapid ascension as one of the top stars in Stardom, which amazed me. Interestingly, we both felt she was very polished and had a magnetizing personality. Following this, I brought up the movies ‘All About Eve’ and ‘Sunset Boulevard’ to Bryan.”
Discussing his perspective of Mariah May, Tony Khan added, “I saw potential in Mariah and hence requested her to do something distinctly unique on her arrival in AEW. Initially, there was some resistance since she was stepping into AEW being a big admirer of Toni Storm, a deviation from her usual style in Stardom. As we move forward, we will understand her journey, including her dramatic rise to becoming one of the leading faces in wrestling within a year at AEW.”
Talking about Tone Storm taking on her “Timeless” persona, he stated, “I recommended ‘All About Eve’ and ‘Sunset Boulevard’ to Toni Storm as her persona resonates with the flamboyant characters such as Gloria Swanson’s role in Sunset Boulevard and Bette Davis in All About Eve. This encapsulates ‘Timeless’ Toni Storm. She portrays that alluring charm both in the ring and outside, akin to a rare vintage Hollywood star. I believe this role is what Toni was destined to play, and she embraces it with unparalleled brilliance.”
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