Major AEW Stars Turn Heel On Dynamite
A couple of big-name AEW players seemed to have had enough of babyface life on Dynamite...
Toni Storm and Saraya appeared to at least hint at a heel turn on last night's episode of AEW Dynamite, if not turn outright.
Recent weeks had seen semi-ally Hikaru Shida look to be heading down the heel route. Spurned by Saraya in favour of Storm for a recent tag team match with Jamie Hayter and Britt Baker, Shida effectively cost the faces the match, sliding Baker a kendo stick that she struck Toni with before the pinfall.
This was subverted on Dynamite. Facing insuppressible babyface Willow Nightingale, Toni worked with a nastiness typically reserved for hated rivals after starting sportingly. She scored the pinfall with a handful of tights while Saraya distracted the referee. Post-match, Saraya and Storm jumped Storm, leaving Willow's usual ally, Ruby Soho, to make the save while Shida looked on, stuck in the middle.
Positioning Storm and Saraya opposite Soho and especially Nightingale, who radiates unparalleled babyface energy, almost cements Toni and the former Paige as heels in itself.
If this is the direction, it follows recent crowd reactions. Responses to Saraya and her big-time wrestler act have soured since her cathartic, feel-good Grand Slam debut in September, turning to jeers in recent weeks. Turning her would therefore make sense.