The first-ever PROGRESS Women’s Champion Toni Storm, was recently interviewed by ESPN to discuss her run in the Mae Young Classic tournament and her pro-wrestling career. Storm spoke on her journey to the squared circle, always keeping her dream alive & much more.
Here are the highlights:
Toni On Growing Up A Fan:
“I would run around pretending I was a rock star and a wrestler. As soon as I saw it and how exciting it was for me, I was like, one day I want to make people as excited as I was when I was first seeing it. I was always known in school as the wrestling girl and I would kind of get teased for it a little bit because to them, it was a little different, no one was really into it. I was just running around pretending to be Cena, so yeah, I got a few strange looks.”
Starting Her Career & Being Trained By Dean Allmark In England:
“It’s tough for every wrestler. The biggest thing we all face is we have to start from the ground up and just work our way. That was how it all began. I look back on that now with so much pride because I came from that.
“He’s an absolute magician. Without that experience I got from England, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
Storm On Finding Her Way Out Of That “Awkward” Stage In Her Career & Competing In The MYC:
“I probably still am now. It was very crazy for me. I’ve always been the shy kid, so going in and doing something that big was outrageous, but I loved every second. To be honest, I had no idea what to expect. We all have our days, there have been times that I’ve been so tired, so exhausted, broke, haven’t seen my family in months or years. Sometimes, it’s just easier to just say: ‘You know what, I’m going home and living a normal life.’ This means everything because this is what I’ve worked my whole life just tirelessly to get to. This is the furthest I’ve gone and I’m hoping that it takes me further. I can say that I’ve really worked hard and I’ve started from the bottom and there have been no shortcuts. I can take a step back and go, ‘Yeah, I did this all myself and I’m incredibly proud.'”
