Jamie Hayter Gives Flowers to 'Timeless' Toni Storm but Her Absence Creates Opportunity (Exclusive)

As All Elite Wrestling begins to navigate a busy spring and summer pay-per-view schedule that will culminate with All In London from inside Wembley Stadium on August 30, the AEW Women's Division is having to push through this stretch without its anchor being.

Unless you're a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you're likely not going to understand that reference, but it's spot on when articulating the importance of "Timeless" Toni Storm.

The four-time AEW Women's World Champion, for reasons unknown to the public at this time, is reportedly out of action until sometime in 2027. Losing such a vital player for that long a stretch will undoubtedly be a difficult hurdle to clear, but AEW President Tony Khan has done a spectacular job of building up the depth of his roster during Storm's run on top. There's more than enough talent at his disposal to not only help stabilize the locker room but also carry it to new heights.

Jamie Hayter, a former AEW Women's World Champion in her own right, was there at the beginning of Storm's transition from rock star Toni to the "Timeless" wonder that stole our hearts. While the two of them may not have the best relationship on screen, Hayter was more than willing to give Storm her flowers while speaking to The Takedown on SI.

“I think Toni did such a fantastic job and no one else could have done that. She really did carry this division for those three years, and she was the division I feel like,” Hayter said, while also recognizing the need for someone to step up in Storm's absence. “Of course, this is an opportunity for myself and for everybody else. It's a chance to kind of mix up the roster a bit more. Maybe put people in the mix that haven't been for a while.”

Hayter will step into the ring Sunday night at AEW Dynasty, where she could become a two-time AEW Women's World Champion. Her opponent, Thekla, is a prime example of what someone can become if given the chance to showcase their abilities on a somewhat consistent basis.

Jamie Hayter wants to see more women in the AEW locker room get their sink or swim moment

“A lot of people don't have experience doing live promos and that in itself is a scary thing," Hayter said. "So let's put people in the deep end and see what they can do. Because I think having the pressure of doing those things will then set you up for when maybe you do become the World Champion, you do become the TBS champ. Something like that.”

The Toxic Spider came over to All Elite Wrestling last summer after a four-year run with World Wonder Ring Stardom, one of the premier female wrestling promotions in Japan.

She made a name for herself on her very first night with the company by attacking Jamie Hayter, and her undeniable presence and immense charisma helped catapult her to the top of the AEW Women's Division less than a year after her arrival.

Whether it's herself or not, Hayter would love to find out who else in the locker room is on the verge of becoming a breakout star. But there is no discovery without some level of risk.

AEW Women's World Champion Thekla's idea of a good time aside, she warns Jamie Hayter and anyone who challenges for her title as #AEWDynamite is LIVE on TBS and HBO Max pic.twitter.com/yndC9Ck6Xy
— AEW on TV (@AEWonTV) April 9, 2026

“This is a process for everyone. We're constantly learning. We are all at different parts of our careers and we've been at AEW for different lengths of time. So I think it really is the perfect moment to just switch things up and give things a try. It’s never a bad thing to try things out. And if it doesn't work or it doesn't go well, if it doesn't feel good, you can always do something else. That's the beauty of wrestling.”

Sunday night's fight for the AEW Women's World Championship from the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, will mark just the second time that Jamie Hayter has ever gone one-on-one with Thekla.

Hayter defeated the Toxic Spider at AEW WrestleDream back in October, but conceded that her opponent tonight will be vastly different from the one she faced before. And the dance created from their contrasting styles will be fascinating to watch unfold.

“I would liken myself to more the Neanderthal. My thing is just to hit the girl really hard. Throw the girl really hard. That's just kind of what I know to do. That's how my brain is," Hayter said with a laugh. "She's a lot more calculated… and she does more submissions. I'm not really a submission specialist. She could put something on me and I don't even know what that is. I dunno how she did that.”

Thekla will look to counter Hayter's strength with her agility and unique athleticism. The reigning AEW Women's World Champion has the ability to do things in the ring that not many women can replicate, which presents some challenges, but also gets Jamie's creative juices flowing as she does her prep work.

“If I'm wrestling someone that's a hard hitter like me, then it's pretty easy. We're just gonna hit the absolute s--- out of each other. But with someone that isn't like that, it's hard to judge,” Hayter said. “You have to understand that what would work for one person definitely isn't gonna work for this kind of style or this kind of person. So I do have to put my wrestling brain on a bit.”

A victory tonight for Jamie Hayter would put her on track to finally fulfill a dream that turned into a nightmare scenario three years ago.

Months before AEW All In took over London's Wembley Stadium for the first time, the Eastleigh, U.K. native began suffering from some serious back issues. She had two herniated disks that forced her to drop the AEW Women's World Title to Toni Storm in a relatively short match at AEW Double or Nothing 2023.

She would end up missing over a year of action, and even told AEW correspondent Renee Paquette that she considered walking away from wrestling before eventually making her comeback. With All In set to return to London in just a few months' time, Hayter has one goal in mind for the show later this summer.

“I wanna make my country proud,” Hayter said. “Whatever happens, happens. Whether I go as a champion, whether I leave as a champion. Who knows what will happen at Wembley? My main goal is that I wanna stay healthy, just in case.”

While Hayter did receive one heck of a pop from the crowd that assembled at Wembley Stadium when she made her surprise appearance at All In 2024, she has yet to wrestle a match at this marquee event. Fingers crossed, she'll get that opportunity in August.

“Third time lucky. Third time lucky. So, it's gonna happen. I've been manifesting it for quite some time, but if it doesn't happen, then what can you do? I roll with the punches. I never have any expectations in wrestling.”

The Takedown on SI will have more from our conversation with Jamie Hayter this coming Wednesday, April 15, as she discusses the origin of the Brawling Birds.

Our Jon Alba also had the opportunity to speak with Kenny Omega ahead of his AEW Men's World Championship match tonight at AEW Dynasty. You can watch their entire conversation on our YouTube channel by clicking on the video above. Make sure to give us a like and follow for more great pro wrestling content!