{"id":124459,"date":"2024-05-20T08:00:48","date_gmt":"2024-05-20T12:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/?p=124459"},"modified":"2024-05-20T00:45:24","modified_gmt":"2024-05-20T04:45:24","slug":"how-aews-timeless-toni-storm-achieved-what-wwes-fiend-could-not","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2024\/05\/20\/how-aews-timeless-toni-storm-achieved-what-wwes-fiend-could-not\/","title":{"rendered":"How AEW\u2019s \u201cTimeless\u201d Toni Storm Achieved What WWE\u2019s Fiend Could Not"},"content":{"rendered":"

Needing Time\u00a0<\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Stewing, the concept of this\u00a0<\/span>appraisal<\/span>\u00a0has been on the backburner for months\u00a0<\/span>now<\/span>. The reason: the gimmick could have gone either way. Ironically, AEW Women\u2019s Champion,\u00a0<\/span>\u201cTimeless\u201d<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>Toni Storm<\/span><\/strong>, needed time to work the gimmick into a character that fans could emotionally invest in. It could have been (and realistically\u00a0<\/span>with<\/span>\u00a0a few\u00a0<\/span>errors<\/span>\u00a0it could end like) a disaster movie.<\/span><\/p>\n

The character has threatened at points to go t*ts up. When Toni Storm and\u00a0<\/span>Julia Hart<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0captured their respective titles at\u00a0<\/span>Full Gear<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0last year, I wrote optimistically\u00a0<\/span>about the future of the women\u2019s division while also warning of the repetition of past mistakes<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

Previous and notable championship reigns, like\u00a0<\/span>Britt Baker\u2019s<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Jade Cargill\u2019s<\/span><\/strong>, relied on personality and character work over in-ring work.\u00a0<\/span>Eventually<\/span>\u00a0leading to stagnation. Alongside this, women\u2019s storylines, card positioning, and match time were sub-optimal\u00a0<\/span>when<\/span>\u00a0compared to their male counterparts. Match time and card positioning remain unaddressed issues.<\/span><\/p>\n

There were signs of this familiarity\/repetition from week one<\/span>, but also<\/span>\u00a0a new problem.<\/span>\u00a0Storm\u2019s acceptance speech segment was an\u00a0<\/span>Oscar\u2019s parody\u00a0<\/span>and<\/span>\u00a0it<\/span>\u00a0felt dislocated from AEW. It felt more like McMahonism \u201csports entertainment\u201d, complete with an outdated pop-culture reference to\u00a0<\/span>Jennifer Lawrence<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0tripping up the aisle in 2013. <\/span><\/p>\n

The Chicago fans were clear in their disinterest. There was already a sense of detachment from reality lingering within the gimmick.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although creative and intriguing, the Hollywood scarlet character made no sense in the context of a sports-orientated wrestling promotion. Although intentional, the character was mentally so removed from the reality of\u00a0<\/span>wrestling,<\/span>\u00a0that<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>it dislodged Storm from the established framework of AEW\u2019s brand of storytelling.<\/span><\/p>\n

Things have changed. The \u201ctimeless\u201d one has gone from a detached stock character to a defined fan favourite. AEW and Toni Storm succeeded\u00a0<\/span>whereas<\/span>\u00a0WWE failed with\u00a0<\/span>The Fiend\/Bray Wyatt<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Boundaries of Comparison<\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

I\u2019ll be the first to admit comparisons are limited. I\u2019ve pointed this out with tribalistic memes discussing\u00a0<\/span>WWE\u2019s portrayal of masculinity in\u00a0<\/span><\/a>The Bloodline<\/span><\/a><\/strong>\u00a0storyline. And yet\u00a0<\/span>we<\/span>\u00a0as human beings make comparisons naturally for everything. Why?\u00a0<\/span>To calibrate our ideas and experiences.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>To spot differences and patterns.<\/span>\u00a0Sometimes\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0assert one-sided arguments by spotlighting one thing and ignoring others.<\/span><\/p>\n

This<\/span>\u00a0is a comparison of creative processes and fictional characters<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Not<\/span>\u00a0about asserting a wrestler or their promotion\u2019s superiority. The former, comparing vastly different human\u00a0<\/span>beings<\/span>\u00a0is incomparable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Windham Rotunda<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0tragically passed away before his time. I loved and still admire Bray Wyatt as a wrestler, performer and creative. Likewise, I believe Toni Storm is the real driving force of the\u00a0<\/span>latest AEW women\u2019s revolution<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

What I\u2019m comparing is narrow and hyper-focused on one aspect of these contrasting beauty and beast characters<\/span>. How<\/span>\u00a0the promotion’s creative process dealt with the issue of trying to make these detached characters fit within the narrative framework of their wrestling TV shows.<\/span><\/p>\n

Besides, WWE\u2019s creative process for many fans seems night and day with Paul Levesque in charge. Although, I\u2019ve argued elsewhere\u00a0<\/span>McMahonism<\/span>\u00a0is still the foundation of the\u00a0<\/span><\/a>Paul Levesque<\/span><\/a><\/strong>\u00a0Era<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a case study of what happens when adjustments and mistakes\u00a0<\/span>are learned<\/span>\u00a0from. When criticism\u00a0<\/span>is addressed<\/span>\u00a0over time<\/span>. Given<\/span>\u00a0the incoming teases for the return of\u00a0<\/span>Uncle Howdy\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>and possibly a\u00a0<\/span>Wyatt Six<\/span><\/strong>,\u00a0<\/span>history could be learned from<\/span>. Or<\/span>\u00a0repeated.<\/span><\/p>\n

It would be arrogant to assume WWE can\u2019t learn from other wrestling promotions\u00a0<\/span>both<\/span>\u00a0creatively and in real life.<\/span>\u00a0The presentations of both\u00a0<\/span>Cody Rhodes<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Jade Cargill<\/span><\/a><\/strong>\u00a0resemble much of their AEW runs. Similarly, how AEW attracts wrestlers, despite its supposed inferiority, is something else I\u2019ve covered\u00a0<\/span>here.\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Another (and Lack) of Dimension\u00a0<\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

I, like many wrestling fans during the pandemic, waited pessimistically for one man to abandon another potential golden egg-laying goose again prematurely.\u00a0<\/span>Vince McMahon<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The scapegoat before\u00a0<\/span>Jack Perry<\/span><\/a><\/strong>\u00a0for wrestling\u2019s difficulties.<\/span>\u00a0In hindsight, and with\u00a0<\/span>WWE now seeming to fulfil many fans’ long-held wishes<\/span><\/a>, it\u2019s easy to put most of the blame on Vince. Vince\u2019s control of creative made him, for some fans, wrestling\u2019s devil before Bray turned his boss into a puppet.<\/span><\/p>\n

The evidence is historic. Many gimmicks that Vince did not help create were mismanaged or diminished.\u00a0<\/span>Although<\/span>\u00a0Vince\u2019s stubbornness is not the only reason for the Fiend\u2019s failure.\u00a0<\/span>Fans were engaged by vignettes, but after The Fiend\u2019s debut and victory over\u00a0<\/span>Fin Balor<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0at<\/span>\u00a0SummerSlam<\/span><\/strong>,\u00a0<\/span>the most essential<\/span>\u00a0element was already missing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ironically\u00a0<\/span>for<\/span>\u00a0a company that markets itself on telling stories<\/span>, what was the story<\/span>?<\/span>\u00a0What was the long-term overarching story\/reason for The Fiend\u00a0<\/span>to exist<\/span>\u00a0within the WWE? There was meta-inspired lore.\u00a0<\/span>Intentionally<\/span>\u00a0cryptic and<\/span>\u00a0cyclical\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>intentionally<\/span>\u00a0ambiguous for hardcore fans to make their interpretations.<\/span>\u00a0Not accessible or of interest to the often spoken of \u201ccasual fans.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

What were the dual personalities’ motivations? How did this fit into the world of wrestling?<\/span><\/p>\n

At SummerSlam, there was a story that fans could infer. Bray\u2019s previously cancelled match with Fin Balor seemed like an attempt at course-correcting history. The same meta-infused story was present for Bray challenging\u00a0<\/span>Randy Orton<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>John Cena<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0in the\u00a0<\/span>Firefly Funhouse match<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0to avenge another historical mistake.<\/span><\/p>\n

The reality is<\/span>\u00a0this type of long-term plan, with a\u00a0<\/span>clear<\/span>\u00a0narrative and set-out progression, would have given The Fiend purpose. It would have achieved two things.\u00a0<\/span>First<\/span>, incorporating the monster from another dimension into the world of WWE<\/span>. Secondly<\/span>, making The Fiend more than one-dimensional.<\/span><\/p>\n

Storm\u2019s Storyline: The Understudy<\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Storm\u2019s transformation happened weekly and on the job. It did not arrive as the finished product. It\u2019s why Storm\u2019s delivery and acting early on was uneven. Unlike a Hollywood actor, Storm\u2019s workshopping of the character happened in front of an audience each week.<\/span><\/p>\n

However,\u00a0<\/span>Tony Khan<\/span><\/strong> himself helped co-create the gimmick. With Toni Storm, they mapped out the progression. In contrast, reports related to Vince\u2019s views of The Fiend suggested <\/span>there was<\/span>\u00a0no endgame. Plans changed\u00a0<\/span>and<\/span>\u00a0frustrations boiled over.<\/span><\/p>\n

AEW\u2019s plan and endgame, like some of their\u00a0<\/span>biggest<\/span>\u00a0moments, like\u00a0<\/span>Swerve Strickland\u2019s<\/span><\/a><\/strong>\u00a0championship ascent<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Hangman Page\u2019s<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0rise to the world championship, were foreshadowed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Khan revealed:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>Toni and I had a shared vision for this stuff.\u00a0A long time ago, I came to Toni\u00a0<\/span>and<\/span>\u00a0I\u00a0<\/span>showed her some ideas: old Hollywood movies. It\u2019s exactly the kind of stuff she loved, and she had a very similar vision – the word she had used was “starlet… I’ll say\u00a0this: it was when I first started working on getting Mariah May\u2019s visa and stuff, which took longer than I would have liked but it worked out great. So, I sat down with Toni a long time ago talking about old movies and plans and things we could do, and she started watching the movies\u00a0<\/span>and<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>she<\/span>\u00a0sank her teeth into it more than anybody has ever sunk their teeth into anything<\/span><\/em>.\u201d Tony Khan, AEW Full Gear media call.<\/span><\/p>\n

Since her debut, Mariah May has eyes on replacing Storm. The homage to All About Eve is well-known, but it\u2019s also the traditional mentor vs. student storyline. Mariah\u2019s booking has protected and projected her as the future of the women\u2019s division. May\u2019s presence has kept Storm\u00a0<\/span>at<\/span>\u00a0least by a balloon string, linked to the ground.<\/span><\/p>\n

Time to Work Out\/In the Kinks<\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Storm\u2019s process has been more like a comedian than an actor. Toni Storm <\/span>at<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>points<\/span>\u00a0failed to entertain in vignettes, mini-movies and live on air. Toni\u2019s had to learn fast what material works and what doesn\u2019t. There were more successes than failures that left fans talking.\u00a0<\/span>Her catchphrase, her rapport with\u00a0<\/span>RJ City<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Renee Paquette<\/span><\/strong>, throwing shoes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>These moments were slapped<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The things that work became embedded, repeated in the act. Added layers gave definition.\u00a0<\/span>Creative<\/span>\u00a0old-fashioned sounding slurs, sexual innuendos and\u00a0<\/span>her<\/span>\u00a0deluded but hilarious guest commentary spots.\u00a0<\/span>Not<\/span>\u00a0kid-friendly or for everyone, but memorable, funny and over. Adding these kinks and humour has made the character also more human.<\/span><\/p>\n

Extending the black and white filter to Storm whenever she appeared on AEW TV was at first jarring. Yet adjustments and creative use of this during storylines with\u00a0<\/span>Deonna Purrazzo<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Thunder Rosa<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0aided these feuds.<\/span><\/p>\n

In comparison, Bray Wyatt\u2019s Funhouse vignettes were layered, detailed, and fully formed<\/span>. Connections<\/span>\u00a0to Wyatt\u2019s past and present through each puppet\u2019s symbolism. Lore, Easter eggs and hints made fans excited to see what was next. But the\u00a0<\/span>Funhouse<\/span>\u00a0did not blend well into the world of WWE. <\/span><\/p>\n

When it did, it diminished Bray\u2019s character and lore due to its treatment.\u00a0<\/span>Seth Rollins<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>by<\/span>\u00a0burning down the\u00a0<\/span>funhouse<\/span>\u00a0sent a message by repeating the historical parallel of\u00a0<\/span>Randy Orton<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0burning down on the Wyatt Family Compound.<\/span>\u00a0Like the previous gimmick, this one\u00a0<\/span>too<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>could<\/span>\u00a0be dismantled.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ultimately, this treatment showed excellent creative ideas\u00a0<\/span>and<\/span>\u00a0initial execution means nothing if the booking only weakens, exposes and further damages an already detached gimmick.<\/span><\/p>\n

Storyline Progression: Dragged Kicking and Screaming\u00a0<\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

AEW\u2019s identity crisis throughout 2023 did not help. The battle for AEW\u2019s direction between sports-orientated and entertainment made Storm an easy target for criticism. Repetition of the poor booking pattern of the women\u2019s division resulted in a clich\u00e9d and self-own feud with\u00a0<\/span>Riho<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

This<\/span>\u00a0was neither woman\u2019s fault. Riho\u2019s return came with the overused trope: babyface saves another babyface from a beatdown.\u00a0<\/span>A thin thread of storyline was used<\/span>\u00a0with how<\/span><\/p>\n

Storm and\u00a0<\/span>The Outcasts<\/span><\/strong>, another gimmick ago, took out Riho. Yet Riho\u2019s perennial babyface appeal was stilted by a lack of character development. Riho\u2019s return was cold. She felt again like challenger of the month fodder. Worse, Storm was still aloof from the world of wrestling.<\/span><\/p>\n

2024 started with a course correction with the debut of Deonna Purrazzo. While some, like wrestling legend\u00a0<\/span>Bully Ray<\/span><\/strong>, Storm and\u00a0<\/span>Purrazzo<\/span>\u00a0\u201ctell him a damn story\u201d, these detractors were selectively blind on the night of the 24th January edition of\u00a0<\/span>Dynamite<\/span><\/strong>. Purrazzo did not just want the title. <\/span><\/p>\n

She also wanted her friend back. Their backstory of living together in\u00a0<\/span>Japan,<\/span>\u00a0and<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>their matching tattoos meant the black-and-white Toni Storm was <\/span>being dragged<\/span>\u00a0from her delusions into living colour. It was one of the strongest women\u2019s storylines in AEW history because it\u00a0<\/span>was built<\/span>\u00a0on a personal connection.<\/span><\/p>\n

After Purrazzo, Storm\u2019s feud with Thunder Rosa again became grounded in reality. Connecting the feud with Storm\u2019s frustrations of her first interim Women\u2019s Championship reign with the speculative question: was Rosa injured? A legitimate heat seemed to exist between them<\/span>. Which<\/span>\u00a0at\u00a0<\/span>Dynasty<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0resulted in another correction to the biggest weakness of the timeless character.<\/span><\/p>\n

Storm\u2019s Achilles’ High Heel: Wrestling\u00a0<\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Before being Timeless, Toni Storm was one of the strongest female wrestlers in AEW. Her character work and promo skills <\/span>were,<\/span>\u00a0to inject her own words from one of her worst promos: \u201cNot cool\u201d. With the Timeless gimmick, this created an inversed.<\/span><\/p>\n

The issue was and still is method acting. In trying to embody the gimmick, Storm\u00a0<\/span>tried<\/span>\u00a0to replicate an old-school catch style of wrestling that has failed to connect with audiences. <\/span><\/p>\n

The problem with this old-school style is it\u2019s outdated and meshed awkwardly with her contemporary opponents. Spots like the wind-up punch felt too ridiculous and fake for a forward-thinking wrestling company. Yet\u00a0<\/span>after<\/span>\u00a0the match with Thunder Rosa, a better medium has been achieved.<\/span><\/p>\n

In comparison, with\u00a0<\/span>the incoming of Uncle Howdy, WWE likewise needs to consider<\/span>\u00a0the masked man and his followers will translate to wrestling in-ring.<\/span>\u00a0Bray Wyatt\u2019s in-ring skills were solid. <\/span><\/p>\n

However, his grappling skills remained secondary to his character work. Thought alongside any bells and\u00a0<\/span>whistles might be required<\/span>\u00a0alongside storyline reasoning to get these characters over now\u00a0<\/span>expectations<\/span>\u00a0of wrestling WWE is increasing.<\/span><\/p>\n

An issue<\/span>\u00a0with not just Bray Wyatt but various spooky-themed gimmicks inspired by his work.<\/span>\u00a0See examples in\u00a0<\/span>The House of Black<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0<\/span>Joe Gacy<\/span><\/strong>. Heels that talk too much and lose too often.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Even if, like the HOB, they have strong\u00a0<\/span>performances in-ring<\/span>, their ill-logical \u201cdark\u201d storytelling leaves a bad taste of black mist in many\u00a0<\/span>fan\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0mouths.<\/span>\u00a0There needs to be an overall balance.<\/span><\/p>\n

Toni Storm hasn\u2019t yet reached this balance fully, but she is getting there. There is one thing still to do that WWE may need to consider for the Wyatt Six.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Misalignment<\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Adjustments with Storm have\u00a0<\/span>been made<\/span>\u00a0progressively. A happy medium in-ring is\u00a0<\/span>being found<\/span>. Although, what remains is a common issue with modern wrestling. Fans have grown to adore Storm and her antics, cheering her regardless. <\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s been an issue throughout the build for Storm\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>Double or Nothing<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0opponent\u00a0<\/span>Serena<\/span>\u00a0Deeb<\/span><\/strong>. The match will likely be excellent\u00a0<\/span>given<\/span>\u00a0the challenger’s skills. But the final part of disconnection is the lack of a clear face or heel.<\/span><\/p>\n

This<\/span>\u00a0is a\u00a0<\/span>wider<\/span>\u00a0issue in AEW right now\u00a0<\/span>with<\/span>\u00a0many wrestlers neither fully fledged faces nor heels, but tweeners. Too many are shaded grey, like Storm\u2019s filter.\u00a0<\/span>Clearer<\/span>\u00a0heroes and villains\u00a0<\/span>are needed<\/span>\u00a0for fans\u00a0<\/span>to\u00a0<\/span>firmly invest<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

For Storm\u2019s story arc, it would make sense that she turns face before the betrayal of Mariah May. Receiving the fan’s approval is\u00a0<\/span>partly<\/span>\u00a0what Storm desired, which she made clear in her vignettes. <\/span><\/p>\n

This turning point could dispel this lingering disconnection. A teased feud for the love of Mariah against May\u2019s former Stardom tag partner,\u00a0<\/span>Mina Shirakawa<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>for<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Forbidden Door<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0could be the perfect vehicle. Or lead to more of the same greyness.<\/span><\/p>\n

WWE\u00a0<\/span>likewise<\/span>\u00a0with Bray Wyatt and The\u00a0<\/span>Fiend<\/span>\u00a0failed to give fans what they wanted with the characters. Many\u00a0<\/span>wanted<\/span>\u00a0to cheer Bray and for the character\/man to receive retribution. <\/span><\/p>\n

Yet\u00a0<\/span>this was ignored<\/span>. Uncle Howdy carries on the legacy of a man\u00a0<\/span>who<\/span>\u00a0some fans felt was creatively restricted and undermined by WWE\u2019s refusal to adapt.\u00a0<\/span>If the group is intended to be heels and fans instead want to cheer for\u00a0<\/span>Taylor Rotunda<\/span><\/strong>, formerly\u00a0<\/span>Bo Dallas<\/span><\/strong>, as he continues his brother\u2019s unfinished legacy, there is a real risk that history\u00a0<\/span>repeats,<\/span>\u00a0despite a different man being in charge.<\/span><\/p>\n

More From LWOS Pro Wrestling<\/h3>\n
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Header photo \u2013 AEW \u2013 Stay tun<\/em>ed to the\u00a0Last Word on Pro Wrestling<\/a>\u00a0for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world. As well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world.\u00a0 You can catch AEW Dynamite on Wednesday nights at 8 PM ET on TBS. AEW Rampage airs on TNT at 10 PM EST every Friday night. AEW Collision airs Saturday at 8pm Eastern on TNT. More AEW content available on their\u00a0YouTube<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Needing Time\u00a0 Stewing, the concept of this\u00a0appraisal\u00a0has been on the backburner for months\u00a0now. The reason: the gimmick could have gone either way. Ironically, AEW Women\u2019s Champion,\u00a0\u201cTimeless\u201d\u00a0Toni Storm, needed time to work the gimmick into a character that fans could emotionally invest in. It could have been (and realistically\u00a0with\u00a0a few\u00a0errors\u00a0it could end like) a disaster movie. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4960,"featured_media":124464,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4677,2192,317,4],"tags":[1016,224,1162,8737,1593,5594,2803,598,8886],"class_list":["post-124459","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aew","category-wrestling","category-women","category-wwe","tag-bo-dallas","tag-bray-wyatt","tag-deonna-purrazzo","tag-mariah-may","tag-serena-deeb","tag-the-fiend","tag-thunder-rosa","tag-toni-storm","tag-wyatt-six"],"modified_by":"Michael Joseph Sugue, Manager","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124459","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4960"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=124459"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124459\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/124464"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=124459"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=124459"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=124459"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}