The first match for AEW Grand Slam Australia has been booked as Mariah May will defend her AEW Women’s World Championship against Toni Storm after Storm was victorious in the Women’s Casino Gauntlet match on the Maximum Carnage edition of AEW Dynamite on January 15th.
Kris Statlander started the match (after winning the advantage the previous week by defeating Willow Nightingale and Toni Storm), followed by Jamie Hayter, Megan Bayne, Julia Hart, Willow Nightingale, Toni Storm, and Harley Cameron. Storm was able to get the victory by pinning Hart with a roll-up after having spit mist in the face of Cameron.
Not to be buried in the previous sentence, this was the return of Megan Bayne to All Elite Wrestling, and almost a flat out debut of sorts, considering her last match was a dark match on the June 7, 2023 edition of Rampage and she had only wrestled six other matches before that, all on AEW Dark or AEW Dark: Elevation.
As previously reported, Bayne supposedly signed a contract with AEW in late 2023, only to then be considered no longer under contract this past summer. In the meantime during this absence, Bayne was very active in GCW, HOG, Beyond Wrestling and other indie federations.
At this moment, it’s unclear whether Bayne has truly signed a new contract or if this is just a one-off, and no other matches have been set for AEW Grand Slam Australia.
Check out some highlights of the match here:
MEGAN BAYNE IS HERE!
Watch #AEWDynamite LIVE on @TBSNetwork & @SportsOnMax@MeganBayne | @CallMeKrisStat | @jmehytr pic.twitter.com/pZKuItDntf
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 16, 2025
Does Megan Bayne have the AEW Women’s World Champion worried?!
Watch #AEWDynamite LIVE on @TBSNetwork & @SportsOnMax@MeganBayne | @CallMeKrisStat | @jmehytr pic.twitter.com/zECpESXDeE
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 16, 2025
Friendship or not, there’s a shot at the AEW Women’s World Championship opportunity on the line!
Watch #AEWDynamite LIVE on @TBSNetwork & @SportsOnMax@CallMeKrisStat | @WillowWrestles pic.twitter.com/OzZMDEgKjF
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 16, 2025
Bodies are flying EVERYWHERE!
Watch #AEWDynamite LIVE on @TBSNetwork & @SportsOnMax@CallMeKrisStat | @MeganBayne | @WillowWrestles pic.twitter.com/LtiLk4FR6x
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 16, 2025
What do you think of Toni Storm’s victory and Megan Bayne’s appearance in the Women’s Casino Gauntlet? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
