On the August 24th edition of AEW Dynamite a tearful Thunder Rosa announced that she was injured and would be unable to defend her Women’s Championship at All Out. Instead of squaring off against Toni Storm, a new Four-Way match was announced to crown an Interim Women’s Champion which was duly won by Storm.
With no unification match with Thunder Rosa on the horizon, Storm appears set to continue as Interim Champion for the foreseeable future. In a recent interview, Storm was asked about her status as the Interim Title holder and in response claimed that “I think that’s been bothering a lot of people because she’s [Thunder Rosa] still calling herself the AEW women’s world champion and I’m the one here every week doing the work.”
Thunder Rosa Claps Back At “Widespread Lies”
Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Thunder Rosa responded to the comments, pointing to how hard she’s had to work to get where she is.
“Toni Storm had something to say about Thunder Rosa and the interim championship. I really wanted to address this because it has come to my attention, not necessarily from the people at the place where I work, but some veterans have informed me that there is a widespread of lies going on in different parts and I’m part of these rumors. When I read this comment about the interim championship, it came to me as no surprise.
I have not been on national TV for the last two months and my name keeps being mentioned for good or for bad. The first month and a half was a lot of the former. A lot of controversy around Thunder Rosa and what Thunder Rosa was or was not doing, first with people diminishing my line of work. It is interesting because as a Latina, and for a long time I tried to stay away from it, but it is time for me to say something about my work. As a Latina, it is very hard to make a name for yourself. I am not a second-generation wrestler.
I am self-made, and I had the great chance to work in many companies and they believe in my work. Sometimes, it just takes one privileged person or someone with clout to like a tweet and destroy everything you have done. It influences how fans see and perceive you as a wrestler. A couple of weeks ago, we talked about how one of my co-workers had to come out and do a live feed.
If you don’t hear it from me, just don’t say anything. If you’re in the back and you’re in distress about me being the champion or being called the champion, I don’t call the shots. I have a boss and there is a booker in our office that make the decisions. If you’re distraught about what is being booked, maybe you should talk to the booker and keep my name out of your mouth.”
With regard to her injury, Rosa again shot back at those who have suggested that it’s not legitimate.
“It’s really hard when people are approaching you and are still asking me if I’m faking an injury. These rumors were started by one or two people and they spread. I don’t feel like any other wrestler has gone through this. When someone gets hurt, ‘Oh, they’re hurt.’ When it was me, it was immediate. It was a flood of disgusting things that were not true that came out. I’m sick of it. It’s hard for me to manage some of this stuff, but I have to face it. I am hurt.
If you have something to ask, go watch my YouTube videos. I’ve posted every time I’m in a doctor’s office showing and explaining what’s going on with me. In another week or two, I’m getting another epidural so I can go back to training because I want to get back in the ring. I want to show you when they put the needle in my back so they can shut the fuck up in saying that I’m not hurt. That hurts.”
Continuing on, Rosa stated that while she’s working as had as she can to get back in the ring, there are some who “who can’t keep my name out of their mouth.” In addition she opened up about the harassment her family has also had to face.
“I’m trying to mentally get prepared to get back in the ring and get back to do what I love the most, which is pro wrestling, but there are certain people who can’t keep my name out of their mouth. Am I that important in their lives to where they create more and more rumors about what I’m doing or not doing? Enough is enough. I want to get better mentally, psychically, and spiritually.
When people have nothing better to do but to create rumors, instead of texting me directly, because y’all have my number, it creates a lot of problems in my career too. My family is worried, they get harassed. It’s tough. Just keep my name out of your mouth and shut up. If you have a problem, you know I’m transparent.
One thing I want to mention, I will never forget that I time I was trying to raise money for Uvalde families and I don’t know who made the decision to talk to the dirt sheets and talk shit about me and unfortunately, we were not able to raise money like we tried to. We only raised $5,000, which is nothing. They took away the goodness of what we were trying to do for other purposes. What are the purposes to try and destroy someone’s status when they are just trying to feed their family?”
Looking ahead to an in-ring return Thunder Rosa stated that while there is no official timescale, she is aiming to come back in January.
“I am still hurt, they haven’t given me a time of when I’m coming back, I’m saying it’s January and I hope it is January. If Toni Storm disagrees with what was decided in the back, that’s not my problem. When I get better, because I will still be the champion if my boss lets me be the champion, and if he doesn’t, I will be okay with that too. I don’t make the rules. That needs to be said.
I feel your pain Toni. I know you’re doing the work every week, but I’m doing the same work. I’m trying to get better and get back in the ring to defend this championship. In the meantime, get some wins under your belt so you can talk shit about Thunder Rosa. That goes for anyone in the back because I am still champion. Have some respect. I never disrespected anyone in the company. I had so many opportunities because I work for Busted Open Radio and if I want, I could trash anyone, but what is the point?”
Toni Storm made the most recent defence of her AEW Interim Women’s Championship on the October 18th episode of Dynamite against Hikaru Shida.
H/t to Fightful