‘Queen of the Ring’s Toni Storm Attacked During Red Carpet Premiere

The world of professional wrestling has always tried to blur the lines between fiction and reality, and last night’s red carpet event for Queen of the Ring continued that trend when star Toni Storm got into a heated confrontation with Mariah May. For those not in the know, yes, this was a wrestling angle, but it only served to highlight the fact that the sport is nothing if not entertaining. Storm portrays Clara Mortensen in the new biopic, which comes from director Ash Avildsen and examines how wrestler Mildred Burke became the first million-dollar female athlete in history.

The brouhaha occurred during a Queen of the Ring event that had all the stars on hand to walk the red carpet for photographers and journalists. Storm was posing for the cameras when the glamorous May came out of nowhere and delivered a devastating slap that sent Storm crashing to the ground (seen below). “You are nothing without me!” May shouted as she was pulled away by security. “I made you a star!” Storm – who is the current AEW Women’s World Champion – will face off against May at this Sunday’s Revolution event at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. The bout is a rematch of their fight from Grand Slam Australia last month, which saw Storm defeat May to regain her title.

In addition to Storm, Queen of the Ring stars Arrow‘s Emily Bett Rickards as Burke, as well as Walter Goggins, Deborah Ann Woll, Francesca Eastwood, Tyler Posey, and Martin Kove. The film features a slew of other wrestling talent, too, including Trinity Fatu, Kamille, Britt Baker, and James Cornette. Avildsen is the son of legendary director John G. Avildsen, who helmed such beloved classics as Rocky, and the first three movies in The Karate Kid franchise.

Ash Avildsen Says ‘Queen of the Ring’ Could Be a Series

Based on the 2010 book The Queen of the Ring: Sex, Muscles, Diamonds, and the Making of an American Legend by Jeff Leen, Avildsen’s latest is a tremendous look at how women’s wrestling evolved over the years thanks to people like Burke, who helped break down barriers for others to enter the ring. It’s such an expansive story with many characters that the director told MovieWeb last year that it could be its own series.

“I tell everyone anytime I’m talking about the movie, please get the book. The movie is a tiny fraction of the story. It really should have been a miniseries, and maybe it still can be if the movie does well. There’s so much to it [the book]. It should be eight hours, at least.”

Even with parts left out from Leen’s book, Queen of the Ring is still an entertaining watch that is perhaps the best wrestling movie since Mickey Rourke’s 2008 film The Wrestler. It’s not without its flaws, but whether you’re a wrestling fan or just a casual moviegoer, it’s a good way to spend 2 hours and 10 minutes this weekend. Check your theater listings to see if it’s playing near you.

Source: Denise Salcedo/X