The Mariah May Era Begins at All In

May wrestles Toni Storm for the AEW women’s championship at Wembley Stadium

In less than two weeks, the Mariah May era in AEW officially begins.

For that to happen, May needs to defeat Toni Storm and become AEW women’s champion. That will allow her the highly coveted opportunity for the division to be built around her, representing May’s first real chance to become a household name in professional wrestling.

“It’s going to be a cinematic masterpiece,” said May. “I’ve already taken Toni from black-and-white into technicolor. Wembley is her curtain call and a new start for me.”

Mariah May is a rising star in professional wrestling / AEW

Only 26, May has yet to even scratch the surface of her potential. A native of Islington, which is a district in London, May will perform in front of friends and family when she wrestles Storm at All In, which takes place at Wembley Stadium in London. That is a rare opportunity, as she knew that worldwide travel was a prerequisite to reach the heights she wanted in pro wrestling.

“Change is definitely scary,” said May, who flourished in Japan before coming to AEW. “It’s even scarier as an adult. I always knew what I wanted to do–be the best women’s wrestler in the world. In order to do that and become a star, I needed to come to America.

“I can grow and shine at All Elite Wrestling. It’s the perfect place for me to take over women’s wrestling.”

A victory at All In will make May the new AEW women’s champion / AEW

Just over a year ago, AEW owner Tony Khan messaged May on Twitter. He proposed a new storyline, one where May would serve as Storm’s understudy before breaking out on her own.

It made sense–May had been compared to Storm since she first laced up a pair of boots. One of her first-ever matches in the United Kingdom was to replace Storm, who was unavailable due to travel issues. May received the same comparisons while wrestling for Stardom in Japan, and then followed Storm’s footsteps–literally–in AEW.

“I was so interested in the story that Tony told me” said May. “My favorite part of wrestling is the storyline, and this was an amazing storyline. I was immediately invested.”

Khan’s idea was to forge a new character for May that was based off characters from classic films like Sunset Boulevard and All About Eve.

“I was a bit of a black-and-white film nerd growing up, especially as a teenager, so I knew all about it,” said May. “I love theater, and I became obsessed with old black-and-white movies. I’d wake up, have a cup of tea, and watch. So it felt like a completely normal idea to me–it tied into my life.

“I wanted to draw from it, but never copy it black and white, no pun intended. I wanted to bring Mariah May into the story, that glamour. And I don’t remember anyone getting beat by a shoe like I did to Toni.”

May is on the cusp of her star-making moment, which appears to be in play for All In at Wembley.

“This is all about me,” said May. “A whole new era is about to begin.”