Mariah May will be a big star for AEW

2024 is the year of Mariah May.

The Glamour, who signed from STARDOM, was introduced to the AEW audience back in November 2023 in a 1-minute backstage segment with RJ City. Given the anticipation of her signing from Japan, at the time it even felt underwhelming that she was not showcased immediately in front of an American audience.

However, even from just a minute of TV time, the 25-year-old was quickly able to convey where she came from, showcase some of her energy and charisma, and also get straight into a fascinating idolization of current AEW Champion, Timeless Toni Storm.

The reality was that the broader American audience was truly not compelled by Mariah May’s talent just yet. It made sense to give the TV audience a period where they could fall in love with Mariah. After all, she had just wrestled a handful of matches in America prior to fulfilling her dreams of wrestling in Japan with STARDOM.

On AEW programming, Mariah stated that she just wasn’t feeling the energy of 2023 which made the anticipation of her in-ring debut even more exciting. The gradual increment of TV time well into 2024 whilst piggybacking off the immense rise of Toni’s Timeless gimmick has paid off… all whilst utilizing the spotlight that she has had both inside and outside of the ring.

Mariah’s debut came on the 3 January edition of AEW Dynamite against Queen Aminata. The perception of ‘The Glamour’ being just an egotistical double act was soon extinguished when she brought the hard-hitting Puroresu style from the Land of the Rising Sun all the way to America.

Not only has she effectively made a name for herself, but she has added an extra layer to the Toni Storm character that has made it one of the best bits of character development that AEW has been able to deliver in its short history.

Mariah May signed for All Elite Wrestling a few months after the company’s record-breaking All In PPV in May’s home city of London. Barring injury, it is almost a certainty that she will be there in London for this summer’s edition of All In. There is still plentiful time to develop her presence within the women’s division and extend her resume past wrestling the likes of Thunder Rosa, Deonna Purrazzo, and, Anna Jay thus far in a deep roster.

Mercedes Moné, Jamie Hayter, Britt Baker, Athena, Willow Nightingale… the possible dream matches are endless, and the Mariah stocks are only going to get higher.

As for the culmination of the current storyline - what could possibly be a better homecoming at Wembley Stadium than winning the AEW Women’s World Championship from Toni Storm herself?