By Andrew Ravens is a Newsweek reporter. He is based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His focus is reporting on wrestling news. He has in-depth knowledge of pro wrestling and has covered the industry extensively. Andrew joined Newsweek in 2025 from WrestlingNews.co and had previously worked at GiveMe Sport. You can get in touch with Andrew by emailing a.ravens@newsweek.com. You can find him on X @andrew_ravens. Writers Page
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Following an impactful tenure of over three years developing her craft in Japan, Austrian wrestler Thekla has concluded her time with the prominent World Wonder Ring Stardom promotion and is set to embark on the next phase of her career in the United States.
Thekla officially completed her contractual obligations with Stardom following the promotion's All-Star Grand Queendom event on April 27, 2025. Her departure was marked by a storyline "firing" angle after her match, providing a definitive end to her successful run there.
Now officially a free agent, Thekla's move to the United States is confirmed, with reports from Fightful noting this transition has been planned for some time. She enters the American market as a highly sought-after talent. Fightful reported that when inquiring about Thekla around the time WWE signed fellow Stardom star Giulia, sources within WWE stated they had their eye on her.
Furthermore, significant interest from All Elite Wrestling was noted towards the end of 2024, and various independent promotions have also reportedly reached out regarding her booking availability.
Despite the widespread interest, Fightful's update indicates that sources within AEW currently believe Thekla is likely heading to their company. As she prepares to transition stateside, the wrestling world eagerly anticipates where the "Toxic Spider" will spin her web next, with All Elite Wrestling appearing to be the frontrunner for her services.
More news: WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation
Thekla began her wrestling journey in 2017, honing her skills on the European independent circuit, particularly in her native Vienna. Her path led her to Japan in 2019, where she first gained traction in the Ice Ribbon promotion. She notably captured the Triangle Ribbon Championship before departing in late 2021.
Her arrival in Stardom soon after created significant buzz. In early 2022, she was revealed as a member of Giulia's highly popular and dominant Donna Del Mondo (DDM) faction. Thekla became a standout performer by quickly carving out a niche with her distinctive "Toxic Spider" persona and captivating in-ring style.
During her decorated run with Stardom, she achieved considerable championship success, holding the SWA World Championship, the Artist of Stardom Championship alongside DDM stablemates Giulia and Mai Sakurai, and later, after aligning with Oedo Tai following DDM's dissolution, the Goddess of Stardom Championship with Momo Watanabe.
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For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports.
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