AEW star Thekla recently appeared on the “AEW Unrestricted” podcast and discussed her journey to the company and her experience since joining earlier this year. The Austrian wrestler, who spent five years honing her craft in the Japanese women’s wrestling promotion Stardom, revealed that her ultimate goal was always to make it to All Elite Wrestling. She recounted watching the company’s early pay-per-views with friends and confidently predicting that she would one day be on their television screen, a dream that has now become a reality for the member of the Triangle of Madness faction.
She spoke about how much she is enjoying her time with the company and the unique challenges of adapting to the American style of wrestling after so many years in Japan.
“It’s been great, I really can’t complain. I’ve always wanted to work in the states — I had my first match ever in the states in April, so it’s been going like that. I love it, it’s crazy, I’m so happy to be here. Yeah, in Japan, I’d be elbowing people left and right, officials and everything. Just the other day I was in a tag match and literally I was like, ‘Okay, when it comes to this, what at the rules?’ The rules, the most basic stuff, are a little different from Japan, not only the style. So I’m like, ‘Okay guys, sorry, but somebody explain? Okay, okay, that makes sense, let’s go.’ It’s different but I like a challenge.”
Thekla made it clear that her arrival in AEW is the culmination of a long-held ambition.
“I was working in Japan and living there for five years, so being out here, obviously I do enjoy that there is a little bit less of a language barrier so I’ve been able to express myself when it comes to doing promos or talking to my new teammates. Other than that, it’s cool. I love AEW. For those that have been reading interviews and listening to stuff I’ve said before, that was kind of the dream. I was watching some of the first pay-per-views with my friends when I was still a backyarder back where I’m from in Austria. I’d be pointing at the tv like, ‘Guys, give me a couple of years but I’m gonna be on TV.’ Now, my friends from back then, they’ll be watching the pay-per-views and they’ll be like, ‘Yeah, she actually did it!’”
