Thekla on She May Have Finally Found Her Wrestling Home in AEW, Wanting Potential Match with Persephone, Her Feud with Stardom’s Taro Okada, Wanted To Be First Female Member of Don Callis Family, & More

Clutchpoints held a recent interview with AEW Women’s World Champion Thekla. One of the topics discussed included Thekla’s thoughts about her current career in AEW and her belief that she may have found her wrestling home in AEW.

“It has been only great. I love working with all the people there. I love being around so many legends and people who have done great and big things for the wrestling industry. The locker room is‌ fun. There are a bunch of nasty girls, obviously, as in every locker room. But most people are f***ing phenomenal, so I couldn’t be happier. Actually, I think I may have finally found my wrestling home in AEW.”

Thekla also gave her thoughts about her wanting to have a potential match with Persephone at some point in the future.

“Well, Persephone and I have had a little bit of an exchange before, one time in CMLL and one time in AEW. And when we were facing each other in CMLL, it was down to me and her after one hour. Almost one-hour match that we were having with a bunch of other b**hes. She actually happened to win‌ that particular match. So I’m looking forward to, you know, face her in a one-on-one situation at some point.”

Thekla also gave her thoughts about her time in Stardom before joining AEW.

“Stardom very much shaped my career. That’s where I learned the ropes, more or less. Became more of‌ a technical wrestler, and just learned to be able to deal with very harsh schedules. Did everything from TV to interviews to being on the road for days, the tour bus life, and then also tried out new things,” she continued. “But also, at some point, you know, do my own thing as the Idol Killer, which was probably the most fun I had had in my career until that point.”

Thekla also gave her thoughts about her current feud with Stardom President Taro Okada and getting the chance to beat him up again recently.

“All of those memories are very fun and happy memories, ‌except for getting fired, of course. That was a little bit of a sad memory, but I also cherish the moments I get to have now because every time I see him [Taro Okada], he evokes feelings of aggression in me. So, as I said, happy memories from this weekend when I flew to Japan for 14 hours and beat the living hell out of him again. I’m thankful for that. I’m very happy, balanced, zen, you know [after beating Taro Okada].”

Thekla also gave her thoughts about her current creative direction in AEW and being the AEW Women’s World Champion.

“For me, as a strange and aggressive Austrian lady, great because I think there may be some fear involved, you know, when it comes to the people who are working with me. So creative, yeah, I’ve never been more creative. Honestly, I really cannot complain.”

Thelka also gave her thoughts about AEW CEO and President Tony Khan is safe for the time being from her.

“Safe for now. Tony Khan is… He does not have to fear any attacks from his AEW Women’s World Champion. For now.”

In a separate recent interview with TMZ’s Inside The Ring podcast, Thekla also gave her thoughts about her wanted to be the first woman to be part of the Don Callis Family and how Callis inspired some of the work she did in Japan.

“Before I came to AEW, I would see Don Callis. I’d be like, ‘Man, I kind of want to be the first female in the Don Callis Family.’ That could be cool. Well, that was one of the places I could see myself. I feel like he actually inspired me… when I was in Japan and I was doing all the idol killer stuff and going after girls I didn’t like. I heard him say in one of the promos, he said something like, ‘Feel the hate,’ and I was like, ‘Oh! That’s perfect. I’m stealing it.’ I never told him actually so, I might get some smack backstage for actually saying that so, f*ck it.”

Thekla also gave her thoughts about IWGP Heavyweight Champion Yota Tsuji’s recent comments about his issues with NJPW’s partnership with AEW and wanting to skip working this year’s Forbidden Door event to protect the value of his championship.

“I’ve been seeing the comments that (Yota) Tsuji has been making. Honestly, I kind of respect him for that, because he’s just straight up like, ‘No, we got our own thing here in Japan’ and he would rather have it all apart from each other. I have never been this proud to represent a company, I have to say. This is the most precious bling I’ve ever been holding as a champion… and especially with how STARDOM and me, we’re not on good terms, per se. I’ve never been that proud to represent STARDOM anywhere. As I said, it’s interesting to see how it’s all gonna play out honestly because AEW and New Japan and STARDOM and CMLL, I feel like we’re all in one group and one kind of family but there’s also with comments like Tsuji’s making, it’s interesting to see where we’re gonna go. Are we gonna be (a) happy family or is everybody gonna go their own ways? I think the Forbidden Door is there to be kicked down and burned but, also, there’s something to New Japan trying to get back on their feet just all by themselves. That’s what I think.”

Thekla also gave her thoughts about who hits the hardest in the ring and revealed that the title of her next art book will be ‘Stiff B*tches.’

“Oh God. They’re all pretty stiff. (Jamie) Hayter does hit hard, I do have to say. Hayter hits hard. Other than that, I’m glad that Megan Bayne is a heel right now because she’s mean. She hits pretty hard too. Stiff. All of them b*tches, stiff b*tches. Stiff B*tches is actually gonna be the name of my next art book. I’ve got it written down.”

Transcript h/t: Figthful.com 1, 2, & 3