Backstage Update On Potential WWE & AEW Interest In New Free Agent Out Of STARDOM

Austrian star Thekla is reportedly America-bound, following the expiry of her contract with Japanese promotion STARDOM.

The 32-year-old star, who had a four-year run with the promotion, is attracting interest from American wrestling companies, including WWE and AEW, as per "Fightful Select." "A recent report by "Fightful" claims that Thekla had been planning for some time to move to the U.S., and that WWE has been keeping an eye on her since they signed Giulia. Meanwhile, WWE's rival promotion AEW reportedly showed interest in signing her in late 2024, and some backstage in AEW believe she will join the company. Some indie promotions in the US are also interested in signing the former Goddess of Stardom Champion, as per the same report.

Thekla began her pro wrestling career in Europe, before wrestling for a few Japanese promotions, one of which was Ice Ribbon, before making the switch to STARDOM. Regarded as one of the foremost foreign stars in the promotion, the Austrian was a part of the Donna Del Mondo faction alongside current "WWE NXT" star Giulia. The group was disbanded in January 2024 when the Japanese star made the switch to WWE, where she debuted in September. 

If Thekla joins WWE, she will be one of many stars in recent years who have made the jump from STARDOM to WWE, joining the likes of the aforementioned Giulia, Kairi Sane, Piper Niven, Stephanie Vaquer, and WWE Women's World Champion IYO SKY, to name a few. AEW, too, has several stars who previously worked in STARDOM, which include Toni Storm, Megan Bayne, and WWE-bound Mariah May.