Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
AEW Women's Champion Thekla joins TMZ's Inside The Ring ahead of AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2026 to discuss her championship reign, Starlight Kid, Mercedes Moné, Kazuchika Okada, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, Stardom, and her journey from Austria to becoming one of the most talked-about stars in professional wrestling.
Thekla opens up about defending the AEW Women's World Championship at Forbidden Door, explains why she doesn't compare her path to Mercedes Moné's, discusses the grind of wrestling in Japan, shares her thoughts on NJPW President Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kazuchika Okada, and reveals what makes Japanese wrestling different from AEW and American wrestling.
The "Toxic Spider" also talks about Austria's growing wrestling scene, WWE World Heavyweight Champion Gunther, her background as a visual artist, designing her own merchandise and masks, backstage life in AEW, dating within the wrestling industry, and much more.
#AEW #Thekla #ForbiddenDoor #MercedesMone #StarlightKid #NJPW #AEWDynamite #AEWCollision #WomensWrestling #KazuchikaOkada #Gunther #ProWrestling #AllEliteWrestling #TMZ #InsideTheRing #Stardom #WrestlingInterview #AEWWomensChampion #TheToxicSpider #ForbiddenDoor2026
00:00 Intro
01:15 Thekla's Forbidden Door Title Defense vs. Starlight Kid
02:20 Psychological Warfare & Knowing Her Opponents
03:00 Returning To Japan & Inviting Okada To Forbidden Door
04:15 Thekla's Real Issue With Kazuchika Okada
05:15 Does Tony Khan Avoid Thekla?
06:05 Wrestling In Japan vs. Wrestling In America
07:10 Why Thekla Rejects Comparisons To Mercedes Moné
09:00 Forbidden Door, NJPW & Representing AEW
10:45 Representing Austria On The World Stage
11:55 Thekla Talks Gunther & Austrian Wrestling
13:05 Chasing Arnold Schwarzenegger's Legacy
14:05 Designing Her Own Merch & Artwork
15:10 Thekla Secretly Judges Wrestling Gear, Music & Entrances
16:10 How COVID Changed Her Life & Career
17:20 Don Callis, Wrestling Villains & Feeling The Hate
19:00 Creating Thekla's Signature Spider Mask
20:15 Dating Wrestlers & Wrestling Relationships
21:40 Locker Room Culture & Wrestlers Dating Wrestlers
22:10 Why Wrestlers Should Stop Posting Wedding Photos
22:45 Growing Up In Austria
23:15 Mozart, Gasolina & Thekla's Entrance Music
23:45 Spain, Thailand & Dream Vacation Spots
24:45 Who Hits Hardest In AEW's Women's Division?
25:30 Thekla Names Her Next Art Book
26:10 Final Thoughts & Forbidden Door Predictions
SUBSCRIBE -- tmz.me/j0hSW37
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AEW Women's Champion Thekla joins TMZ's Inside The Ring ahead of AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2026 to discuss her championship reign, Starlight Kid, Mercedes Moné, Kazuchika Okada, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, Stardom, and her journey from Austria to becoming one of the most talked-about stars in professional wrestling.
Thekla opens up about defending the AEW Women's World Championship at Forbidden Door, explains why she doesn't compare her path to Mercedes Moné's, discusses the grind of wrestling in Japan, shares her thoughts on NJPW President Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kazuchika Okada, and reveals what makes Japanese wrestling different from AEW and American wrestling.
The "Toxic Spider" also talks about Austria's growing wrestling scene, WWE World Heavyweight Champion Gunther, her background as a visual artist, designing her own merchandise and masks, backstage life in AEW, dating within the wrestling industry, and much more.
#AEW #Thekla #ForbiddenDoor #MercedesMone #StarlightKid #NJPW #AEWDynamite #AEWCollision #WomensWrestling #KazuchikaOkada #Gunther #ProWrestling #AllEliteWrestling #TMZ #InsideTheRing #Stardom #WrestlingInterview #AEWWomensChampion #TheToxicSpider #ForbiddenDoor2026
00:00 Intro
01:15 Thekla's Forbidden Door Title Defense vs. Starlight Kid
02:20 Psychological Warfare & Knowing Her Opponents
03:00 Returning To Japan & Inviting Okada To Forbidden Door
04:15 Thekla's Real Issue With Kazuchika Okada
05:15 Does Tony Khan Avoid Thekla?
06:05 Wrestling In Japan vs. Wrestling In America
07:10 Why Thekla Rejects Comparisons To Mercedes Moné
09:00 Forbidden Door, NJPW & Representing AEW
10:45 Representing Austria On The World Stage
11:55 Thekla Talks Gunther & Austrian Wrestling
13:05 Chasing Arnold Schwarzenegger's Legacy
14:05 Designing Her Own Merch & Artwork
15:10 Thekla Secretly Judges Wrestling Gear, Music & Entrances
16:10 How COVID Changed Her Life & Career
17:20 Don Callis, Wrestling Villains & Feeling The Hate
19:00 Creating Thekla's Signature Spider Mask
20:15 Dating Wrestlers & Wrestling Relationships
21:40 Locker Room Culture & Wrestlers Dating Wrestlers
22:10 Why Wrestlers Should Stop Posting Wedding Photos
22:45 Growing Up In Austria
23:15 Mozart, Gasolina & Thekla's Entrance Music
23:45 Spain, Thailand & Dream Vacation Spots
24:45 Who Hits Hardest In AEW's Women's Division?
25:30 Thekla Names Her Next Art Book
26:10 Final Thoughts & Forbidden Door Predictions
SUBSCRIBE -- tmz.me/j0hSW37
About TMZ Sports:
Some of the best stories in sports have been off the field and we’re reporting on athletes from NFL, NBA, UFC, WWE, MLB and more!
Subscribe to TMZ Sports on YouTube for the latest news, exclusive interviews, clips from TMZ Sports on FS1 and videos of your favorite athletes and celebs.
Need More TMZ?
TMZ Sports Website: tmz.me/jMBERbb
LIKE TMZ on Facebook! tmz.me/9sGB00a
FOLLOW TMZ on Twitter! tmz.me/9LeeNWQ
FOLLOW TMZ on Instagram! tmz.me/ep7d8Bn
TMZ on TV & TMZ Sports on FS1 Tune In Info: tmz.me/ccuirUZ
TMZ is on iOS! tmz.me/ecOjgiH
TMZ is on Android! tmz.me/pkwieRA
Got a Tip?
Contact TMZ: tmz.me/UsxYCvE
Check out TMZ, TMZ Live, and toofab!
TMZ: tmz.me/fPrTwZt
Subscribe! TMZ: tmz.me/wONe5NO
TMZ Live: tmz.me/GxCXCfl
Subscribe! TMZ Live: tmz.me/cLxA82p
Toofab: tmz.me/dsXztns
Subscribe! toofab: tmz.me/VeVLMmi
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