AEW star Thekla recently opened up about why she ultimately chose AEW over WWE during an appearance on Talk Is Jericho with Chris Jericho.
Thekla revealed that from the very beginning of AEW’s launch, she felt a strong connection to the company and even told her friends she would eventually land there. “I had always told my friends back when AEW first started, I was like, ‘Hey guys, just so you know, this is where I’m going to be at some point.’ So, just heads up. So then my cocky attitude kind of led me also to be like, ‘you gotta follow up on that one.’”
She admitted that her personality and desire for creative freedom played a major role in her decision. After studying how WWE operates, she realized that environment might not align with her mindset. “When I first started watching WWE and learning about how things are done over there, I think generally I didn’t love the idea of not doing things my way. Everybody knows that you gotta drop your name and have to do whatever somebody tells you. I’m not great with authority.”
When AEW launched, Thekla saw it as a fresh alternative — something new, rebellious, and stylistically closer to what she envisioned for herself. “So when AEW started, I thought, okay, something new. I love a good underdog, and I just liked the melting pot of people who started there at the beginning. It just had more of a punk feel and more of a fresh feel. I was like that’s probably a good place for me at some point.”
At the time, she admits she was still very green and saw AEW as a long-term goal rather than an immediate move. Still, the instinct was always there. “I was super green at the time still, so it was a far future type of thing, but I just had a good feeling about it. It’s probably for me.”
Thekla’s comments add further insight into how AEW’s identity continues to attract talent who prioritize creative freedom and a different stylistic approach to the wrestling business.
