AEW star believes that her strong attention to detail and what she calls her “control freak” mindset have helped in her wrestling success.
Known as “The Toxic Spider,” Thekla has quickly become one of the most popular heels in AEW’s women’s division. Since joining the company in 2025, she has teamed up with Julia Hart and Skye Blue to form a group called the Triangle of Madness.
Her rise continued in 2026 as she recently won the AEW Women’s World Championship by defeating Kris Statlander in a strap match.
In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated’s The Takedown, Thekla said she does not like to compare herself to other wrestlers, as she believes “it’s so easy to get insecure.”
Thekla said she feels confident because of her unique life experiences. Before becoming a wrestling star, she had already done many different things. She has played in punk bands, studied art, earned a degree, lived in several countries, and can speak nearly five languages.
Before joining AEW, Thekla wrestled in World Wonder Ring Stardom in Japan. She said AEW’s larger production team allows her to bring her ideas to life more easily.
The AEW star believes these details are important because they help a wrestler look and feel like a true star.
Thekla Explains How Her Control-Focused Mindset Helped Her Career
Thekla admitted that she likes having control over such details and the creative side of her character. She enjoys managing small details such as logos, colors, and overall presentation.
“I’m a massive control freak. It’s like, these are the colors. This is my logo. I design it. I was working with somebody and I was telling him it’s gonna be a mix of a spider with a hazard sign, right? So, it’s all me. I’m great on ideas and then connecting with people and telling them this is exactly what I want,” Thekla said.
“I get hyped when I go out and I think the fans can really feel this. There’s those two things. The person and the music really make sense together. Those are small artistic details that I’m crazy about,” she added.
Her background in art and performance has also helped her improve her stage presence. Growing up in an artistic family and studying art helped her understand visual design and presentation.
Now that she is one of AEW’s biggest names, Thekla continues to use her creative ideas to shape her character. And it looks like she has the Midas touch.
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