AEW Reportedly Lands Top Free Agent Out Of STARDOM Also Being Targeted By WWE

AEW is rumored to have signed another former STARDOM wrestler, with reports suggesting that Tony Khan and company have finalized a deal to bring Thekla to AEW.

Recently, reports claimed that the Austrian star had left the Japanese promotion and was eyeing a switch to an American promotion. "Fightful Select" has now reported that AEW has signed her and she is now officially an AEW star, with the deal reportedly having been discussed for a while. The report further highlighted how AEW's rival promotion, WWE, was also interested in signing the former Goddess of Stardom Champion, who was a target for them since late last year.

In her eight-year pro wrestling career, Thekla has primarily wrestled in Japan for promotions like STARDOM and Ice Ribbon. The 32-year-old wrestler's arrival was also teased by AEW on this past week's "AEW Dynamite" when her red spider logo featured on the screen during the four-way AEW Women's World Championship Eliminator match between Toni, Storm, Anna Jay, Thunder Rosa, and Penelope Ford. AEW has a few high-profile events where they could have Thekla debut, which includes next week's Beach Break "Dynamite" or later in the month at Double or Nothing.

This past week, veteran star Rhino — who wrestled for several years in ECW, TNA Wrestling, and WWE — made his AEW debut when he wrestled in his hometown of Detroit. Last month saw another former TNA Wrestling star, Josh Alexander, debut in AEW, when he faced Adam Page in the Owen Hart Foundation 2025 quarter-final.