Thekla Retains AEW Women's Title, Rips Off Starlight Kid's Mask at Forbidden Door

Q: Once fired from Stardom, is Thekla's brutal war against them justified revenge or the rampage of a villainous champion?

It is best understood as a villainous rampage fueled by a real grievance. Thekla’s war on Stardom has a clear backstory. By her own account, she was fired after repeated disciplinary issues, including fines, suspensions and an attack on Stardom president Taro Okada. That history gives her hostility a motive: she is not targeting Stardom at random, and AEW has leaned into that past to frame this feud as unfinished business. But the way she is carrying it out leaves little room to cast it as justified revenge. At Forbidden Door, after a legitimate title defense against Starlight Kid, Thekla escalated matters by ripping off Kid’s mask, spitting in it and striking Okada with it. In wrestling culture, unmasking a masked star is one of the deepest humiliations possible, especially for a figure like Starlight Kid whose identity is central to her persona. That moved the angle beyond competitive payback and into deliberate desecration. The broader pattern supports that reading. Thekla has publicly declared war on Stardom, taunted its leadership, and built her AEW title reign around provocation as much as dominance. Her alliance with Skye Blue and Julia Hart, her “Toxic Spider” persona, and her presentation as a heel all reinforce that this is meant to be seen as ruthless, not righteous. So while her anger may be rooted in a past firing, the current campaign is being portrayed far more as the conduct of a destructive champion than as proportionate revenge.

Q: With her dominant AEW title reign, has Thekla finally proven she is a bigger star than fellow Austrian wrestler GUNTHER?

No. Thekla’s AEW Women’s World title run has clearly elevated her profile, but the available evidence does not show she has surpassed GUNTHER as the bigger star. Thekla has built major momentum in 2026. Since winning the AEW Women’s World Championship from Kris Statlander in February, she has beaten top names including Statlander, Jamie Hayter and Hikaru Shida, then retained against Starlight Kid at Forbidden Door. Her “Toxic Spider” persona, her war with Stardom, and the post-match mask attack on Starlight Kid created strong buzz and reinforced her as one of AEW’s most talked-about women. That said, star power is measured not only by current momentum but by scale of platform, longevity, and mainstream reach. GUNTHER remains one of WWE’s most established international stars. His record Intercontinental title reign, repeated placement in major WWE programs, and matches tied to top names and major events give him a broader global footprint. WWE’s larger worldwide audience also amplifies his visibility beyond what AEW currently offers. Thekla has likely closed the gap and strengthened her case as Austria’s top active women’s wrestling export. She is now a genuine headliner in AEW and a cross-promotional figure with credibility in Japan and the United States. But based on overall exposure and proven global recognition, GUNTHER still has the stronger claim to being the bigger star at this point.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 29

Two stomps ended Starlight Kid's challenge at Forbidden Door in San Jose, where Thekla survived her toughest AEW Women's World Championship defense since winning the belt in February.
Starlight Kid targeted Thekla's knee late and nearly forced a submission, but the champion escaped and avoided a pin by seconds before closing out the match.
Scissors escalated the aftermath: with Stardom president Taro Okada watching, Thekla—joined by Skye Blue and Julia Hart—tore off Starlight Kid's mask, spat in it and struck Okada with it.
The result capped Thekla's pre-show taunts toward Stardom and NJPW after she publicly demanded Stardom send its best challenger to Forbidden Door.

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Fox News5h ago

Thekla Retains AEW Women's Title, Humiliates Starlight Kid at Forbidden Door

Fightful15h ago

Fightful | WWE News, AEW News, Pro Wrestling Backstage News

POST Wrestling5h ago

Thekla beats STARDOM's Starlight Kid in AEW Women's World Title showdown at Forbidden Door - POST Wrestling | Podcasts, News, Reviews | WWE AEW NXT NJPW

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Once fired from Stardom, is Thekla's brutal war against them justified revenge or the rampage of a villainous champion?

With her dominant AEW title reign, has Thekla finally proven she is a bigger star than fellow Austrian wrestler GUNTHER?

After Thekla unmasked Starlight Kid, is an all-out war between wrestling promotions AEW and Stardom now inevitable?

Thekla Retains AEW Women's Title, Rips Off Starlight Kid's Mask at Forbidden Door

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