Austrian-born AEW star Thekla breaks down her wild, unconventional path to All Elite Wrestling – from underground training in Vienna cellars with no ring or ropes, to surviving five years in Japan’s brutal wrestling system. Thekla talks about cutting her teeth in Ice Ribbon, leveling up in Stardom, and why living at the dojo during the pandemic accelerated her growth faster than anything else in her career. She explains how touring Europe in a punk band prepared her for life on the road, why punk rock and pro wrestling are more alike than people realize, and how chaos, rebellion, and DIY culture shaped her in-ring identity. Thekla also details how she first connected with AEW, her initial meeting with Tony Khan, and what it was like walking into the AEW locker room as the new, Japan-trained wildcard. She opens up about creating her signature spider walk, blending flexibility with character work, and using her outsider status as an advantage. Plus, Thekla talks about her AEW faction Triangle of Madness, working alongside Julia Hart and Skye Blue, her goals for championship gold, and why 2026 is officially “the year of the spider.”  Follow Thekla: 📸 Instagram: @toxic_thekla 🐦 X/Twitter: @toxic_thekla Talk Is Jericho is available on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/ChrisJerichoFozzy 👍 Don’t forget to Like, Subscribe, and hit the 🔔 to stay updated on new episodes!  More from Talk Is Jericho: 📸 Instagram: @chrisjerichofozzy | @talkisjericho 🐦 Twitter/X: @IAmJericho | @TalkIsJericho 🌐 Website: https://www.webisjericho.com/ To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices