Add as a preferred source on Google Thekla is still the AEW Women’s World Champion. At AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door, held this Sunday at SAP Center in San Jose, California, the Triangle of Madness member defeated Starlight Kid in a match shaped by rising tension with STARDOM.
The rivalry between the two companies had been building for several weeks. Thekla had declared war on STARDOM, even attacking Taro Okada, the president of the Japanese promotion, at The Conversion 2026 in Tokyo.
At the time, Starlight Kid appeared to stop the attack from going even further and made it clear that she wanted to take the AEW title back to Japan.
In Sunday’s match, Kid had chances to win, especially after targeting the champion’s leg. Thekla, however, survived every pinfall attempt.
In the closing moments, Thekla connected with two stomps on Kid, winning the match and retaining the AEW Women’s World Championship. After the match, Julia Hart and Skye Blue handed Thekla a pair of scissors. Thekla then cut part of Starlight Kid’s mask and pulled it off her face.
To close the segment, Thekla spat on Kid’s mask and used it to attack Taro Okada, who was seated in the front row.