AEW Women’s Champion Thekla Takes Pride in Representing Austria Alongside WWE’s Gunther

Austria isn’t the first country that comes to mind when fans think of pro wrestling hotbeds, but AEW Women’s World Champion Thekla is hoping to change that perception — and she’s not doing it alone.

Thekla recently spoke about how meaningful it is to see both herself and WWE’s Gunther flying the Austrian flag at the top levels of professional wrestling. While Europe as a whole has a thriving independent scene, Austria has historically been an afterthought in conversations about the continent’s wrestling output. That makes the simultaneous rise of two Austrians to world championship prominence all the more remarkable.

Gunther has become one of WWE’s most dominant and decorated performers in recent years, holding the Intercontinental Championship for a record-breaking reign before transitioning to the world title scene. Meanwhile, Thekla has carved out her own path in AEW, ultimately capturing the Women’s World Championship. The two represent very different styles and companies, but their shared national identity gives Austrian wrestling fans something to rally behind on two major global stages at once.

Thekla expressed genuine pride in what she and Gunther have been able to accomplish, acknowledging the challenges that come with breaking through from a country without a deep-rooted wrestling tradition. For her, being a standard-bearer for Austria in the sport carries real significance.

With both Thekla and Gunther firmly established as top-tier talents in their respective promotions, Austria’s footprint in professional wrestling has never been larger — and Thekla, for one, sounds fully aware of what that means.