A.E.I.O.U.
A.E.I.O.U. is the acronym motto that was used by the Austrian-based Habsburg dynasty during the zenith of its power. The renowned family controlled the policies of most of the monarchies on the continent through its various marriages (usually marrying within the bloodline), treaties, and alliances for centuries of European history. The head of the Austrian Habsburgs was continually elected as the Holy Roman Emperor (not Holy Emperor, sorry Taichi) because of the family’s significant influence throughout Europe and the Holy Roman Empire itself.
Depending on which side of the Alps you prefer, the acronym can mean either “Alles Erdreich ist Österreich Untertan” in German, or “Austriae Est Imperare Orbi Universo” in Latin. Regardless of your preferred language, it essentially translates into “All the world is subject to Austria”.
The Habsburgs permanently fell from power in 1918 when the defeated Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed following the conclusion of the First World War. However, most recently, Austria has started to rise once more and subject the wrestling world to their power. Gunther (or WALTER) has shown massive star power in the WWE by chopping all opponents down and impressively defending the Intercontinental Championship. He also recently established a new record for the longest time spent in a Royal Rumble match, making it to the final two despite being competitor No. 1 of the match.
With Austrian dominance apparent on one side of the Pacific Ocean, STARDOM has its own Wienerin who has waltzed in from the former Imperial capital and made their own international impact on the Joshi world. An impact that even the former Holy Roman Emperors would have heralded. That Österreicher firebrand is the “Toxic Spider,” Thekla.
Pre-STARDOM
A talented musician in her spare time, who co-wrote and plays the guitar on her own epic entrance theme, and possesses a Master’s degree in art, Thekla Kaischauri made her wrestling debut in 2018 in the underground wrestling scene in her native Austria. After some appearances with German companies, she eventually moved permanently to Japan in 2019 to become a full-time member of Ice Ribbon. During her spell with the promotion, she came into contact with the future members of Prominence, such as Risa Sera and Suzu Suzuki who were considered big names within the company, and struck a strong rapport with a certain charismatic Italian-Japanese wrestler by the name of Giulia.
The highlight of Thekla’s two-year stint with the company was her capture of the Triangle Ribbon Championship. It is a unique belt where matches are always three-way bouts (hence the name) and have a 15-minute time limit in which a winner must be decided or the belt is vacated. Thekla became the 40th champion when she beat Matsuya Uno, and Ibuki Hoshi in May 2021. Her reign lasted for three months before losing the belt to Totoro Satsuki in August of the same year.
The Spider Swings Into STARDOM
After announcing her departure from Ice Ribbon in late 2021, it was no surprise to see the Viennese wrestler turn up in STARDOM to help an old friend. Towards the end of 2021, a couple of creepy Momo-masked people started attacking wrestlers at the end of matches, causing havoc and fear within the company. Eventually, they were joined by a third masked assailant who was discovered to be the Donna del Mondo leader Giulia. Following her unmasking, she announced that the Momos would be revealed in the first Stardom show of 2022 and become the newest members of her faction. Naturally, Thekla was one of the people under the gruesome disguises alongside former TJPW wrestler Mirai Maiumi (now going by the name of MIRAI) and the duo formally joined DDM.
A Viral Debut
Thekla’s first match and unveiling came on the 3rd of January 2022 at the 2021 STARDOM Awards show. She competed in a trios match with Giulia and MIRAI against the Cosmic Angels team of Tam Nakano, Unagi Sayaka, and Mai Sakurai. From her entrance alone, her unique character, look, and insane charisma shone through almost instantly, whilst the match would also show off her unparalleled moveset and confidence.
The “Toxic Spider” went viral in the wrestling world following her debut performance for one move in particular. Attempting to avoid a lariat from Tam Nakano, she arched her body backward creating a bridge and then proceeded to crawl along the floor on all fours, spider-like, much to the horror of Tam. She then spun back to her feet and unleashed a running spear on the Kouzen leader. It became apparent that the new addition would be a very welcome and popular addition to the roster!
Surprisingly for a newcomer to the company, it would not take long before Thekla would be involved in her first STARDOM title match. She had been in the company for less than a month before being given an opportunity of clinching the vacant SWA World Championship.
The SWA World Championship
The Stardom World Alliance (SWA) World Championship was established in May 2016 as a flagship title to celebrate the working alliance established between STARDOM and various other wrestling companies throughout the world. Naturally, the company’s legendary ace Io Shirai (now Iyo Sky in the WWE) first won it in Barcelona, Catalunya during STARDOM’s 3-day European tour. She defeated Toni Storm (currently competing in AEW) in the finale of a tournament to decide the inaugural champion. Storm got revenge by becoming the second title holder and then defended the belt for 612 days, the longest reign in its history. Plus, the Australian holds the record number of successful defenses with fifteen between July 2016 and March 2018. Throughout the title’s lineage, there have been nine different champions with seven different nationalities.
The nationality of the incumbent is hugely significant for this particular title as it has unique restrictions applied to it. Only people who are of a different nationality to the champion can challenge for the belt, e.g. Japanese wrestlers could not challenge Io Shirai when she held the strap. This uniqueness was alluring in the early days of the championship as foreign wrestlers could venture to STARDOM for that purpose. They were also encouraged to take it abroad and defend it in other promotions, thus elevating the prestige of the belt. It was all looking rosy for the future of the SWA Title, and then the COVID-19 pandemic hit…
Saving the SWA Title
If there is one thing in STARDOM that has been hit the hardest during the pandemic, it is the SWA Championship. For a belt that needs foreign wrestlers to make it viable, having Japan shut its borders to all foreigners meant that its relevance took a huge hit. The champion at the start of the pandemic, Jamie Hayter (now smashing it as the AEW Women’s Champion), relinquished the title because she was unable to enter Japan and defend it. However, the belt’s future was secured when first Bea Priestley (now Blair Davenport), who was living in Japan full-time at the start of the pandemic before leaving to compete in WWE NXTUK, won the vacated title. Bea held onto the belt for a month before the company’s rising star, Syuri, won it from her in November 2020 at Sendai Cinderella.
SWA Through the Pandemic Era
Syuri carried the belt throughout the majority of the pandemic era, ensuring the SWA’s presence was maintained in the hands of a very creditable champion, who was destined for big things within STARDOM. Helpfully for the company, Syuri is half-Filipino and thus embraced the country of her maternal heritage by saying she was representing the Phillippines to honor the memory of her late mother. Naturally, this meant Syuri could face other Japanese wrestlers for the title. Although it’s a bit of a workaround for the belt’s geographical rules, it allowed the belt to stay active, even if the result of title matches could be somewhat telegraphed.
After holding the title for 419 days, and achieving nine successful defenses, Syuri voluntarily relinquished it on 8th January 2022. This decision was made so that she could fully concentrate on defending her newly won World of Stardom Championship, as well as the Goddess of Stardom Championship with her tag partner Giulia. Sadly, she lost the tag belt the day after dropping the SWA belt.
An Early Title Opportunity
With Japan still experiencing a lockdown, it was no surprise that Thekla was announced as one of the competitors to determine the new SWA champion. She was the only gaijin within the company who could realistically fight for it. Syuri had just gotten rid of it, half-Italian Giulia was considered too ‘big’ for the lower card belt, and American-born Waka Tsukiyama was not a viable option due to her ongoing winless streak.
[READ: The Ballad of Gassan: Waka Tsukiyama’s Quest For Her First Victory]
The Toxic Spider would square off against Cosmic Angels’ Mina Shirakawa. “Chanmina” wanted the vacant championship so she could then go on international tours defending the title and wrestle against foreign wrestlers. In addition, she wanted to create regional editions of Cozen in those territories (in a foreshadowing of her Club Venus sub-faction) to expand the CA brand. Being one of the few members of the STARDOM roster who can speak fluent English (with confidence), Mina has always been outward looking in her wrestling circles. Therefore this title was seen by her to be a catalyst to compete overseas when international travel returned to some normality.
The Toxic Spider Versus The Sexy Paider
Prior to the title match, there was a respectfully competitive, jovial, and somewhat flirtatious nature between the two title hopefuls. In vintage Mina style, she decided to add comedy to the match by making a reference to her boobs. Playing on Thekla’s nickname, Mina declared herself “The Sexy Paider” (‘oppai’ meaning ‘boobs’ in Japanese) in a middle of a match between Donna del Mondo and Cosmic Angels and made everyone burst out laughing.
Mina then painted a spider on her cleavage for added effect during the press conference for Nagoya Supreme Fight, the PPV on which they would fight for the belt. Thekla responded to Mina’s tomfoolery by utilizing her artistic background by drawing a design on a t-shirt, which she then gave to her opponent as a gift. On Mina’s t-shirt, Thekla had drawn Chanmina in her classic “glamour” pose. However, Thekla had created another t-shirt, which she was wearing underneath her jacket. The updated design was Mina in her pose but with a jumping Thekla looking to inflict a faceplant bulldog on her. The encounter was all very light-hearted but it would help promote the match and create great intrigue about which direction the belt would go in the future.
i know you all want this shirt……? pic.twitter.com/0r7h5zkk9p
— Thekla テクラ (@toxic_thekla) January 11, 2022
The New Champion Confirmed
The SWA title match was a far cry from the lighthearted press conference. It was a fierce, strike-filled, and enjoyable battle between two competitors who clearly had great chemistry with each other. Something which was obvious in previous encounters between the two inside and outside the ring. Mina almost managed to take the title after hitting an Implant DDT on Thekla, but the Austrian was able to switch the momentum of the match in her favor. She finally overcame her rival in just under ten minutes with her impressive-looking Toxic Spider Drop finisher to claim her first STARDOM title only twenty-six days after her debut with the company.
and your new.. #SWA #Champion ? pic.twitter.com/uS9AGAV5a4
— Thekla テクラ (@toxic_thekla) January 29, 2022
Defending the SWA Belt
Thekla’s first defense of the SWA belt came in mid-February against Oedo Tai’s Saki Kashima in the beautiful stained-glass window landscape of the Kyoto KBS Hall. In another hard-striking match against the most dangerous wrestler in STARDOM (Spapapapan and all that), Thekla kicked out of both the ‘My Emblem’ and the lethal ‘Kishikasai’ to somehow retain the title. It was a spirited performance by the “Bean Sprout,” but Thekla’s Toxic Spider Drop was the final nail in the coffin for Saki’s hopes of winning her first singles championship in STARDOM. All the while, Thekla and the SWA Title started looking like a great combination.
Another member of Oedo Tai served as Thekla’s next challenger for her SWA Title in the form of their young enforcer, Ruaka, with the match taking place in late March in Nagoya. Despite the usual outside interference shenanigans from the heel group, taking a suitcase shot to the head whilst the referee was distracted, and a full-blown Freezer Bomb from Ruaka, the champion somehow managed to retain once again. Although she was overpowered by her younger opponent for large portions of the match, Thekla utilized her experience and craftiness to catch her headstrong, if foolhardy, adversary up for a roll-up. It seemed like it would take someone very special to prize the title from Thekla’s clutches. Unfortunately, that special person would be the next challenger…
“The Icon” Comes Calling
Thekla’s biggest challenge to her SWA Championship reign came in the form of the “Icon of STARDOM”, Mayu Iwatini. Even though the legendary wrestler had won nearly all the titles available to her in the company throughout her history (she was ineligible for the Future of STARDOM Championship when it was introduced in 2018 – it’s only available for wrestlers under 20 years old or with less than three years experience), there was still one belt she had not captured during her illustrious career – the SWA Championship. Winning this title would mean Mayu would create history by becoming just the second person to complete the STARDOM Grand Slam. It would match the achievements of her ‘Thunder Rock’ teammate, Io Shirai, who achieved the feat in 2016, curiously by winning the inaugural SWA championship to complete the collection.
Prior to the match, Thekla surprisingly cut a very emotional and intense promo during the press conference. She declared her huge pride in being the SWA champion emphasized by even taking the belt home and sleeping next to it. She professed how the belt had become a part of her and her “identity” in STARDOM, and that losing it would be like losing almost part of her soul. Thekla even questioned Mayu’s motives for the title challenge, saying it was just “another title match” for her as she chased the grand slam, whereas it meant everything to Thekla. She concluded the promo by stating that there was “no way in hell” that Mayu was taking away “her belt.”
Tears of Pride and Despair
Sadly, despite her best efforts against STARDOM’s most recognizable and beloved wrestler, Thekla was unable to stop history from being made at the Golden Week Fight Tour. Both women threw absolutely everything into the match, with Thekla even hitting Iwatani with the SWA Title at one point in desperation. However, in spite of Thekla’s high resilience, Iwatani’s experience was the crucial factor and she got the victory via a moonsault. Mayu Iwatani had finally clinched the title that was missing from her resumé and confirmed her legendary status within the company (not that it was ever questioned). It was such a historic moment that Saki Kashima, who was commentating on the match, temporarily broke character and shed tears of pride she had for her long-term friend/rival.
As for Thekla, her demeanor was a long way from her usual confident swagger. She was absolutely devastated as she struggled to comprehend losing her beloved SWA Title. Even though she was stricken with physical and emotional pain, the former champion sportingly fixed the title around Mayu’s waist such was the respect she had for “The Icon”. At that moment, you could see how much pride she had in being the SWA Champion. The Viennese wrestler probably showed more fulfillment and respect for the belt than most former champions had done in many years, and she elevated herself and the belt’s standing throughout her reign in my opinion.
ベルトがどこに行ったのかと、夜中に目が覚めました。
— Thekla テクラ (@toxic_thekla) May 6, 2022
ロープを伝って飛んできたアイコンしか覚えてない…
グランドスラムおめでとうございます。
テクラがまた挑戦できるくらい強くなるまで、SWAベルトを大切にしてください#STARDOM #SWA pic.twitter.com/S7W1ljb24D
The SWA Championship Becomes Unloved Once More
Perhaps Thekla’s premonition of Mayu’s ‘box-ticking’ motives for winning the title might have been proven correct. Despite holding onto the SWA belt for 182 days and achieving three defences of the title (all more than what Thekla achieved as champion), the belt was vacated once again by Mayu in November 2022 – the third time in two years. Just like Syuri before her, Mayu relinquished the championship to concentrate on another title, focusing on her quest to become the first IWGP Women’s Champion. It was a belt she was scheduled to win but ultimately failed to by losing to former ‘Threedom’ teammate, KAIRI.
Sadly, the creation of the IWGP Women’s Championship seems to have potentially bad omens for the SWA Championship as it could supersede the STARDOM belt in the long term. Not to mention, another vacating of the belt to focus on a different title hugely damaged the prestige of the SWA belt!
Thekla’s Yearning For the Belt
Since losing the SWA championship in May 2022, Thekla continually made references to regaining the belt in the long term. Indeed, this rhetoric has increased since Mayu Iwatani relinquished the title. Thekla recently brought the subject up during the press conference for the ‘Naniwa Roulette’ gauntlet match at Supreme Fight 2023. With the winner of the convoluted match guaranteed a title match of their choosing, Thekla said the following whilst casually and cooly bicep curling using a resistance band:
“…Well, everybody actually knows which belt I want… but I’m not gonna be talking about that until we finally know what’s gonna happen to that belt, that I REALLY WANT, and I already HAD!”
*camera switches to a sheepish-looking Mayu*
“But, in the meantime, I’m going to challenge for the High Speed belt…”
Thekla at the Press Conference for STARDOM Supreme Fight 2023
Alas, Thekla was unable to win the Naniwa Roulette match and gain a contract for a High-Speed Title challenge. However, the match could have potentially established a future SWA Championship match. Thekla achieved a draw with Club Venus’ English wrestler Mariah May after both competitors were eliminated after going over the top rope. This means their dual has room to progress in the future with the potential climax of it being the crowning of a new SWA Champion. Mariah has certainly impressed since she came to STARDOM in early January, and it could be an excellent match between the “Toxic Spider” and the “Fighting Princess.”
Friends Reunited?
In the nearly seven-year history of the SWA Title, there has never been a two-time champion of the title. All previous winners have progressed to greater things within the company or have left STARDOM altogether. However, Thekla looks in a great position to likely create some history of her own should she regain that championship. Certainly, the long-term future of the SWA Championship is uncertain, especially with the creation of the IWGP Women’s Championship. Nonetheless, with wrestlers now able to travel to and from Japan without restrictions, there will be more potential for foreign wrestlers to come and challenge for the belt. Plus STARDOM needs a tertiary title for the mid-carders, non-High Speed wrestlers, and up-and-comers to fight for and to keep some focus on them.
Whatever the future of the SWA Championship will be in the near future, it seems very likely Thekla will have a huge impact on its direction. If the Viennese wrestler can snare into her web what was once agonizingly lost to become the first two-time SWA champion, perhaps it would be time to change the old Habsburg motto to “Aranea Est Imperare Orbi Universo” = All the World is Subject to the Spider!
it’s okay to be afraid ??#STARDOM pic.twitter.com/YN9Ib8DRx3
— Thekla テクラ (@toxic_thekla) February 5, 2023
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