Thekla (wrestler)

1.1. Birth and childhood

Thekla Kaischauri was born on April 30, 1993, in Vienna, Austria. Her mother is Georgian and her father is Austrian. She grew up in Landstraße, Vienna's densely populated 3rd municipal district. From a young age, Kaischauri was an active and athletic child, engaging in various physical disciplines such as swimming, gymnastics, ballet, and martial arts. In addition to her athletic pursuits, she also developed musical talents, learning to play the violin. As a teenager, she further explored her musical interests by playing the electric guitar and founding a punk rock band named Death Row Groupies. Thekla's blood type is AB. She stands at 61 in ^{(155 cm)} and weighs 115 lb ^{(52 kg)}.

1.2. Education and artistic development

Kaischauri pursued higher education in the arts, enrolling in the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program at the University of Applied Arts Vienna. She continued her studies even after embarking on her professional wrestling career, successfully graduating with her MFA in 2020. Her academic background and artistic inclinations have remained a significant part of her life and career. She has used her artistic skills to design her own wrestling attire and merchandise, including T-shirts. Kaischauri also contributed creatively to the H.A.T.E. stable, showcasing her multifaceted talents. She once participated in a production at the national Burgtheater in Vienna, demonstrating her involvement in performing arts outside of wrestling.

2.1. Beginnings and independent circuit (2017-2018)

Thekla Kaischauri's entry into professional wrestling was somewhat accidental. At 19 years old, while active in Vienna's DIY and punk scene, which often intersected with the city's underground wrestling subculture, she stumbled upon a wrestling show and was immediately captivated, deciding then to pursue a career as a wrestler. She frequently visited the Weberknecht club and bar, a popular venue for underground wrestling matches held in the basement by Wrestling School Austria (WSA).

She trained at WSA in Vienna under retired Austrian professional wrestler Gerhard Hradil, known professionally as Humungus. It was in a basement dojo in Vienna's 2nd municipal district, Leopoldstadt, that she recounts creating her now-signature "spider-like" movements. Using the mononym Thekla, she made her professional wrestling debut in 2018 for the Vienna chapter of World Underground Wrestling (WUW), a Japan-based federation of independent promotions. Her first match took place on April 21, 2018, at IPW Germany Eishaus Explosion 2 in Lübeck, Germany. For most of that year, she performed in Vienna's underground wrestling scene, characterized by its lack of mainstream professional wrestling rules, such as an enclosed ring or time limits, with matches often taking place in pub cellars and other informal venues. Kaischauri fondly described the Viennese wrestling scene as "loud, chaotic, and cheeky" and lauded "Viennese audiences" as "the best." On July 8, 2018, she wrestled in the main event of WUW Summerfest at Weberknecht, where she unsuccessfully challenged for the WUW Austria Women's title in a three-way submission match. Her appearances in Austria, mostly for WUW and Rings of Europe (RoE) in Vienna, became sporadic as her career increasingly shifted towards Japan.

2.2. Transition to Japan and cultural adaptation (2018-2021)

Through WSA's affiliation with the Japan-based WUW and Humungus's professional connections in the Japanese wrestling scene, Kaischauri first visited Japan in 2018 to perform in its underground wrestling circuit. She considers this period her true beginning as a professional wrestler. Over the next two years, she divided her time between Vienna and Japan, with the majority of her matches taking place in Japan. In winter 2020, following a six-week tour in Japan, she made the significant decision to remain in the country due to the onset of the COVID-19 lockdowns, seeing an opportunity to advance her wrestling career in the Japanese market.

During this period, Thekla appeared in several independent Japanese wrestling promotions, including Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling, Gleat, Seadlinnng, and World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana. She described the substantial differences between the Viennese underground scene and Japanese professional wrestling: "In the cellar of the Weberknecht it is hard, damp and dirty. You fight on a small stage on five-centimeter-thick mats, which can be painful. But it's raw and awesome, the audience is fully involved and very close to you. The Japanese, on the other hand, are much quieter and more distant, especially during the Corona period. It was often really quiet as a mouse during fights, because clapping and screaming were forbidden. So you're fighting in front of an audience that makes 'Yikes!' to the maximum - but when that happens, then you know: Now I've got it." She also recounted having to overcome cultural and linguistic barriers as a foreigner working in Japan, including her successful self-taught efforts to learn the Japanese language.

2.3. Ice Ribbon (2019-2021)

Thekla made her first appearance at Ice Ribbon on July 27, 2019. She participated in a six-woman tag team match, teaming with Hamuko Hoshi and Suzu Suzuki in a losing effort against Asahi, Matsuya Uno, and Tsukasa Fujimoto. This initial period was a six-week study abroad program at Ice Ribbon to learn joshi puroresu. She spent most of the summer performing at Ice Ribbon shows before briefly returning to Austria in September. On December 15, 2019, at Weberknecht, she won her first championship title, the World Underground Wrestling (WUW) Women's Championship.

Thekla returned to Ice Ribbon in 2020 and spent most of the year wrestling in their events, focusing on defending the WUW Women's Championship. She briefly lost the title to Cherry in July before reclaiming it the following month. She successfully held the title for the remainder of the year, traveling to Austria in September for a few shows with WUW and ROE. Upon returning to Japan in late 2020, she decided to settle in the country during the COVID-19 lockdown. Due to the halt of live shows, Thekla trained extensively at Ice Ribbon's dojo on the outskirts of Tokyo. She described this period as "lonely" but "extremely focused," calling it "the basis for the success I have now." Her 2020 run with Ice Ribbon was highlighted by noteworthy matches against Risa Sera, Suzu Suzuki, and Maya Yukihi.

In January 2021, Thekla announced her full-time return to Ice Ribbon. The following month, she unsuccessfully challenged Tsukushi Haruka for the IW19 Championship. On April 21, 2021, she was also defeated by Risa Sera in a title match for the FantastICE Championship. However, on May 3, at the promotion's Yokohama Ribbon show, Thekla captured the Triangle Ribbon Championship by defeating Ibuki Hoshi and defending champion Matsuya Uno in a three-way contest, becoming the 40th Triangle Ribbon Champion and earning her first title within Ice Ribbon.

On November 13, 2021, Thekla lost the WUW Women's Championship to Akane Fujita. Her single reign of 441 days was the second longest in the title's history as of February 2025, and her combined reign of 658 days also stands as the second longest. The match against Fujita was her final appearance for Ice Ribbon. She had been described as a "big hit" for her distinctively aggressive persona and fighting style, which included engaging in "psychological warfare" against opponents on social media. Following this match, Thekla requested her release and departed from Ice Ribbon on November 30, 2021.

2.4. World Wonder Ring Stardom (2021-present)

Thekla's tenure in World Wonder Ring Stardom began with a mysterious debut that quickly led to her joining a dominant faction, where she achieved significant title success before embarking on a new phase defined by her anti-idol persona.

3.1. In-ring style and training

Kaischauri's wrestling style has been described as "very unique, hyper energy and frenetic," largely due to her extensive childhood training in ballet and gymnastics, which gives her exceptional flexibility. Her movements have been noted as otherworldly, akin to those of highly skilled ballet or floor gymnasts. During her time at Ice Ribbon, she was recognized for her "excellent technical wrestling skills," with a focus on holds, takedowns, submissions, and grappling.

Her training foundation began in her youth with martial arts, followed by initial professional wrestling training at Wrestling School Austria (WSA) in Vienna, where she learned fundamental techniques like rolling, grappling, and striking. Later, from late 2019, she further refined her skills at Ice Ribbon's dojo in Tokyo. Kaischauri states that her training regimen is comprehensive, emphasizing "Power, muscles, cardio, technique," all of which she considers crucial for her performances. Some of her characteristic moves include a "spider-like move" developed in a basement dojo in Vienna.

3.2. Persona and gimmick

Thekla has cultivated highly distinctive gimmicks that set her apart in the Japanese joshi puroresu scene. Her primary persona, the "Idol Killer", is an antagonistic heel character designed to challenge and "completely eradicate idol culture" within the wrestling world. This persona, characterized by brusque and confrontational in-ring behavior, directly contrasts with the cute and cheerful "idol" archetype often expected of female wrestlers in Japan. This ideological conflict forms the basis of many of her feuds and storylines, making her a compelling and controversial figure.

She is also known as "The Toxic Spider", a moniker that reflects her aggressive and agile fighting style, which incorporates elements of grappling, submission, and fluid acrobatics. This nickname is further reinforced by her arachnid-themed costumes, gear, and a moveset that draws inspiration from spider movements. As a key member of the villainous H.A.T.E. stable, Thekla embraces her role as a heel, using her unique style and persona to create memorable and impactful performances that stand in sharp contrast to more traditional or "face" characters in joshi puroresu.

4.1. Artistic activities

In parallel with her professional wrestling career, Kaischauri continues to pursue her passions for painting and music. She frequently exhibits her artworks, often using her hiatuses from wrestling to dedicate more time to her artistic endeavors, as she did in early 2024. In November 2024, she announced an art exhibition in Tokyo for the first week of January 2025, coinciding with NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19. Kaischauri views her work as an artist and a wrestler as deeply interconnected, stating that "wrestling inspires the painting and then the painting inspires what I do in the ring." This synergy extends to her wrestling presentation: she designs her own wrestling gear and apparel, composes her own theme music, and actively contributes creative ideas to the H.A.T.E. stable. She considers professional wrestling to be a form of creative expression in itself, asserting that "the ring is my canvas and I paint a pretty wild picture."

4.2. Multilingualism and cultural interests

Thekla Kaischauri is a highly multilingual individual. In addition to her native German and Georgian, she is also fluent in English, French, and Japanese, having taught herself the latter. Her linguistic abilities and cultural interests have played a significant role in her career, particularly her success in Japan. She has a self-described "soft spot for Japanese culture", which she cited as one of the primary reasons for her decision to move to Japan in 2020. Her manager, Kanae Imai, has noted that Thekla is "one of the few foreigners who started their careers in Japan themselves," highlighting her dedication to integrating into the Japanese wrestling scene and culture. She has also been compared to Canadian professional wrestler Kenny Omega, who likewise found significant success performing primarily in Japan.

4.3. Future prospects

Kaischauri has openly expressed her interest in performing professional wrestling outside of Japan, naming potential destinations such as Cambodia, Nepal, and North America. In a November 2024 interview, she indicated that she was actively exploring opportunities in the United States and anticipated future announcements regarding these endeavors, signaling a potential expansion of her wrestling career beyond the Japanese market.

5.1. Titles

5.2. Awards and rankings

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • Ranked No. 69 of the top 150 female wrestlers in the PWI Women's 150 (2022)
  • Ranked No. 155 of the top 250 female wrestlers in the PWI Women's 250 (2023)
  • Ranked No. 77 of the top 250 female wrestlers in the PWI Women's 250 (2024)
  • Ranked No. 17 of the top 100 tag teams with Donna Del Mondo in the PWI Top 100 Tag Team (2023)
• World Wonder Ring Stardom
  • 5★Star GP Awards (1 time)
    • Blue Stars Best Match Award (2024) vs. Suzu Suzuki on August 20 in Blue Stars B

6.1. Special moves

• DDD: Also previously known as "Doku Gumo Death Drop" (毒グモ・デス・ドロップ), this move involves capturing an opponent in a reverse full nelson hold, positioning their body over her right knee in a forward-leaning posture. She then twists her own body, falling backward to drive the opponent's face into the mat, resembling a double-arm style Blade Runner.
• Jorogumo (女郎蜘蛛_Jorōgumo^Japanese): A characteristic move named after a mythical spider-like creature.
• Kumogaramu (蜘蛛絡み_Kumogaramu^Japanese): Another spider-themed move.
• Wiebackknecht (ウィーバックネヒト_{Wībakunehito}^Japanese): A modified Kama Gatame, a wrestling hold.
• Yagumo no Katame (夜蜘蛛ノ固め_{Yagumo no Katame}^Japanese): Combines an Figure-four leglock with a Kama Gatame on the ground.
• Spider Web (スパイダーウェブ_Supaidāwebu^Japanese): A flying modified Manji Gatame.
• Death trap choke: A submission hold where she applies a headscissors choke and bridges her body to increase pressure.
• Double-arm suplex
• Spear
• Diving body press
• Clothesline
• Front high kick
• Superkick

6.2. Foul moves

Thekla often employs illegal tactics in her matches to emphasize her heel persona.

• Belt (weapon): She frequently removes the belt she wears to the ring and uses it as a weapon, whipping opponents or using it to restrain them.