Summary

Thekla has added another layer to her upcoming AEW Women's World Championship defense by singling out Hikaru Shida as a dangerous presence in the match. With Thekla's four-way title defense at Double or Nothing already set against Shida, Kris Statlander and Jamie Hayter, the champion said she is especially curious about what Shida might do when the stakes rise.

The champion also briefly teased that she has more to say about Mercedes Moné at some point, but stopped short of expanding on that during the interview.

Quote from Thekla

"I'm very excited to see what she's going to have up her sleeve because I like Shida's, what do you call it? Demeanor. I think she's a sneaky snake. I'm very excited to see how she's going to fuck Kris Statlander whenever the time's ready."

Later in the conversation, Thekla addressed Mercedes Moné without offering any specifics:

"That's a tough one. I'm not gonna answer that because I think there will be a day where I'm going to reveal stuff that is interesting about me in relation to Mercedes."

Thekla and Hikaru Shida change the feel of the title match

Thekla's comments position Shida less as a straightforward challenger and more as the wild card in a four-way match that already includes Statlander and Hayter. By calling attention to Shida's demeanor and what she might have planned, Thekla framed the former champion as someone who can shift the match at the exact moment the title is up for grabs.

The Mercedes Moné tease is more of a background note for now, but it still matters because Thekla chose not to shut that door entirely. With Double or Nothing approaching, the immediate focus stays on Shida, Statlander and Hayter, while Moné remains a name Thekla clearly wants hanging around the bigger AEW women's title picture.

Sources

Thekla while speaking with Westwood One Sports