AEW Gave Thekla Big Raise To Lock Her In Early Before WWE Interest Could Happen

AEW already locked down Women’s World Champion Thekla with a new multi-year contract, but a new update reveals just how serious the company was about keeping her—and how close things could have gotten if timing were different.

Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp reports that Thekla used professional representation to negotiate her new deal with AEW, and that move paid off in a big way. The updated details indicate the agreement came with a substantial raise, showing AEW was willing to invest heavily to keep one of the top names in its women’s division locked in long-term.

According to the update, those representing Thekla believed there would have been real interest from WWE if she had reached free agency. However, AEW moved so quickly to finalize the new contract that those potential talks never even had the chance to begin.

The timing appears to be the key part of the story. AEW didn’t wait until her original deal was close to expiring. Instead, they worked to secure her future early, preventing any bidding war or outside interest from becoming a factor.

That aggressive approach makes more sense when looking at Thekla’s recent run. Since arriving in AEW after leaving STARDOM in 2025, she has steadily climbed the ranks and eventually captured the AEW Women’s World Championship in a strap match victory over Kris Statlander earlier this year. With the championship around her waist and strong momentum behind her, AEW clearly saw enough value to not only extend her deal—but to do so with a raise and before any rival company could make a move.

If WWE had shown interest, things could have looked very different. Instead, AEW secured its champion early and avoided the kind of contract drama that often surrounds major free agents in wrestling. AEW making this move early sends a clear message that they view Thekla as a major piece of the company’s future, not just another champion passing through the division.

Do you think AEW made the right call locking Thekla in early with a raise, or would WWE interest have changed the situation if she had reached free agency? Let us know what you think in the comments.