Thekla’s wild spider-themed entrance at AEW WrestleDream came with a little extra help from the indie wrestling scene. After the show, the identities of the two men who carried Thekla to the ring on her custom throne were finally revealed.
Thekla went all-out for her AEW Women’s World Championship match against Mercedes Moné, making her entrance on a custom-made throne designed around her Toxic Spider character. Two men carried the throne down the entranceway while Thekla sat on top, giving her one of the more elaborate entrances of the night.
Those two men weren’t just random extras hired for the entrance either. They were independent wrestlers Dante Casanova and Daniel Lacey, both of whom have been putting in work outside AEW.
Casanova confirmed their involvement after WrestleDream when he took to Instagram and uploaded a backstage photo alongside Lacey and Thekla. The picture showed all three together after helping bring the Toxic Spider’s special entrance to life.
Lacey has competed for several independent promotions, including CCW, BRCW and FIP. Casanova has also built up experience across the indie scene with appearances for AWE, HAW and 1FW, and he’s even stepped inside the ring for ROH.
The big entrance came before Thekla challenged Mercedes for the AEW Women’s World Championship. She pushed the champion throughout the match and came close on several occasions, but Mercedes ultimately retained after catching her with the Moné Maker.
Thekla may not have left WrestleDream with the championship, but she definitely made sure her arrival felt like a big deal. Now fans know that two working indie wrestlers, Dante Casanova and Daniel Lacey, were the men underneath that massive spider-themed throne helping her make the entrance happen.
What did you think about Thekla’s spider-themed entrance at AEW WrestleDream? Let us know in the comments below.
