AEW Women’s World Champion Thekla has been on a tear since winning the belt back in February in a brutal strap match against Kris Statlander, and now, she’s set to take on the newly-returned fan-favorite Willow Nightingale. The clash of the pair’s styles, and the unknown going into AEW All In: London, are what make this match a draw.
The pair went one-on-one only once before, almost exactly a year ago from Redemption, on “AEW Collision.” Thekla scored the victory after the Sisters of Sin distracted Nightingale and Thekla was able to nail her with a spear, followed by her stomp. In the months that have followed the match, Thekla has only gotten better, honing her style in the ring to stand out on AEW programming and on American television.
In that match, Thekla started to bring out the harder side of Nightingale, something fans know she has in her, perhaps seen best in her street fight against Kris Statlander at All Out 2024. While this match doesn’t have a stipulation, if there’s one thing AEW pay-per-view matches are known for, it’s excellent in ring work, which these two women are bound to bring, stipulation or not.
Thekla has been on a hot streak not just with her title defenses and wins, but on the microphone in an AEW without “Timeless” Toni Storm. AEW hasn’t been giving Thekla a lot of time on “Dynamite” to cut promos on her opponent ahead of its pay-per-views, but she did cut one on Nightingale after she and the Sisters of Sin won the Artist of Stardom Championships. She addressed Nightingale directly and said that no amount of manifesting and dreaming is going to save her from what Thekla is going to do. She promised to step into Nightingale’s dreams, “p*** into her clouds” and “break her smile.” In the same promo, Thekla then pivoted to address the 2026 Women’s Owen Hart Foundation tournament winner, Mercedes Mone, who is set for a shot at the AEW Women’s World Championship in Wembley Stadium.
The fact Thekla thinks she’ll be the one defending the title against Mone at All In brings the unknown factor into this match. Thekla vs. Mone would be a heel vs. heel feud at Wembley, and it’s possible Nightingale captures her first AEW Women’s World Championship at Redemption to defend against Mone, a woman who she’s had a hot rivalry with over the years. A very possible title change, one to benefit the babyface Nightingale, is a big reason this match is a draw.
Written by Daisy Ruth
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