Thekla, Julia Hart and Skye Blue captured the Artist of Stardom Championship on Saturday during the opening night of the 5 Star Grand Prix.
The AEW trio defeated Ami Sohrei, Hina and Lady C in the semi-main event at EBARA WAVE Arena Ota in Tokyo.
Hart prevented a three-count by pulling the referee away after Sohrei hit Thekla with Rai No Gotoku. Blue then struck Sohrei with one of the championship belts before Hart used poison mist. Thekla followed with a curb stomp to secure the pin.
Sohrei, Hina and Lady C, collectively known as Dream Trine, had made two successful defenses before losing in their third.
The championship match was arranged only three days earlier. Thekla, Hart and Blue interrupted a STARDOM livestream on Wednesday and issued the challenge, which Syuri accepted on behalf of her God’s Eye stablemates.
Thekla addressed STARDOM president Taro Okada after the title change and said the group planned to take the belts beyond Japan.
We’re gonna snatch your grubby STARDOM belts and take them all over the world. We’re gonna show the world what STARDOM is really like.
Welcome to hell.
This marks Thekla’s second reign with the championship. She previously held it alongside Giulia and Mai Sakurai after the Donna del Mondo trio defeated KAIRI, Natsupoi and Saori Anou in May 2023.
Saturday was also Thekla’s first STARDOM match since April 2025. Her previous run ended after she attacked Okada following a loss to Sayaka Kurara, leading to her firing in storyline. She made her AEW debut the following month.
Hart will remain in Japan as part of the 5 Star Grand Prix. She replaced the injured Bea Priestley in Blue Stars A and is scheduled to begin tournament competition against Rian at Korakuen Hall on July 28.
Thekla is also the reigning AEW Women’s World Champion. She is scheduled to defend against Willow Nightingale at the inaugural Redemption pay-per-view in Montreal on Sunday, July 26.
