Thekla doesn’t sound convinced that Asuka is anywhere close to retirement.
While speaking to TMZ Inside The Ring, Thekla was asked about Asuka amid all the recent speculation surrounding her WWE future following the emotional moment at WWE Backlash. Interestingly, Thekla revealed she has never actually met Asuka despite crossing paths with a lot of wrestlers throughout her career. Thekla then made it clear she has been a huge fan of Asuka for years.
“No, she is one of the few people….I’ve met IYO. I meet a lot of people. I don’t think I’ve ever met Asuka, which is a bummer.”
“Especially growing up and starting out as a wrestler, I was like, ‘That chick is just fucking cool.’”
When asked directly about the retirement rumors, Thekla flat-out shut the idea down.
“I don’t think she is. Somebody like her, she’s so fucking tough. She’s in her mid-40s and still whooping people’s asses. Somebody like that never retires.”
The comments come after weeks of confusion surrounding Asuka’s WWE status following conflicting reports claiming she was either “semi-retired” or simply away indefinitely for personal reasons.
At this point, Thekla clearly believes Asuka still has plenty left in the tank despite all the speculation online.
Do you think Asuka is really nearing the end of her career, or does she still have several big years left? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.