Kris Statlander believes that fan engagement with the AEW women’s division has reached an unprecedented level. She is set to compete for the AEW Women’s World Championship later this month at the All Out event in a four-way match featuring Thekla, Willow Nightingale, and current champion Toni Storm. Discussing the future of the division in a recent interview, Statlander emphasized the increasing intensity and enthusiasm surrounding women’s wrestling in AEW.
Desire for More Intense and High-Stakes Matches
Statlander expressed a wish to see the women’s division featured more prominently at AEW events, not simply by placing women’s matches in main event slots but by fostering deeply passionate performances from the wrestlers themselves. She believes this passion will contribute to heightened excitement and competition within the division.
She elaborated on what fans can look forward to, stating,
“I want to see more things that people get so invested in that they want to see us at the top of the card every single night. And that’s not necessarily just a ‘Put us in the main event’ type thing. I think people need to draw passion from themselves into their performances, and I think we are getting to that point where people are caring so much about what they’re putting out there that things are getting more heated. Things are getting more exciting.”
—Kris Statlander
In addition, Statlander called for an increase in memorable, hard-hitting matches, including street fights and more tag team championships. She said,
“People are more invested in the women’s division than they ever have been before. And [I want] more big blow-off matches and more street fights. Why not? The girls love to go nuts. The girls love going crazy. More street fights, tag titles, blood and guts, maybe mixed tag stuff more often, stuff like that. I agree with all of those things.”
—Kris Statlander
International Experience and Career Growth
Beyond AEW, Statlander shared insights into her recent international wrestling experiences, particularly her time competing in England for Pro Wrestling EVE. She won the promotion’s women’s championship on July 4 by defeating Anita Vaughan and successfully defended the title against Nina Samuels on September 5 before heading to Philadelphia to appear on AEW Collision the next day.
Reflecting on the significance of this international exposure, Statlander explained,
“I went into it [Pro Wrestling EVE] with the idea of getting to do the international travels that I never got the chance to do before I got signed. Because very fortunately, I got signed about three years into my wrestling career. I never really had the time or the chance to get any of those international U.K. tours or a tour in Japan or anything like that. Not that there weren’t potential opportunities there. It just never panned out.”
—Kris Statlander
Looking Ahead to All Out and the Women’s Division Future
Statlander’s upcoming title match at AEW All Out represents a pivotal moment in her career and the women’s division as a whole. This opportunity serves as her most significant chance yet to claim the Women’s World Championship in 2025. The increasing competitiveness and growing fan interest she describes highlight a women’s division evolving into one of AEW’s most compelling offerings.
Her candid interview delves deeper into these themes and underlines her role in pushing AEW’s women’s wrestling into a more intense, passionate future that attracts new fans and showcases high-quality matches regularly. With figures like Toni Storm, Thekla, and Willow Nightingale also participating, the division is shaping up to be a major focus moving forward.
