Kris Statlander made wrestling history by defeating Jade Cargill to end her unprecedented 60-0 undefeated streak on AEW. The match took place during Statlander’s first appearance after recovering from knee surgery, where she secured the AEW TBS Title in a stunning upset. This victory marked a significant turning point in All Elite Wrestling, especially amid widespread speculation about Jade Cargill AEW departure and future plans.
Statlander Reflects on the Match and Overwhelming Experience
Statlander described the victory as almost surreal, recalling the intense emotions that filled her mind before and during the match. She revealed that despite her focus on defeating the dominant Jade Cargill, her thoughts initially centered on simply not stumbling during her entrance, especially after returning from a second knee surgery.
On her mindset leading up to the match, Statlander said:
“Well, it was my first match after my second knee surgery, getting thrown into that, a title match and trying to defeat the undefeated, big task ahead of me. My goal was really to do the unimaginable and pin her. And I did that. I think a lot more things in my head was like, don’t trip on your entrance, and blah, blah, blah. I did kind of lose my balance on my entrance and I was like, great, this is off to a great this is off to a great start. But it all happened so fast that by the time I was holding the belt, I was like, where am I? What just happened? Similar feeling to when I won this one, too. Both of my title reigns were very much like, well, I guess we’re here. I did it. So yeah, my goal was just to do the impossible, I think.”
– Kris Statlander, AEW TBS Champion
The Physical Toll and Passion Behind Statlander’s Wrestling Career
Statlander also opened up about the physical challenges she has faced in her wrestling career, including intense match bumps like the Blood & Guts event and encounters with thumbtacks. She expressed that while some spots looked painful, they were not as bad as anticipated and even shared her enthusiasm for scars as marks of her journey.
Regarding the Blood & Guts match bump, she reflected:
“Yes, actually, yeah. And it was not as bad as I thought. It did kind of burn a little bit. There’s a lot of things in wrestling that don’t look very fun. Obviously, I’m sure the other spot you’re thinking of is the splits on the thumbtacks. I will say I was thinking about that for months. I had that spot in my head for months. I wanted to do it so bad, and it really wasn’t that bad, because it was mostly my thigh. So we’re good.”
– Kris Statlander
She also commented on the severity of pain from thumbtack-related stunts:
“Yeah, it’s not fun. It’s not as bad as you would think. I think the worst tack thing I actually did it to Marina, where I barefoot dropped her onto the tacks. That’s probably the most painful tack thing you could probably take. And I didn’t even do that one. So kudos to her.”
– Kris Statlander
On the long-term physical marks from her in-ring efforts, she added:
“Again, not as bad as I thought it was gonna be. Yeah, I think I still have some scars on my lower back from it, but I like scars. So I was like, yes! I think they’re cool. I’ve been dying to get a face scar. Have something happen. Get a nice, cool face scar. That’s my wish. That’s my dream.”
– Kris Statlander
The Journey into Wrestling and the Evolution of Her Persona
Statlander traced her beginnings back to stunt double training when friends introduced her to wrestling. Initially unfamiliar with the role of valet, she gradually grew passionate about in-ring performance. Despite early setbacks, including a serious heel injury early in her career, her dedication to wrestling deepened over time.
She described how wrestling found her:
“I met friends who were wrestlers, and when I was doing my stunt double training at the time, when I was 18, they were like, ‘That’s similar, come valet us.’ I was like, Sure, I don’t know what that is, but, ok. So I would go, and they would just kind of give me a quick rundown of how to be a manager. And I was like, okay, and then I would just leave, and I’d be like, I don’t know what I’m doing here.”
– Kris Statlander
Her love for wrestling took shape as she started in-ring training and overcame injuries:
“I kind of fell in love with it when I realized I could do a lot of what the in-ring stuff was when I was still kind of valeting. I think that’s kind of when I was like, oh, I want to try that. I want to give it a go. And then I started my in-ring training, and it definitely wasn’t like a one moment hit, and I was like, This is what I want to. It was a very gradual, a slow fall, if you will, in love with it. I started my in-ring training, and then three months into training, I broke my heel, split my heel bone right in half, and then I sat and watched training every day for the two months that I was out. And then when I got back in the ring right after, and I was able to pick things up a lot quicker, I feel like that’s kind of when one people really started taking me under their wing, because they saw how much that I cared about it. When I when people started helping me a little bit more, is when I realized I was like, Oh, this is actually something I can actually do and pursue, especially now that people want to see me succeed at it. And then it just became something that I kind of just never really knew where it would take me. I just sort of was like, let’s just see where it goes. And now here we are.”
– Kris Statlander
Contrasting Statlander’s Real Personality with Her Wrestling Character
In interviews, Statlander highlighted the stark differences between her personal character and her wrestling persona, emphasizing how her shy and reserved nature contrasts with the bold, daring image she projects in the ring. She embraces being an eccentric and quirky person outside of wrestling, without shame or apologies.
On blending these two halves of her identity, she stated:
“Well, Kris Stadtlander, the non-wrestler, it’s spelt s, t, a, d, t, l, a, n, d, e, r, so that’s really a big difference. I also feel like I’m very shy, and when I’m meeting new people, I really don’t speak a lot because I don’t ever want to like interfere with the vibes of other people in a group, and I worry sometimes people might not think I’m friendly for that, but I always try to be friendly. I like to keep to myself. I like to be kind of alone a lot of my time. But then at work, big, powerful, strong person, and I try to be more out there. I try to be bold and daring and scary and stuff like that. But I’m not a scary person. I’m not an intimidating person. I’m such a weird, weird, weird, weird, dork person, and I don’t have any shame in that. I’m not afraid to admit that, and I think it’s taken me a long time to be like I don’t care if you think I’m weird. I don’t think care if you think I’m cringey in my personal time, because that’s who I am, and I’m not gonna apologize for acting weird on my own time. So I think that’s the biggest thing, is that I tried to kind of be everybody, be both of them at once. When I was alien Kris early on, trying to be like, No, I’m just a weird person, and I’m gonna do embarrassing things, but I’m an alien, so it’s fine. You understand that it’s different, but now trying to be a more serious, more badass character. People don’t like it when you do weird things; they’re like, that doesn’t make any sense. And I’m like, Well, I’m sorry. It’s just me. I can’t help it, sometimes.”
– Kris Statlander
Maintaining Her Status as the Wrestling World’s Greatest Alien
Statlander has navigated multiple wrestling personas during her career, starting with “Galaxy’s Greatest Alien” and evolving into “Cosmic Killer,” which she describes as a reflection of something large and formidable beyond just a space-themed identity. She embraces this continuous reinvention as part of her larger presence in AEW.
On her alien identity evolution, Statlander explained:
“Well, I’ve never said I wasn’t, and I think that says enough as it is. When I went from Galaxy’s Greatest Alien to more than a woman, I did that purposefully, because I like the undertone of being more than a woman. So it’s like a little bit different, or more than just the ordinary sort of. Now, doing cosmic killer is kind of like cosmic is just, it means large and of great proportions and stuff like that. It doesn’t necessarily mean space, so it’s still kind of like underlying tones of everything, without having to be like alien, oh, my god, out of this world.”
– Kris Statlander
Her AEW Women’s World Title Reign Amidst Personal and Professional Struggles
After six years with AEW, Statlander candidly addressed the complicated timing of her Women’s World Title reign. She conveyed how the period was marked by internal doubts and challenges outside the ring, including storylines involving other wrestlers like Death Riders and personal relationships, which created a chaotic backdrop to her championship opportunity.
On the unusual timing of winning the title, she shared:
“I guess I kind of agree. I feel like you shouldn’t always necessarily need to brand yourself as a champion in order to be worthy of having this memorable career, so to speak. I feel like actually winning the championship kind of came at a really weird time for me. It almost didn’t feel like it was the right time, because the way Toni Storm went about making the match was like, You, you, you, let’s go do it, and we’re like, okay, so it’s kind of like taking advantage of an opportunity. Meanwhile, I was still getting harassed by the Death Riders and trying to sneak my way out of dealing with them. And then the up and down situation with Willow, and then me and Harley were kind of a thing. It was like a really, really weird time where I was very unsure of what I wanted to do and what path I wanted to take. Now I’m in this opportunity to win this belt I’ve never gotten a chance to win, and I haven’t wrestled four in years at this point, so it’s like, I’m not gonna not take the opportunity, just because in my mind, things are all over the place. But at the same time, it felt really weird. It was just kind of like, well, I guess we’re here, so okay, and now it’s just kind of been an uphill battle trying to cement myself and find myself, while also putting myself and showing everyone who I am as the World Champion. So it’s been a really odd time.”
– Kris Statlander
Addressing Doubts About Her Readiness as Champion
Statlander clarified that her hesitation was not about feeling unprepared in skill but rather concerns about audience acceptance, given her complex storyline actions that challenged fans’ favor. She described ongoing efforts to rebuild trust with fans and fellow wrestlers alike while convincing herself that she deserved the championship position.
She explained:
“No, I felt I was ready. It’s really more just like a mental [feeling of] I don’t know if everyone is ready to see me in this position, if that makes sense. Because I feel like fans were always hesitant to like me a little bit still, because of the fact that I turned on my one of my best friends and I and I punched Orange Cassidy in the face, and I murdered Willow for a good couple of months, so it’s hard to kind of and then I was like, No, guys, I messed up, and now I’m going to try and be better. And everyone’s like, Okay, but why? And I’m like, trust me. I know what I’m doing. I feel bad, and I never really did anything to gain everyone’s trust back. So it’s more I feel like people are happy for me. They think that I deserve it, but people can be like, ‘Oh, I’m happy for this person, they deserve it, blah, blah, blah…’ and then don’t really care what happens after they get to the top. So now I’m trying to rebuild my friendships and prove to everyone that I’m worthy of being a champion, and also keep telling myself like, No, you deserve to be here. You’re ready for this. It’s fine. You don’t have to worry about it. But I have a lot of emotions in my head about this, so it’s been a little bit of an internal battle, even though I feel very confident in my abilities.”
– Kris Statlander
AEW’s Current Landscape and Its Future Roster Moves
While Statlander’s victory has made headlines, All Elite Wrestling reportedly continues to bolster its roster with unannounced signings, signaling an evolving talent pool. Fans are eager to see how these additions will impact the promotion’s storylines, especially as speculation about Jade Cargill AEW departure persists. This adds an element of uncertainty and anticipation in the AEW universe.
Broader Implications of Statlander’s Victory and Jade Cargill Situation
Statlander’s triumph over Jade Cargill not only ends an impressive reign but also potentially signals a shift in AEW’s women’s division narrative. Given Jade Cargill’s recent backstage and contractual rumors, this outcome could foreshadow her impending departure and realignment within professional wrestling circles, including rival promotions.
This pivotal moment emphasizes how AEW is positioning emerging talents like Statlander at the forefront, challenging established figures and refreshing story arcs that carry significant emotional and competitive weight within the wrestling community.
