On Saturday at AEW All Out, Kris Statlander secured the AEW Women’s World Championship by pinning Toni Storm in a fatal four-way match. As a homegrown talent who has been part of AEW since 2019, Statlander expressed difficulty putting into words what the victory means to her.
She reflected on her journey, saying,
“It’s very surreal because like you said, I’m homegrown, I’ve been here since 2019. I’ve lost opportunities at this title a good amount of times that I was like, okay, maybe I slow my roll a little bit. And now five or six years later to be finally sitting here with this (title) is like one of the most insane things ever and I don’t really have a lot of words to describe it.”
The Long Road Marked by Injuries and Perseverance
Statlander’s career with AEW began in late 2019, quickly earning victories over prominent wrestlers such as Hikaru Shida and Britt Baker on Dynamite. Her initial chance at the AEW Women’s World title came in January 2020 when she faced Riho. However, her ascent was interrupted by significant setbacks, including a torn left ACL in June 2020 that sidelined her for 10 months, followed by a right ACL tear in August 2022, which kept her out of competition for a full year.
Discussing these challenges, Statlander acknowledged how her injuries delayed some milestones. She said,
“It’s been sort of a very up and down journey for me and I feel like there are so many opportunities that maybe I could have had the chance to be the first early on, but I was derailed by my knee injury.”
Continuing, she stated,
“So I kept (being) like maybe I’ll come back and maybe I’ll be the first person to do this. And then I get injured and then time passes by and other people step up and take that position for you.”
She also shared the emotional toll of those interruptions:
“It’s very much so been a little bit not hurtful, but disheartening having to be like something that was out of my control stopped me from having that historic moment. And now to finally have something to my name to be like I’m the first ever to do this, it just makes all those injuries, all the hard times, all the ups and downs so worth it. Because I worked so unbelievably hard to be in this position that I’m at today and to finally just have that title means more than I could ever imagine. Wrestling is insane.”
Achieving a Unique Milestone in AEW History
With this recent accomplishment, Statlander becomes the first wrestler in AEW history to have held both the TBS Championship and the AEW Women’s World Championship. Reflecting on the significance of her dual title reigns, she emphasized the difficulty along the way caused by her injuries and the perseverance required to reach this point.
Using Signature Moves and Wrestling Influences
Statlander’s winning pin against Toni Storm involved a seatbelt pin, a technique often associated with Wheeler Yuta, who has been recruiting her for the Death Riders stable. When AEW President Tony Khan mentioned this connection at the post-match press conference, Statlander responded defensively, pointing out that the move is not unique to Yuta.
She explained,
“Well, Tony, he’s not the only one that’s ever used the seatbelt pin. There have been some greats before him like Orange Cassidy and Chuck Taylor that have also maybe used that as a more signature thing.”
She also clarified,
“Maybe it’s not exactly Yuta that I’m emulating.”
Plans for Title Defense Against Former Champion Toni Storm
When asked about her initial title defense, Statlander showed respect toward Toni Storm, her most recent opponent and former champion. According to Statlander, a singles match between the two has yet to happen, despite her having pinned Storm twice in multi-wrestler matches.
She remarked,
“Honestly, gotta give it up to the former champ, Toni Storm. She and I have still never had a singles match, and now I have two pins over her.”
Implications of Statlander’s Title Reign in AEW’s Women’s Division
Kris Statlander’s ascent to AEW Women’s World Champion, after years of setbacks due to injuries, marks a critical moment for both her career and AEW’s women’s division. Her persistence highlights the challenges many wrestlers face in reaching top status, while her milestone of holding both the TBS and AEW Women’s titles positions her as a trailblazer within the organization. Fans and commentators alike will watch closely to see how she defends her title and continues to shape the women’s division’s competitive landscape.
