Kris Statlander, former AEW Women’s Champion, has once again faced misfortune when defending her championship in California, losing her title to Thekla on the February 10th edition of AEW Dynamite at the Toyota Arena in Ontario. This defeat in a brutal strap match adds to her ongoing difficulties retaining gold in the Golden State.
Repeated Title Losses in California Underscore Ongoing Issues
Earlier in 2023, Statlander’s TBS Championship reign came to an end in California at Full Gear, where she lost in a triple threat match involving Julia Hart and Skye Blue. This latest loss to Thekla, also known as The Toxic Spider, at Dynamite follows a similar pattern of setbacks in the state. Statlander openly expressed her frustration on social media, remarking,
“I gotta stop giving people title shots in California not a good track record for me smh,”
revealing her growing disappointment with this unfortunate trend.
Details of the Title Match and Interference
Despite enduring a physically taxing match and bleeding throughout, Statlander was ultimately unable to defend her championship. The bout’s conclusion was influenced by interference from Skye Blue and Julia Hart, who distracted Statlander just long enough for Thekla to deliver a decisive Curb Stomp and claim victory. After the match, Alex Windsor and Jamie Hayter hurried to the ring to prevent further attacks from Thekla and her allies, known collectively as the Triangle of Madness, while Statlander’s companions, the Babes of Wrath, had already departed to Australia ahead of the upcoming Grand Slam event.
Significance of Statlander’s Reign and the Road Ahead
Thekla’s win marked the end of Statlander’s 144-day title reign, which began at All Out in September when she captured the championship in a surprising four-way match defeat of Toni Storm, Thekla, and Jamie Hayter. This ongoing California curse not only highlights Statlander’s challenges in defending championship gold within the state but also sets a high-stakes backdrop for her future matches as she aims to overcome these setbacks and reclaim prominence in AEW’s competitive landscape.
I gotta stop giving people title shots in California not a good track record for me smh
— Kris Statlander (@callmekrisstat) February 12, 2026
