Kris Statlander Bio
Kristen Stadtlander, best known by her ring name Kris Statlander, is an American professional wrestler and stuntwoman who rose to prominence in All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Born on August 7, 1995, in West Islip, New York, Statlander has become one of the most decorated female competitors in AEW history and holds the distinction of being the first woman to capture both of the promotion’s major women’s singles championships.
Her career in professional wrestling began in 2016, and after signing with AEW in late 2019, she established herself as a mainstay of the women’s division. Her athletic background in stunt work contributed to her reputation as one of the most physically dynamic performers in the industry. As of September 2025, Statlander is the reigning AEW Women’s World Champion in her first world title reign in a major wrestling promotion.
Early Life and Background
Kristen Stadtlander was born in West Islip, a Long Island suburb of New York. Her father worked as a car mechanic and her mother was a high school music teacher. She has an older sister. Statlander attended college in New Jersey but left after just one year, choosing instead to pursue training as a stunt double at Hollywood Stunts in Brooklyn, New York. This early immersion in physical performance work laid the groundwork for her future career in professional wrestling.
Path to Professional Wrestling
In 2016, Statlander enrolled in professional wrestling training under Pat Buck and Brian Myers at the Create A Pro Wrestling Academy in Hicksville, New York. She distinguished herself as the academy’s first female graduate, a significant milestone in an industry long dominated by men. She made her professional debut in November 2016, initially performing under the ring name Liza Verio. Early exposure to WWE came in April 2019, when she appeared on an episode of SmackDown Live as part of the tag team The Brooklyn Belles alongside Karissa, in a match against then-WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Billie Kay and Peyton Royce. In June 2019, she also competed for Beyond Wrestling in an intergender match against Joey Janela.
Kris Statlander Career
Early Career (2016-2019)
Kristen Stadtlander began her professional wrestling training at the Create A Pro Wrestling Academy in Hicksville, New York, in 2016 under the guidance of Pat Buck and Brian Myers. She made history as the first female graduate of the academy, a milestone that underscored her determination to break new ground in professional wrestling. She debuted in November 2016 under the ring name Liza Verio and steadily built her resume across the independent circuit, earning notice for her athleticism and willingness to compete in intergender matches. A 2019 appearance on WWE SmackDown Live as part of The Brooklyn Belles and a Beyond Wrestling bout against Joey Janela further raised her national profile ahead of her signing with AEW.
All Elite Wrestling Breakthrough (2019-2022)
Kris Statlander made her AEW debut on November 19, 2019, competing on AEW Dark in a tag team match alongside Big Swole against Riho and Britt Baker. Within weeks, AEW announced her official signing to the promotion. She immediately made an impact by defeating Britt Baker on the December 18 episode of Dynamite to become the number one contender for the AEW Women’s World Championship. Statlander challenged Riho for the title on January 8, 2020, but interference from Brandi Rhodes, Awesome Kong, Mel, and the debuting Luther cost her the match. She received a second title opportunity at Revolution on February 29, 2020, facing new champion Nyla Rose, but was again defeated. In June 2020, Statlander suffered a torn ACL in her left leg during an episode of Dynamite, sidelining her for an extended period. She returned from injury on March 31, 2021, alongside Trent Beretta on Dynamite. Later that year, she joined the New Japan Pro-Wrestling stable Chaos alongside Trent, Chuck Taylor, Orange Cassidy, and Wheeler Yuta. In August 2022, she suffered a second ACL tear, this time a complete tear of the ACL and lateral meniscus in her right leg during a match on AEW Dark, requiring another lengthy recovery.
AEW Championship Era (2023-Present)
Kris Statlander returned at Double or Nothing in May 2023, answering Jade Cargill’s open challenge immediately after Cargill retained the AEW TBS Championship. Statlander won the impromptu match, ending Cargill’s historic 60-match undefeated streak and capturing the AEW TBS Championship. Over the following months, Statlander successfully defended the title against Nyla Rose, Anna Jay, Taya Valkyrie, Ruby Soho, and a returning Jade Cargill on Rampage. She also defended successfully against Julia Hart at WrestleDream, Skye Blue on Collision, and Willow Nightingale at Battle of the Belts VIII. At Full Gear in 2023, Statlander lost the TBS Championship to Julia Hart in a three-way match that also involved Skye Blue, ending her reign at 174 days. After parting ways with manager Stokely Hathaway, Statlander reignited her feud with Mercedes Moné for the TBS title at Full Gear 2024 and again at Worlds End, though she was unable to recapture the championship on either occasion. In March 2025, Statlander entered the Owen Hart Cup, defeating Thunder Rosa in the quarterfinals before falling to Jamie Hayter in the semifinals. In September 2025 at All Out, Statlander defeated Timeless Toni Storm, Jamie Hayter, and Thekla to win the AEW Women’s World Championship, becoming the first woman to hold both the AEW Women’s World Championship and the AEW TBS Championship.
Style and Strengths
Kris Statlander is recognized for a high-impact, physically demanding wrestling style rooted in her stunt double background. Her finishers include the Area 451, a 450 splash, and the Big Bang Theory, an inverted piledriver. She also employs a discus lariat as both a signature and finishing maneuver. Originally performing under an alien-themed persona billed as from the Andromeda Galaxy, Statlander evolved her character in 2022, explaining that the previous gimmick had prevented her from being taken seriously. She carries the nickname The Galaxy’s Greatest Alien and has used the Bee Gees song More Than a Woman as entrance music.
Notable Events and Milestones
Ending Jade Cargill’s 60-match undefeated streak to win the AEW TBS Championship at Double or Nothing in May 2023 stands as one of the defining moments of Statlander’s career. Her victory at All Out in September 2025 made her the first woman to hold both the AEW Women’s World Championship and the AEW TBS Championship, a milestone in AEW history. She also competed in the inaugural women’s Blood and Guts match at Blood and Guts in November 2025, and made a memorable video game appearance by providing motion capture for WWE 2K20 in 2019. She also appeared alongside Orange Cassidy and Chuck Taylor in the third season of Netflix’s Floor is Lava in 2022.
Kris Statlander Career Wins
Kris Statlander’s career is highlighted by a series of championship victories and milestone accomplishments that span her independent circuit beginnings through her time in AEW. Her most significant wins include capturing the AEW TBS Championship in 2023 and winning the AEW Women’s World Championship at All Out in September 2025. As the first woman to hold both of AEW’s major women’s singles titles, Statlander has cemented her place as one of the promotion’s most accomplished performers.
All Elite Wrestling Highlights
In AEW, Statlander’s most celebrated victory came at Double or Nothing in May 2023 when she ended Jade Cargill’s undefeated streak to capture the AEW TBS Championship. She defended the title against Nyla Rose, Anna Jay, Taya Valkyrie, Ruby Soho, Jade Cargill, Julia Hart, Skye Blue, and Willow Nightingale over the course of her 174-day reign. In September 2025 at All Out, she defeated Timeless Toni Storm, Jamie Hayter, and Thekla in a four-way match to capture the AEW Women’s World Championship for the first time, completing a historic double-championship achievement in the promotion.
Other Wins and Performances
Before her AEW tenure, Statlander built a solid reputation on the independent circuit, highlighted by her status as the first female graduate of the Create A Pro Wrestling Academy. Her intergenre match experience, including a notable Beyond Wrestling bout against Joey Janela in June 2019, demonstrated her willingness to push boundaries. Her successful 2025 Owen Hart Cup run, which included a quarterfinal victory over Thunder Rosa, further showcased her competitive form heading into her World Championship reign.
Kris Statlander Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Kristen Stadtlander was born to a car mechanic father and a high school music teacher mother in West Islip, New York. She has an older sister. Her upbringing on Long Island placed her in proximity to the New York professional wrestling scene, which she later entered through her training at the Create A Pro Wrestling Academy in Hicksville. Statlander owns a Shiba Inu named Dino, who lives with her parents on Long Island, and previously shared a bearded dragon named Boots.
Personal Life
Statlander is a vegetarian and was revealed in 2024 to be a licensed massage therapist. She was formerly in a relationship with independent wrestler Caleb Konley, known professionally as Mason Burnett, with whom she resided in Charlotte, North Carolina before the couple separated. She has since moved into a separate residence in the Charlotte area. As of 2025, she is in a relationship with independent wrestler Gino Medina.
2025 Season Performance
Kris Statlander’s 2025 season has been among the most defining stretches of her career. In March, she entered the women’s Owen Hart Cup bracket, advancing past Thunder Rosa in the quarterfinals before losing to Jamie Hayter in the semifinals. That run kept her in the championship conversation heading into the summer. In June, Statlander defeated Athena, Willow Nightingale, and Thunder Rosa in a four-way match on Dynamite to earn the number one spot in the women’s Casino Gauntlet match at All In on July 12, though she did not win the gauntlet at the event.
The defining moment of her year arrived at All Out on September 20, when Statlander defeated Timeless Toni Storm, Jamie Hayter, and Thekla in a four-way match to win the AEW Women’s World Championship. The victory marked her first world championship in a major promotion and made her the first woman in AEW history to hold both the Women’s World Championship and the TBS Championship. She successfully defended the title against Mina Shirakawa on the September 24 episode of Dynamite and against Toni Storm at WrestleDream in October. She competed in the first women’s Blood and Guts match at Blood and Guts in November, and closed the year with a successful World Championship defense against Mercedes Moné at Full Gear on November 22. Statlander enters 2026 as a dominant force in the AEW women’s division.
