Kris Statlander’s stardom should skyrocket in 2026
This is one area where there can be no delay
For the first six months of 2026, AEW should put its entire machine behind Kris Statlander.
If that happens, the results won’t be surprising. It will further cement what we already know: Statlander is the caliber of star worth building a company around.
She just celebrated her six-year mark with AEW. On top of that, she experienced a breakout moment this fall when she won the world title for the first time in her career.
In true pro wrestling fashion, it wasn’t supposed to be this way.
Statlander initially showcased an endearing character as “The Galaxy’s Greatest Alien” in AEW, but that was a better fit for the indies. Yet wrestlers alter their persona all the time, so that wasn’t why she was destined to fall short of stardom. The cause of her demise was much more painful: two significant ACL injuries, both suffered by the age of 27, including a complete tear in the summer of 2022.
That type of injury isn’t merely a setback. It can be a career-killer.
Yet there was Statlander wrapping up Toni Storm for the winning pin in a fatal four-way in September at All Out to win the title. And defending the belt against Storm at WrestleDream before overcoming Mercedes Mone last month at Full Gear.
Along the way, she relished the chance to be part of Blood and Guts, where she continued her hobby of breaking Mone in two. And here she is now, defending the belt tomorrow night at the Worlds End pay-per-view against Jamie Hayter1.
During our handful of interviews, it was easy to tell Statlander had a compelling story to share. The most recent interview took place in the summer of 2024, when she was finding her voice as a heel beside Stokely Hathaway.
“I always knew deep down inside that I had more attitude than anyone realized,” Statlander told me. “The majority of my career, I wasn’t able to show that. But secretly, I’m even funnier than people [realize]. You should hear me crack jokes.”
