Kris Statlander Admits AEW Locker Room Lacked Hunger

Kris Statlander has been discussing the evolution of AEW’s women’s division.

Heading into the closing months of 2025, the AEW women’s division has arguably never been stronger.

TBS Champion Mercedes Mone is on the verge of breaking the record for the longest reign in the title’s history, Women’s World Tag Team Championships are on the way, and “Timeless” Toni Storm is one of the biggest stars in the entire industry.

Meanwhile, the woman who beat Storm for the Women’s World Title at All Out, Kris Statlander, stands tall above the rest of the division. That win for Statlander was especially meaningful after she battled back from two major knee injuries after signing with the company way back in 2019.

Kris Statlander Reflects On AEW Rise

During a new appearance on The Close Up with Renee Paquette, Kris Statlander was asked about how the women’s locker room has changed and evolved since AEW was launched. Interestingly, the star admitted that there was a period where the division lacked hunger, and there was an air of complacency.

“I see a lot more hunger and drive. I feel like once when AEW first started, given I wasn’t there initially at the day one, but I was there with- I was like a few weeks behind. I feel like a lot of people were very… not relaxed, but people can get very like complacent with being like, I have the job, I’m where I need to be at.

It takes a lot of hard work to get to that position, to get to the top, and I understand wanting to calm down and relax and be like, ‘I did it, I made it’, but we never truly make it. It’s nothing- there’s always so much more to accomplish. Sure, I was the first ever person to be TBS champion and the World Champion. But what if I want to be the first-ever two-time TBS champion? What if I want to be the first ever to hold both of them at the same time?

There’s so much more than that. But there’s just so many more goals that you can think of and accomplish, and in a world that’s constantly changing, it’s a little disheartening to see some people not necessarily, not that they don’t care, but to see that you put so much effort into it and see that not everybody always, and it’s not just the women, it’s everyone across the board with all aspects of every single job ever.

It’s so disheartening to be like, I care so much about something that no one else seems to care about. I don’t wanna be isolated for caring so much. But I feel like today with the roster that we have now, everyone just wants so much success and just to give such an amazing product to the world, and it’s so fulfilling to be a part of it now. And to have seen it got to this point where we have everything that we need and more, honestly.”

Up next for Kris Statlander is a huge clash with “Timeless” Toni Storm at WrestleDream on October 18. At present, TBS Champion Mercedes Mone doesn’t have a match on the show.

H/t to Fightful