At DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2023, Kris Statlander shocked the world when she returned to All Elite Wrestling following Jade Cargill’s victory over Taya Valkyrie, answering “Smart” Mark Sterling’s call for another challenger, and ending Cargill’s record-setting reign and undefeated streak.
It marked the finale of an arduous return from injury for Statlander, but the beginning of a whole new challenge for Kris as now she had to undertake the task of defending said championship, a challenge she did not hesitate to take on head-first! Just three days after defeating Jade, Kris took on the challenge of former AEW Women’s World Champion Nyla Rose, and overcame.
But she wasn’t done; during the HOUSE RULES: TUPELO and HOUSE RULES: HUNTSVILLE events over the weekend Statlander defended the belt on both nights. The first night she topped Anna Jay A.S. in singles competition, and then turned away the challenge of Lady Frost on the second, thus marking three successful title defenses in four days!
It was a tremendous start to Kris Statlander’s TBS Championship reign, and she apparently has no intention of letting up because this Wednesday night, she’s giving one of those HOUSE RULES challengers a second opportunity to win the title. Anna Jay A.S. will meet Statlander in a rematch of their awesome Tupelo battle, Kris’ four defense in a week, and try to bring gold into The Jericho Appreciation Society by winning her first AEW championship.
Despite being fresh back from injury, Statlander has taken on a kind of schedule reminiscent of her friend Orange Cassidy’s AEW International Championship reign, but will she also experience that kind of success or will Kris burn herself out with this intense championship drive?