Who is Kris Statlander? Meet the AEW star who broke an impressive record at Double or Nothing

Kris Statlander (real name Kristen Stadtlander) made a surprising return at AEW Double or Nothing. She had been out of in-ring competition for most of the past year owing to a leg injury.

Jade Cargill defended the TBS Championship against Taya Valkyrie completing her 60-0 streak. Cargill is known for laying down open challenges to showcase her competitive skills. Kris Statlander made her return after nine months. She had suffered a torn ACL during a DARK match against Sierra in August last year.

Kris Statlander was born in West Islip, New York on August 7, 1995. She kickstarted her wrestling career in 2016. A couple of years later she debuted on Ring of Honor competing in a six women tag team match featuring WWE star Emma. The 27-year old also appeared on an edition of SmackDown in 2019 where she teamed up Karissa Rivera against The IIconics (Billie Kay and Peyton Royce).

In November 2019, Statlander made her AEW debut and a month later was officially signed to the promotion. She competed on DARK before competing in a few matches on Dynamite. The TBS Champion is a self-proclaimed 'science nerd' and even incorporated her love for aliens into her initial gimmick on All Elite Wrestling. However, it did not last long as she felt it did not garner enough traction and engage the wrestling world.

Kris Statlander has gone up against notable names of the Jacksonville-based promotion including Britt Baker and Riho. The AEW star has also displayed her strength in intergender matches on the independent circuit.

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Kris Statlander's push to become TBS Champion was allegedly a long time coming

Jade Cargill won the inaugural TBS Championship on January 5 last year. She defended the title against a plethora of contenders enabling her reign to span over 500 days, sending the women's division a clear message.

Kris Statlander was seen to have much potential by many in the AEW administration prior to her injury last year. Her physique and in-ring skills left many stunned. Additionally, AEW President Tony Khan had been interested in setting up a clash between the two women for the TBS Championship in 2022.

There are also reports on Cargill's loss being due to her requesting some time away from the ring. There is no confirmation on the matter. Her potential absence could lead to Taya Valkyrie picking up where she left off and igniting a feud with Statlander for the TBS Championship.