Kris Statlander Discusses Her Long Road to the Title, Her Chemistry With Mercedes Mone

During a recent interview with New York Post Sports, AEW Women’s World Champion Kris Statlander discussed her long road to the title after overcoming multiple knee injuries, her in-ring chemistry with Mercedes Mone, and more. Below are some highlights:

Kris Statlander on Winning the Title After Overcoming Multiple Knee Injuries

“I had never wanted like my chance to be the winner of the belt, I never wanted it to ever feel like it was just like a forced thing or that it came at the wrong time. I do feel like this is probably the best time it could have happened for me. You know, everything is happens for a reason. I always say, like I feel like my injuries kind of made me a better performer in the long run, and I needed those to get to where I am today. And like I said, if this had happened three years ago, who knows, I might have had my second knee injury prior to that or after winning the belt and whatnot. So, I feel like everything kind of played out the way it was supposed to.”

On Her Chemistry and Style Meshing Well With Mercedes Mone

“I do think so. I do think there is a chemistry that is very visible for or palpable for a lot of people to see and feel. But I always, also like I did with her, I do with everybody. I always try to bring the best out of my opponents and kind of push them to places they don’t think that they can go on a normal basis. And I feel like she is someone who feeds off of that really well. And maybe she needed that more than she realized. But yeah, she’s definitely such an incredible wrestler as it is that it’s like, who wouldn’t want the chance to wrestle someone like her?”

On Mone Holding 13 Titles

“Yeah. I mean, listen I there’s nothing wrong with uh setting goals for yourself and wanting to achieve anything and everything and achieving the impossible and whatnot. Being the world champion, you need your full focus on it, and you need to put your everything into it. And I need I’m going to prove to her that it’s not just another addition or not just another accessory that she has.”

On If She Feels She Needs to Beat Mone To Prove She’s the Top Person in AEW

“Yeah, I definitely do, and I also need to. I feel like last year, when we wrestled, I was trying to prove myself to other people. And I was trying to
sort of like reach for something and grasp onto something that I used to have that wasn’t mine anymore. And now I have something that is completely mine that she’s never had. And I feel like it’s sort of putting her in her place a little bit that she’s not the only one that can run this place anymore.”

Mercedes Mone looks to make it 14 championships this weekend when she challenges Kris Statlander for the AEW Women’s World Championship. Statlander defends her title against Mercedes Mone later this weekend at AEW Full Gear 2025.

The event takes place at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on Saturday, November 22. It will be broadcast live on pay-per-view.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit New York Post Sports with a h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.