Kris Statlander on Entering the First Owen Hart Cup as a Backup Option

– During a recent edition of AEW Unrestricted, AEW wrestler Kris Statlander declared her intentions to win this year’s Owen Hart Cup, recalling her run in the first tournament, replacing Hikaru Shida due to injury. Below are some highlights (via WrestlingInc.com):

Statlander on not originally being planned for the first tournament: “I wasn’t supposed to be [in the 2022 tournament]. That’s what the salt in the wound is a little bit, is that I was a backup plan for the first one. Second one, I was a champion at the time, but I still don’t see why I couldn’t have just gone for it. Might as well add another notch in my belt, but it’s fine.”

On being on a winning streak at the time: “People were too intimidated because I was on a winning streak at that time. So this is the first time I’m actually entering in the tournament to be there [as a] contestant. And I am not taking that lightly…”

Kris Statlander won her opening round matchup in the tournament, beating former AEW Women’s World Champion Nyla Rose last Wednesday on AEW Dynamite. She will now advance to the next round, facing the winner of Serena Deeb vs. Willow Nightingale. The winner of this year’s tournament will receive a title shot for the AEW Women’s World Championship at AEW All In: London at Wembley Stadium.

The finals for the women’s Owen Hart Cup tournament will take place on Wednesday, July 10 at the AEW TV tapings at the Calgary Stampede Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.