Kris Statlander will not leave AEW Full Gear as TBS Champion

Kris Statlander is a fan favorite in AEW but she’s sadly playing the third fiddle in what is a big title match at AEW Full Gear.

AEW Full Gear is upon us. With a few days before the big annual showcase, there are several big matches to look forward to witnessing. One of those matches features Kris Statlander defending the AEW TBS Championship against Julia Hart and the winner of Red Velvet versus Skye Blue. Regardless of who that third opponent turns out to be, this is the right time to take the championship from around the powerhouse’s waist.

Fans were expecting Statlander to be booked as the woman to defeat Jade Cargill. It was long rumored that the decision was made well before her return from injury at Double or Nothing. What wasn’t expected was the lack of long-term booking around her since becoming a champion. Statlander has been an excellent defending champion, with 14 title defenses to date against the likes of Willow Nightingale, Ruby Soho, Lady Frost, Taya Valkyrie, and plenty more. But she hasn’t received a full, storyline focus – which is a complaint about much of the women’s division. And it’s that point that makes her successful title defense at Full Gear look less likely.

Coming into the match, Statlander is almost the third wheel in the angle between Julia Hart and Skye Blue. Blue should be expected to defeat Velvet and take that third spot in the triple threat. She and Hart are involved in a back-and-forth story about whether the two women will align, perhaps kicking off a female-led version of the House of Black under Hart. It’s a story that has captured the attention of fans, especially as Hart’s stock continues to rise. But it’s one that doesn’t really need the champion or the championship to tell it.

When AEW WrestleDream ended, many fans wanted Tony Khan to pull the trigger on putting the championship around Hart’s waist. She and Statlander had a great match that left many impressed with the 22-year-old performer. She’s an interesting name that can be the future of the women’s division if properly built and given room for growth. Some of that opportunity and growth looks to come at the cost of Statlander.

Do not expect Statlander to take the pin at AEW Full Gear. She can drop the championship to Hart with Hart pinned Blue – setting up additional weeks of potential storyline between the three women. Either way, fans should expect to see her not leave AEW Full Gear as the TBS Champion.