AEW All Out 2025 was a strong show from start to finish. Long? Yes, but that didn’t stop Tony Khan from booking excellent matches with fun moments throughout the show. One of those moments saw Kris Statlander standing tall as the new AEW Women’s World Championship, defeating Toni Storm, Thekla, and Jamie Hayter in a four-way match. This is a testament to Statlander’s place in women’s wrestling, one that doesn’t get talked about quite enough.
With this win at AEW All Out, Kris Statlander became the first women to win both the AEW TBS Championship and the AEW Women’s World Championship. That’s an accolade that deserves attention, especially when you look at the women who’ve moved through AEW and held those titles. While Statlander has always been a workhorse in the division, she’s been a step below some of those of a higher status, at least when it comes to the reception and recognition by fans. This victory is a testament to how important she is in spite of that perception.
Nearly 1,500 days have passed since Statlander’s last attempt to win the AEW Women’s World Championship. In that time, she suffered through injuries, setbacks, and roster additions. But Statlander kept showing up and kept giving fans big moments. Her feud with Willow Nightingale was one of the best of this year and there’s still more to tell in that story.
Putting the championship on Statlander immediately reinvigorates the women’s division as well. Typically, fatal four-way matches are used as a tool to get the title off a strong champion without pinning them, however AEW went a different route. Statlander pinned Storm, eliminating any questions about the validity of the win. Expect them to split off into a singles feud, which would make sense, but taking this as the starting point is the right call.
Statlander as champion immediately creates some interesting challenges for the future as well. There are so many women who can create some fresh matchups, and AEW can always go back to Nightingale vs Statlander, this time for the top championship.
Fans chant “you deserve it” almost any time a favorite wins a title. But seeing Kris Statlander get showered with those words rings special. She truly deserves this moment, and she deserves to be recognized as one of the best in women’s wrestling.