No longer billed as being from the Andromeda Galaxy, Kris Statlander has proven she’s meant to be taken seriously as one of AEW’s top talents. That doesn’t mean she can’t have fun while doing so, however.
Statlander has battled her way back from injury twice already in her AEW career. The most recent time proved how much faith the company had in her, as she defeated Jade Cargill at Double or Nothing in May, ending Cargill’s long winning streak and claiming the TBS Championship.
She’s defended that title against all comers since then, including Cargill in a rematch, as well as Britt Baker on the Sept. 16 episode of AEW Collision. Statlander has left her persona as “The Galaxy’s Greatest Alien” behind, but as she told Under the Ring host Phil Strum, she doesn’t want to be all business all the time.
“I feel like I had the transition where I stopped being the alien and I became a much more serious version of myself,” Statlander said. “Then I got injured once again, and then I came back. And I feel like now, in this version of Kris that has come back from injury a second time, and has gone through super fun alien and very serious, I feel like we’re trying to find the balance: a fun, very cool, awesome person that can also be serious when she needs to be. I feel like a lot of people kind of feel that way, but that is kind of who I am.”
As if to emphasize that point, Statlander was briefly interrupted by her dog before finishing her thought.
“I can’t be too serious all the time, because that’s just not fun, and I like having fun, and I like laughing and making people laugh. And I’m in a group with the Best Friends, and they’re all a bunch of goofballs also, so it’s hard not to have fun when you’re with them.”
Check out Strum’s full conversation with the TBS Champion to dive in deeper on:
- Statlander’s athletic background, including years spent as a gymnast
- What translates well from gymnastics and stunt work to pro wrestling — and what doesn’t
- The inspiration behind her recent “Zoolander”-themed ring gear and what it was like for Ben Stiller to notice it
- Why she started incorporating elements of ASL into her entrances
- The meaning behind using “More Than a Woman” as a slogan
- How she got started in AEW, and why she owes a big debt to a certain AEW World Champion
Under the Ring drops new episodes every week, with Strum utilizing contacts gleaned from years of pro wrestling fandom and coverage to have an in-depth conversation with a wrestler or other notable personality. Recent guests have included top free agent Richard Holliday, ECW Original and current Impact Digital Media Champion Tommy Dreamer, and AEW star Powerhouse Hobbs.
To make sure you don’t miss an episode, subscribe to Under the Ring on Apple Podcasts or your podcast provider of choice, or check out the Under the Ring YouTube channel to see all of the interviews in video form.