“You were never mine” - Female AEW star explains why she ended her friendship with Orange Cassidy

A female AEW star shed light on why she ended her friendship with Orange Cassidy on Dynamite. The talent in question is Kris Statlander.

The June 5, 2024, edition of Dynamite presented a four-way #1 Contender's match for Will Ospreay's AEW International Championship. The bout featured Jay Lethal, Kyle O'Reilly, Orange Cassidy, and eventual winner Rey Fenix.

After the match, Cassidy was confronted by Trent Beretta. Before a brawl could break out between the former best friends, Kris Statlander intervened, seemingly to help the Freshly Squeezed star. However, it was a ruse, as the former AEW TBS Champion punched Cassidy. This brought out Willow Nightingale, who made the save for the former International Champion and chased her off.

During a backstage interview after Dynamite, Kris Statlander was asked to explain her betrayal of Cassidy. The 28-year-old star responded by voicing her resentment at Cassidy for not reciprocating the support she provided him at various stages of his All Elite Wrestling career.

Why? You wanna know why? 2021. My first major injury. I came back in the Arcade Anarchy match for Orange. My second major injury, a month after my surgery, I flew internationally to be there for Orange when he won his first-ever title here at AEW. When he lost that title, I made sure I was there to carry his bloody and sweaty body up that ramp with his chest, and his head held high because I was so proud of the work that he did, and I wanted him to be proud of it, too. But when I lost my title when I went on a streak of losing matches when everyone was turning on me, where were you, Orange?" [00:06 - 00:55]

Statlander went on to add, on a heartbreaking note:

"All I ever wanted, Orange, was to be your best friend. But you, you were never mine." [1:00 - 1:10]

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What transpired between Kris Statlander and Willow Nightingale at AEW Double or Nothing 2024?

In a rematch of their NJPW bout last year, Willow Nightingale defended her TBS Title against Mercedes Mone at AEW Double or Nothing 2024. A crucial moment saw the 2023 Women's Owen Hart Cup winner having The CEO down for the pin, but the count was delayed as the referee was distracted by Kris Statlander and Stokely Hathaway at ringside.

Mone won the match and captured her first singles title in All Elite Wrestling. After the match, Statlander, seemingly accompanying Willow to the back, viciously attacked her former friend and tag partner and laid her out with a clothesline.

It remains to be seen how the rivalry between Willow Nightingale and Kris Statlander plays out moving forward.

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If you use any quotes from this article, please credit AEW and give an H/T to Sportskeeda for the transcription.