Orange Cassidy has voiced his strong support for his former Best Friends stablemate Kris Statlander, despite the on-screen dissolution of their group last year.
Statlander’s recent career milestone came at All Out 2025, where she won the AEW Women’s World Championship in a fatal four-way match which also involved Toni Storm. This victory cemented her place in company history as the first woman to have held both the AEW Women’s World Championship and the TBS Championship.
In a recent interview, Cassidy praised her resilience and dedication, pointing to her long road to the top.
“She is the definition of working hard. She works very, very hard… I don’t think it’s really hit to anybody yet that she’s the first ever person to get both the TBS and the Women’s [World Championship]. That’s incredible. She’s had two knee [surgeries]. She works very, very hard. It’s nice to see when people that work hard get success.”
Cassidy also addressed the kayfabe tension following the Best Friends’ breakup, suggesting the personal connection remains. He noted that while Statlander has gone in a new direction, the lines of communication are still open.
“And personally, you know, she’s going through some stuff and she’s made some decisions, and I’ll never hold that against her,” Cassidy stated. “She hasn’t lost my phone number, and, yeah, I personally really have a special place [for her].”
While Statlander holds gold, Orange Cassidy himself has just made his own return to AEW. He was back in action on last week’s episode of Dynamite, securing a win alongside Mark Briscoe and Hologram against The Don Callis Family.
His return followed a lengthy absence since April due to a torn pectoral muscle. Now back, Cassidy is immediately re-entering the title picture. He is scheduled to challenge Kyle Fletcher for the TNT Championship on the next episode of Dynamite, which will mark the program’s six-year anniversary.