Britt Baker has clarified her comments regarding Thunder Rosa.
In the trailer for AEW All Access, Britt Baker is shown saying, "There are so many storylines on hold right now because she's the champion," referencing Thunder Rosa, who was AEW Women's Champion in the summer of 2022, being out of action with an injury. An interim title was created while Rosa was sidelined, and the interim title eventually became the undisputed title as Rosa remained out of action.
In the premiere episode, Baker is seen talking to Jamie Hayter and Toni Storm about Rosa's decision to give up the AEW Women's Title, but continuing to make personal appearances.
Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Baker clarified what she meant on the show.
"It's not," she said when asked if it's difficult to look back at those comments and see how things have played out. "It's just like on Twitter, people twist and turn your words and say that you said something that you didn't. All I did on the show was ask, if she's able to travel and she's traveling all over the place, and she's going on Busted Open every week saying 'I'm still the champion,' why can't you come to work? Why can't you come cut a promo? Why can't you come do commentary or come say hi to the locker room? Kris Statlander has had her knees blown out for over a year and she's there every single week. I have a very workhorse mentality where I want to be at work. As soon as I'm done with Dynamite, I get on a plane and go to the dental office. I can't relate to that mentality of where you don't want to be at work, where you tell everyone you're the champion. I'll be honest, I've asked her that same question twice and she doesn't have an answer for me either. It's not that I want her to work hurt or that I don't believe in her injury. There is none of that. Just, why? Why not come to the locker room where you're the champion, when you can. You have people like Adam Cole, who couldn't travel, who couldn't leave the house for weeks. It was a huge milestone when he could take a walk up and down the street with his head injury. That is what I don't understand. People don't have to agree, that's fine. I'm a bold and stubborn individual and I stand by what I said."
Host Dave LeGreca mentioned the history between Rosa and Baker in the ring, which includes the famous Lights Out Match during the pandemic era and Rosa defeating Baker in a cage match to win the AEW Women's Title. He also said he hopes to see them in the ring together again.
"That means the world to me. It's one of my all-time favorite matches, not just for what it did for me, what it did for AEW, but what I believe what it did for women's wrestling. I would never take that away from her. I would never say 'Thunder Rosa is not a talented wrestler.' She's probably one of my best opponents. I've never spoke ill on any of that," said Baker.
Mickie James, who is currently sidelined with a rib injury and may have to relinquished the IMPACT Knockouts World Championship if she's not cleared for IMPACT Rebellion, understood where Baker was coming from regarding not wanting to hold up the division.
LeGreca noted that the decision to have an Interim AEW Women's Championship in Rosa's absence was not her call.
"I never said anything about the interim title stuff being her fault, but if you can go to Toronto for two weeks for a convention and then we go to Toronto two weeks later for Dynamite, I don't understand why she can go one time and then not go with the company and the team that she works for. We are a team and it's a family, and we have a family member that's not pulling their weight. Even if you can't wrestle, you can be there. You can be there and hype the girls and the locker room up. You are the champion. That's a responsibility. It's not just a shiny title you can cart around the United States and sign autographs for," said Baker.
Baker closed by saying that she takes a lot of pride in AEW, especially because she was the first female signed to the company.
Baker previously noted that her nagging back injury is getting worse, but is manageable.
Rosa recently commented that she doesn't think she'll be cleared anytime soon. She has been traveling with the company and doing Spanish commentary.
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