ROH: ATHENA defends women’s title and moves to 40-0

On Sunday, ATHENA — along with her Minion In Training (M.I.T.), Billie Starkz — competed at the inaugural WrestleDream. They teamed up with Keith Lee and the legendary Satoshi Kojima against Mercedes Martinez, Diamanté, Shane Taylor, and Lee Moriarty. ATHENA’s team was victorious in their Zero Hour match.

Last Thursday, ATHENA agreed to put the ROH Championship on the line against the undefeated (in singles matches) “Legit” Leyla Hirsch. Hirsch went to the ROH Board of Directors and asked for the match. Maria Kanellis-Bennett, who has been scouting Hirsch, thinks that she isn’t ready.

Between matches this week, ATHENA conducted Minion Training #2 for Starkz and Lexy Nair. ATHENA said this week’s training was just like Week 1, but harder. Nair called ATHENA their mentor and later said that Starkz “doesn’t have what it takes.” Once again, Nair passed with flying colors while Starkz struggled.

The champion opened episode 32 and was flanked by Minion 400,237 3/4 (Starkz). Hirsch was determined to prove that she was ready for a title match, particularly to Kanellis-Bennett. She came at ATHENA with everything she had. It was a hard-hitting match, with Hirsch going toe-to-toe with the champion and nearly getting the win a few times.

As good as Hirsch was, however, no one is on ATHENA’s level in ROH or AEW. ATHENA won with the Despicable Knee. Normally after her matches, the “Fallen Goddess” adds salt to the wound by beating up her opponent. This time, though, Starkz stood on the apron and ATHENA reconsidered her actions. She mercifully let Hirsch go.

While ATHENA’s chyron stated she has been ROH champion for 299 days, Cagematch says that she has been champion for 300 days. Before her match started, Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman concurred that ATHENA was the most dominant champion in ROH women’s history. She’s had the most title defenses, longest reign, and most wins.

There is no one doing what ATHENA is doing in any company. She is 40-0 in ROH-sanctioned matches. She has main-evented multiple shows, including being the first woman to main-event an ROH pay-per-view, alongside Willow Nightingale. She has beaten the likes of Nightingale, Miyu Yamashita, Yuka Sakazaki, and Emi Sakura.

Long may the #ForeverChampion reign.