ATHENA should have dropped the ROH Women's Title to Queen Aminata

Ring of Honor: Death Before Dishonor was an excellent show and another example that these performers tucked away on the ROH roster are some of the best that AEW has to offer. In what should have been the main event, Athena defeated Queen Aminata to retain the ROH Women’s World Title, continuing her dominant win. However, it would have been the right move to put the championship on Aminata’s waist for both that brand and Athena’s next moves. 

First, Athena has been an amazing ROH Women’s World Champion. This has been an exceptional run, and while one wouldn’t call it “eye-opening” because many have long been familiar with her abilities, it has still been something special to see what she’s achieved. 596 days as champion is not something to bat an eye at. In fact, more should be talking about this tenure as champion. 

Yet, Athena deserves a spot in the limelight that is the main roster of All Elite Wrestling. She’s proven that she belongs, competing against the likes of Toni Storm, Mariah May, Mercedes Mone, Britt Baker, and everyone else. For some unknown reason, Tony Khan keeps her off the show as if he doesn’t have the booking control to listen to the fans calling for her to be included. It’s almost like he uses the ROH Women’s Title as an albatross that keeps her on the show - a rule that doesn’t seem to impact the men. Taking the title off her eliminates that barrier and allows her to chase bigger opportunities. 

Queen Aminata would be an excellent champion to build the next legacy. Everything about her character presents itself as a champion. And when the bell rings, Aminata has some of the hardest hitting offense in the women’s division. There’s a reason why fans loved her when she was on the independent circuit, clamoring to see her move up to a bigger organization. Since joining AEW and Ring of Honor, she’s delivered every step of the way. Looking at the ROH women’s roster, she’s the only one who's been built in such a strong fashion, making her perhaps the only person that could carry on the legacy that Athena’s built. 

It’s time to make a shift in the Ring of Honor women’s division. Queen Aminata should have defeated Athena to become the new champion, allowing the latter to move up to All Elite Wrestling where she belongs. Can that still happen? Perhaps, but the booking needs to be tight to keep the momentum flowing after that big match on the PPV.