ROH Women’s World Champion Athena has maintained her title reign since Final Battle 2022, establishing herself as one of wrestling’s most formidable champions.
Her latest challenge came from the former three-time AEW Women’s World Champion, Hikaru Shida, setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown at Supercard of Honor 2024.
Shida, who issued the challenge to Athena earlier in the year, showcased her capabilities with a dominant victory over Rachel Ellering, signaling the intensity of the impending battle.
The match unfolded into a gripping contest, spanning over 20 minutes, with Athena strategically targeting Shida’s knee to mitigate her ability to execute the Katana finishing move.
As the bout progressed, both competitors exchanged near falls, keeping the outcome uncertain until the final moments.
In a decisive move, Athena capitalized on an opportunity, evading Shida’s running knee strike, and swiftly executing her signature O-Face finishing maneuver from the top rope, securing the victory and retaining her ROH Women’s World Championship.
Athena’s triumph extends her championship reign to an impressive 483 days (at the time of writing), during which she has defended her title in 20 formidable matches since dethroning Mercedes Martinez in 2022.
As ROH gears up for its next pay-per-view event, likely Death Before Dishonor in July, potential challengers must prepare diligently, as Athena, known as “The Fallen Goddess,” exhibits no signs of relenting in her dominance.
