Folks, let me spin you a yarn about Athena, the ROH Women’s World Champion, who’s been holding onto that title with the tenacity of a bulldog gripping a bone. Since Final Battle 2022, she’s not just been a champion; she’s been a fortress, standing tall against all comers. And her latest showdown? None other than Hikaru Shida, a dynamo from the AEW with more moves than a chess grandmaster.
Now, Shida threw down the gauntlet earlier this year, making it clear she was gunning for Athena. Coming off a steamroller win over Rachel Ellering, Shida stepped into the ring at Supercard of Honor 2024, eyeing that belt like it was the last slice of pie at a family dinner. But Athena, well, she’s not one to back down from a challenge.
For over 20 minutes, these two titans clashed in a spectacle that was more intense than a debate on the Senate floor. Athena, always the strategist, zeroed in on Shida’s knee. It was a chess match, with each move calculated to weaken the other’s finishing blow.
As the match crescendoed, Shida, ever the warrior, lunged for her signature knee strike. But Athena, quick as a hiccup, dodged and delivered a counterattack that would make Sun Tzu proud. Climbing to the top rope like it was her personal mountaintop, Athena unleashed her O-Face move, sealing her victory and continuing her reign as ROH Women’s World Champion.
Now sitting pretty at 483 days and counting, with a jaw-dropping 20 title defenses under her belt, Athena’s reign is as legendary as finding a four-leaf clover in a field of clovers. Whoever steps up to challenge her next better be studying their playbook because “The Fallen Goddess” isn’t just in the ring – she’s rewriting the record books.
So here’s to Athena, not just a champion, but a beacon of determination and grit, showing us all that with enough heart, skill, and a touch of strategy, the world is yours for the taking.