ROH Women’s World Champion Athena recently spoke with Cameron Hawkins for Uncrowned, revealing strong emotions tied to a potential rematch against Mercedes Moné. Athena expressed her frustration over their previous encounter, describing a burning motivation to settle the score whenever the chance arises.
She said,
“That woman has teed me off on a level that only people at a family reunion seeing that one cousin that you hate would understand. She’s one of the best in the world. I have nothing but great things to say about her — with the exception that she pulled my tights to beat me. And that is unforgivable. And that left me feeling embarrassed, defeated and angry. And I do not like feeling any of those things in any type of way. So in return, when that moment comes, whenever it will be, because I truly do not know, when that opportunity comes to knock, I’m going to knock her on her ass with all her dollar-store sequins.”
—Athena, ROH Women’s World Champion
Defining Herself as a Dedicated Wrestling Enthusiast
Athena also revealed why she embraces her intense commitment to wrestling, calling herself a “sicko” for her passion. She explained her continuous learning process and love for the sport’s evolution over time.
She mentioned,
“I tell him (Tony Khan) that all the time — I’m a sicko. I love wrestling. I still watch pro wrestling. I’ll watch 14 hours of PWG, old ROH from 2003 to 2006, which is my era. I love that pro wrestling, in general, is always consistently changing, consistently evolving. There’s always something to learn. There’s always a new trick to do. There’s always a new move to invent. When I first started wrestling, I never wanted to do the same thing two days in a row.”
—Athena, ROH Women’s World Champion
Champion’s Confidence in Texas Title Defense Against Queen Aminata
When asked about defending her title against Queen Aminata in Texas, Athena expressed pride in wrestling in front of her home state crowd. She sees Texas as a key part of her identity and drew energy from the support of friends, family, and fans.
She stated,
“It’s my home, my friends, my family, the crowd. I told [Queen Aminata] before we went out, I said, ‘I’m a God here.’ And she was like, ‘Whatever, I’m taking that championship away.’ She walks out there — and then I walk out and she heard the crowd, and you can see it on her face, like, ‘Oh, I did not understand.’ I’ve wrested in Austin. I’ve wrestled down south in San Angelo. I’ve wrestled everywhere you can wrestle in Texas. Texas is my home. … For me to wrestle in Texas is for me to put an entire state on my back along with Ring of Honor, along with the women’s division, and I’m carrying us to the best night ever.”
—Athena, ROH Women’s World Champion
Commitment to Excellence and Artistic Approach to Wrestling
Athena detailed her mindset as champion, emphasizing hard work and passion. She likened her matches to art, striving to create a perfect performance every time she steps into the ring.
She explained,
“I am putting that hard work out there because that is what the people demand. That is what they deserve. I just put my heart on a pedestal when it comes to being in the ring. I used to have this saying, ‘Make art out of war.’ Every match I have, I try to paint a masterpiece. It has to have the right flow, the right color, the right aesthetic, the right setting. But that’s just something I’ve always done. Am I the best in the world? Sure, I’ll go ahead and say it. I’m better than everyone in the world. But when it comes to the outward presentation, I’m just trying to be the best me on a platter.”
—Athena, ROH Women’s World Champion
What Lies Ahead for Athena and the ROH Championship
Athena’s remarks signal that a Mercedes Moné rematch payback threat remains a vivid and unresolved storyline in the ROH women’s division. Her intense focus combined with home–state support strengthens her position as a dominant champion. Fans can anticipate a highly charged encounter whenever the next confrontation takes place, with Athena determined to assert her supremacy and claim redemption for past grievances.
