Athena Teases Chase For Mercedes Moné’s AEW Women’s World Title

Athena Eyeing AEW Women’s Division Expansion, Addresses Potential Clash With Mercedes Moné

Long-reigning Ring of Honor Women’s World Champion Athena has addressed Mercedes Moné’s title victory at AEW All In 2026, hinting at plans to shift her focus toward All Elite Wrestling after carrying the ROH brand for years.

Moné captured the AEW Women’s World Championship at Wembley Stadium by defeating Willow Nightingale. Speaking on WFAA’s Inside the Ring, Athena offered high praise for Moné’s milestone victory while keeping the door open for a future title confrontation.

Mutual Respect And A Patient Pursuit Of Moné’s Title

Addressing Moné’s accomplishment, Athena emphasized their shared history and mutual professional respect, noting that she isn’t in an immediate rush to challenge her former tag team partner.

“I don’t know. I feel like me and Mercedes are very respectful of each other’s careers. Former tag partner, maybe current tag partner, who knows? I remember sitting at home watching her win with a broken nose of all things and just thinking, ‘wow, she’s an absolute star.’ Like, everything that I feel like she’s been through, in that moment, she finally got the big one, now that’s not to say that I don’t want a crack at the big one. It’s just to say, like, mutual respect is there. She didn’t come after my forever or always championship. I might let her have a couple months or something before I decide to go after hers, but you know what, villainy is in the eye of the morals.”

Aiming For Historic Milestone Past Hulk Hogan

Athena’s dominant run as the “Forever Champion” in Ring of Honor has already established her as the longest-reigning champion of the modern era. Her next immediate milestone is pushing her historical reign past Christmas to eclipse Hulk Hogan’s legendary 1,474-day world title reign.

“I’m a longest-running champion in company history. Not only that, a few weeks ago I actually became the longest-running champion of the modern-day era man or woman, so I am the official longest-running champion currently at this point in time. The longest-running champion ever is Bruno Sammartino, who is absolutely phenomenal and, as we would say, a complete unit, most would say, but I think my next goal, which is very immediate, is Christmas, because then I will surpass Hulk Hogan’s longest reign as well. So that’s the goal right now, but the goal is to keep it forever, because, you know, I guess I’m gonna make a little cheesy pun. We don’t talk about Bruno, no, no, no. Yes, corny as it is, but yeah, it’s really cool, and I think after having that match with Hazuki, I just want to travel the world. I want better competitors. I want more intense competition, not only in Ring of Honor. I want to defend my championship around the world. We’re going to Paris soon, so fingers crossed someone will step up for a shot at the Forever Champion. Yeah, I’ve been extremely thankful for everything I’ve gotten to do in my career and getting to make history, not only main eventing seven pay-per-views in a row, being the first woman to main event a pay-per-view under Tony Khan’s AEW Ring of Honor banner. So I’m just excited for anything thrown my way because I know I’m going to tackle it and come out on top.”

Transitioning Focus To AEW Championships

After carrying the Ring of Honor division on her back through historic pay-per-view main events, Athena made it clear that her ultimate objective involves expanding her dominance into AEW.

“It’s finally time for me to make that forever as well, I feel like I’ve given the world to Ring of Honor. I’ve given years of my career being the ‘forever’ ROH champion. I’ve given so much to be the longest reigning champion in the modern day era, the most violent champion of the era. But when it comes to me, I want to do more with AEW. So this means more, I want to be AEW women’s champion. I want to be AEW TBS champion. I want to be an AEW tag champion to show the world that everything that I’ve done, holding a whole company on my back, climbing to the top of the mountain with it, was all worth it.”

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