The injury bug has reportedly hit another top champion in All Elite Wrestling’s women’s division. A new report from Fightful Select has revealed that Ring of Honor Women’s World Champion, Athena, is set to take some time off from in-ring action.
According to the report, Fightful has learned from AEW sources that Athena will be out of the ring for approximately five to six weeks. The exact reason for her hiatus has not been confirmed. The report notes that it is unclear if she is dealing with a specific injury, is just “banged up,” or if this is simply a planned period of time off for the champion. Her absence is a notable one for the Ring of Honor brand, where she has been the centerpiece of the women’s division for nearly three years.
The news of Athena’s time off comes after the recent comments made by AEW President Tony Khan. During a recent media call, Khan stated that he would love to do a women’s version of the Continental Classic tournament, but that the health of the talent roster was a major concern. Athena’s reign as ROH Women’s World Champion has been a historic one.
She recently surpassed the incredible milestone of 1,000 days as champion, a reign of dominance that is almost unheard of in modern professional wrestling. She has successfully defended her title against a who’s who of challengers from AEW, ROH, and the international wrestling scene.
She worked the AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door pay-per-view on August 24, where she was defeated by the AEW Women’s World Champion, “Timeless” Toni Storm. While she lost that champion vs. champion encounter, her ROH title was not on the line. Her most recent title defense was a successful one against Mina Shirakawa in late August.
The full report can be found on Fightful Select.
