Athena hopes to have ‘full storyline’ with Mercedes Mone

After their first match against each other went so well, Athena is hoping to have a more expansive storyline with Mercedes Mone.

“It left me wanting so much more. It left me wanting to do a full storyline with Mercedes Mone,” the ROH Women’s World Champion told Sports Illustrated about their first meeting. “I feel like I hold myself on such a high pedestal, because I feel like I always have people depending on me. Down from my indie company, down to my ROH locker room. We put our hearts on a platter, and I felt like in that moment, I was proud of myself.”

Mone defeated Athena on the April 16 episode of Dynamite in Boston, advancing in the Owen Hart Foundation tournament. It took Athena a few days to process the bout, but it left her feeling emotional.

“I just remember having a tear come to my eye. And I don’t really get too emotional,” Athena said. “There’s been a few times that I’ve cried. My most recent was Japan, [because] I wanted it so bad. But I was just kind of swelling with pride, because it just was magic for me. It was like I found a true equal in the ring to me, on every level, who countered my chaos.”

Mone spoke very highly of Athena after their match and expressed that she is hoping to see Athena featured on AEW television more. Athena is on a dominant 900-plus day run as ROH Women’s World Champion but has not crossed over to AEW much since being moved to ROH.

Sports Illustrated writes that Athena “could not put over Tony Khan and his company enough for allowing her the opportunity to simply enjoy the art of professional wrestling again.” She would love to compete in her home state of Texas at AEW All In next month but does not know if that will happen.

“I don’t know if that’s in my stars,” Athena said. “If not, I have a Ring of Honor pay-per-view that I will probably be defending my championship on. You know, I would probably be super bummed out if I wasn’t on All In, but honestly, there’s still time.”

ROH Supercard of Honor 2025 is being held in Arlington on Friday, July 11 — which is the night before All In.

Mone challenging Toni Storm for the AEW Women’s World Championship is already official for the All In pay-per-view.