Athena is a bad, bad, women's wrestler – in a Jade Cargill sort of way – and when she took the ring at Ring of Honor Final Battle for a match against reigning Ring of Honor Women's World Champion Mercedes Martinez, she was willing to do just about anything to secure the strap and become a singles champion for a major promotion – no offense to Warrior Wrestling – for the first time since all the way back in 2018, when she won the NXT Women's Championship as Ember Moon in November of 2017.
Did you want to see women punch each other in the face? This match absolutely had that. How about bites? This match had that too, as Athena bit her opponent in a moment of desperation to break up a submission. And in the end, did you want to see the first title change of the show? If so, you got your wish, as in the end, though Martinez hit Athena with everything she had, she still succumbed to the O-Face for the 1-2-3.
Was Martinez a solid champion? You bet; before she got injured, she was wrestling basically every week on AEW Dark Elevation with the strap around her waist, but after months away, it's now on Athena to keep honor alive while ROH waits for a television contract of their own. Fortunately, after turning in some of the best Dark Elevation matches of the year as the hard-hitting jobber buster, it's clear the strap is in good hands, and there will be plenty of compelling bouts to come.
.@AthenaPalmer_FG drives the back of @RealMMartinez's head into the exposed turnbuckle!
Order #ROHFinalBattle on PPV now!@BRWrestling: https://t.co/EdGVni5sMA
Available on all major providers pic.twitter.com/p786LJ6yIa— ROH – Ring of Honor Wrestling (@ringofhonor) December 10, 2022
Follow Us
Subscribe