Athena vs. Willow Nightingale: Everything Honor Is About

The best women's wrestling match on American soil this year

I don’t know what it is but this match has not left my mind since watching it. Maybe it’s due to Ring of Honor being so new and exciting. Or it’s as simple as this match was simply really good. But what Athena and Willow Nightingale managed to do in the main event of Honor Club TV #2 was deliver the best non-FTR vs. Briscoes match since Tony Khan purchased the promotion. That’s right. And I mean it in every way.

At Universal Studios, we’ve learned quickly that these shows do bring a different vibe that is much like Sinclair’s ROH but with a higher energy and overall excitement. We have also learned that the crowd can be a bit hit or miss depending on the match. That being said, every minute of that main event was loud, exciting, and received the reaction that they deserved.

Over the past year, Athena has shown this new brutal style that is reminiscent of Joshi pro wrestling rather than what we are used to here in the United States. It’s made her a heel to many, but a fan-favorite to others. And to go one step deeper, it has helped make people realize how good Athena truly is inside the ropes and has been for years. Her battle back from injury was difficult but she has shown since leaving WWE that she has much more in the tank and could be better than ever on this current run as ROH Women’s World Champion.

Then there’s Willow Nightingale. The smiling, loveable powerhouse has become a fan favorite over the last year in AEW, earning herself a contract in the meantime. She’s had those signs of greatness and quality in the ring to go along with her undeniable charisma, but it was a matter of putting everything together sooner rather than later. Many may point to the bloody Street Fight that she won alongside Ruby Soho as what may be the turning point for her in-ring wise but if they don’t, then this match will certainly be it.

What these two went out there and accomplished in the main event was special. Greatness. The best women’s match on American soil in 2023 as of this writing. That good. That GREAT! When Athena won the ROH Women’s World Championship, this was the potential you had to be hoping for. She’d bring that violent intensity to her matches that had mostly been stuck on AEW Dark and Dark: Elevation. Athena’s best defense up until this match was against TJPW’s Miyu Yamashita in Prestige Wrestling, but that finish leaves a sour taste in my mouth to even talk about, so it’s extra exciting that we have this match to point to when the run is all said and done.

The energy in the Honor Zone (just roll with it) was great and it helped that Nightingale was the first one out. Then was the champion’s entrance as the lights went dark and Athena had that entire championship feel to her. Once the bell rang, it was on.

They topped the ROH World Championship match from episode one and both title matches on episode two. But it wasn’t about that, it was about the ROH Women’s World Championship and that’s why the match was fantastic. Nightingale has come so close to winning gold in AEW and ROH since the end of 2021 but hasn’t had enough to get there. 2023 feels like her year and this match felt like it was hers, too.

Maybe that’s what made this match that much better than anyone could have expected. Nightingale was determined, dreaming, and pushing to get that win. When Willow caught Athena for the Apron Powerbomb, you could feel the match shifting. The domination of the self-proclaimed “American Joshi” was now non-existent and it was Willow, with the crowd behind her, controlling the tempo.

Part of the reason this match was as good as it was may have to do with what Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman managed to do while on the call. They made you believers in what Willow was doing to Athena and the chance she had to become champion. And mind you, this was a recorded show. I already knew Willow lost but I was locked into the match, believing every second of the way.

When Willow hit the POOOOOUUUUNNNNNCEEEEEE, it wasn’t only Riccaboni who got excited on the call but also every single fan in attendance. The near fall on the Gutwrench Powerbomb was the best of Honor Club TV and proved to everyone Nightingale was ready for the moment.

The match spilled to the outside and that’s when it all took a turn for the worst. Athena took advantage and she dropped Willow with a Wade Barrett-inspired Wasteland on the ramp to spell the beginning of the end for the resilient Nightingale. One Eclipse later and Nightingale, despite the best effort of her career, was defeated.

Seeing we saw one hell of a babyface performance by Bryan Danielson on Sunday, there was something awesome about seeing Nightingale channel that same energy four nights later in what was a main event of the show Danielson started doing that on so long ago.

I don’t need to summarize any more of this match for you. Just know that what Athena and Willow Nightingale did was special. It was greatness. It was everything honor is truly about and will be about as we move forward. Athena is the right champion for this stage of honor, but Willow Nightingale will be the right champion soon enough — whether that’s for ROH or AEW.

Get yourself an HonorClub subscription and watch this ASAP.

Like I said, the best non-FTR vs. Briscoes match in the Tony Khan era of Ring of Honor. I don’t say that lightly but watch it for yourself and make that decision. You won’t regret it.