Athena Breaks Roman Reigns’ Modern-Day Title Reign Record

Athena has officially become the longest-reigning world champion of the modern era among American promotions, surpassing Roman Reigns’ celebrated run atop WWE with the Universal and later Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. Her Ring of Honor Women’s World Championship reign has now stretched to 1,317 days and counting.

Athena won the title at Final Battle 2022 in December of that year, defeating Mercedes Martinez to become champion. In the roughly three and a half years since, she has held onto the belt through numerous ROH shows and defenses, quietly building one of the most durable championship reigns professional wrestling has seen in decades.

Reigns’ reign, which ran from August 2020 to May 2024 before Cody Rhodes finally dethroned him at WrestleMania XL, had long stood as the modern benchmark for title longevity in the U.S., a reign so significant it helped reshape how WWE booked its main event scene for years. Athena eclipsing that number is a notable marker for Ring of Honor, a promotion that operates on a smaller scale than WWE but has built real momentum around her championship reign as a signature storyline.

Athena has become one of the sport’s most reliable and respected champions in the process, with her reign serving as a centerpiece of ROH programming and a rare example of old-school, long-term title booking in an era where turnover at the top is often frequent. With no signs of her reign ending, it remains to be seen just how much further that record run can go, and who might eventually be tasked with bringing it to a close.