[10.0] "Absolutely amazing match between 2 African American women. These 2 ladies are two of the best wrestlers in the world period. Their in-ring chemistry is as perfect as a key and a lock."
[6.0] "I don't need to leave a comment on this. It is not as good as the rating here says it is. That is why the comment exists. I am being really nice when I give this a 6. They tried to make this an epic confrontation, but it is just two women trying to do cool stuff and not well. Mercedes has been the most consistent woman in AEW to this point and it is with efforts that look like this. What a division. Why Tony Khan is stashing Athena away on the internet for years is beyond anyone's comprehension."
[7.0] "I was sitting and thinking about what this match lacked, why I couldn't fully connect emotionally to its magnitude, even though I understood the story and what it was trying to convey. The last few minutes were definitely worth watching. There was intensity, drama, counters. The finish mirrored the opening, showing that both competitors were on a similar level. But aside from those moments (and that collar-and-elbow tie-up outside the ring was fine the first time, it didn't need to be repeated; there were actually several similar spots throughout the match, but only the first felt interesting), the rest of the match felt like it was all about Mercedes Mone and her desire to overcome Athena. The biggest issue, though, was that much of the match felt overly choreographed and it showed. And when that happens, it's a problem. On top of that, some spots were botched or very close to being botched. The match was highly hyped, but in the end, it disappointed me."
[8.0] "Great simple story of "someone's 0 has to go" and a very competitive even match to protect both stars. Made Athena feel like a massive star, her facials are excellent. Mercedes might be the best women's wrestler in the world."
[10.0] "Absolutely brilliant .a zenth of brilliance and masterclass of professional heat generated from the struggle between these two women. Both are very good wrestlers but this was next level .from the starting bell to the end it was awesome and they didn't even hit their finishers .Just 2 women wanting to show each other who is better and it seemed like they have wrestled before."
[8.0] "The match finally happened and it's safe to say that it lived up to the hype, both woman killed it and looking forward to them running it back."
[9.0] "A war of a match where either could've come out on top. Very excited to see future matches between these two women, wouldn't be mad at all if Athena is the one to eventually take the TBS belt"
[6.0] "This was going super well in the 1st half with them feeling like equals & everything feeling natural but the 2nd half of this just felt super choreographed & stalling for time. I do think they have a better one in them so I would hope they learn from this but yea this wasn't all that good & the roll up finish is so lazy"
[10.0] "It's so rare in wrestling where two performers just feel like equals once the bell rings & at the end of the match & that's exactly what this felt like. Mercedes & Athena put on a wrestling classic where it felt like one small mistake would've swung the favor in whoever won. I love the fact they didn't hit a single finisher which makes the rematch that much bigger"
[7.0] "They started off strong, but then... As they say in our area, they started strong and finished badly. The second half of the match was a big letdown: the movements were awkward, and there was a sense of lack of coordination. Because of this, I lowered my score. It's a shame."
[9.0] "I have followed these two women's careers since I got into wrestling and have always wanted to see them go one on one. Happy to see one of my dream matches finally become a reality! They did amazing."
[7.0] "Not my favourite type of Mercedes match, but I still enjoyed it. I thought it was a really good struggle between these two, but Ultimately in the end Mercedes probed why she's the better wrestler. What an year she's having."
[10.0] "Felt personal and more than just a tournament semi final. Counter moves were brilliant and the wrestling outside the ring was just as good as the wrestling in the ring. Need a rematch ASAP"
[8.0] "The tie-up where they both tumble to the outside is such a cool tone-setting spot to start this. As is the Mone Maker spilling to the outside without breaking. Great creative stuff. Though I had forgotten about this stupid crowd and their Celtics chants. Ugh. People ruin everything. Anyway, Athena's spike bump on the DDT? Amazing. That entrire struggle sequence on the apron that starts as an attempted German suplex to the outside into a sunset powerbomb to the outside into Athena's stomps on the apron, the big boot, the powerslam. What a beautiful struggle. And, of course, the dropkick into the barricade. What an image. Love the counter of the O Face too. Great stuff."
[9.0] "A fantastic opener for this episode with a highly anticipated match. Two of the best in AEW/ROH going one-on-one, and I'm really happy with the amount of time they got. Moné's matches in the company have been the longest for women there as a whole, which I'm very glad about. This was awesome."
[10.0] "10 out of 10. This was a dream match that not only lived up to expectations but it showed you there's another level the two of them can reach and to me that has me so excited because this match was already amazing as is. Mercedes and Athena felt like equals in this match & it's my favorite match from the both of them in the last few years"
[8.0] "[4.0*] My Dynamite MOTY alongside the Main Event, this was wonderful. I just loved how intelligent this bout was, with one of them trying to out-smart the other in every possible attempt. Differently from the classic Jay White reversal dances (that I don't hate tho), this one looked better because they struggled a couple of times. I just really love struggle in professional wrestling. It didn't feel like they were dance partners because it looked like they were going to screw up at anytime. Thankfully everything was fucking nuts and they put on a classic, one of the best TV women's matches in company's history. I can't wait for the All In rematch and I just hope they don't change all the structure in order to have a lot of nearfalls or something, the match they had tonight had a lot of personality and just felt so different, I loved it."
[9.0] "A match I wanted to see for a long time, and it more than delivered. A truly great match between two of the best that lived up to every expectation yet felt like they were still only just getting started and hadnt scratched the surface yet."
[10.0] "This match right here was Godly asf Mercedes and Athena put Wrestling clinic just two of the Best Women in the World going at it to see who is the best and they delivered Great Match ****.5"
[10.0] "Speechless is the best way to describe what we saw. Mercedes & Athena put on a wrestling masterpiece & it's amazing to think that this first match with the two of them yet it felt like they been wrestling each other for years with their chemistry, neither women hit each other with their finisher which is incredible to have this great of a match without spamming finishers. Crowd was hot from start to finish & i loved the finish of the match with how Mercedes countered the O-Face into a smooth roll up to protect both women especially Athena *i noticed Mercedes grabbed Athena's tights so I hope they bring that up because we need a rematch*"
[7.0] "(7.2) Im not sure if I came in with too high of expectations but this was quite disappointing imo. There were some great moments scattered throughout but they were ultimately executed a bit too scrappy. The crowd was great and I thought the pair had great chemistry. Would love to see them go at it again later down the line with a more decisive finish."
[9.0] "Sensational. I'd been struggling to watch much wrestling lately, failing to connect with what I'd seen. I finally went back and checked this show out, and I can say with confidence that this reminded me of why I love professional wrestling. Two world-class competitors throwing everything they had at one another in an instant classic of a bout. The minor details, the major spots, and a clever finish combined to make this a highlight of my year as a wrestling fan. Mercedes Moné refusing to break her grip as a sign that Athena would not be able to overpower her was just... Chef's kiss. 4.5 stars, 9 out of 10."
[9.0] "Lowkey an underrated match. Felt real and hard-hitting. Big Match Mercedes as always doing what she does best--psychology. Athena looked like a star. 9.5/10."
[4.0] "Look, I really wanted to like this. I wanted to love it. But this is just not that good in my opinion. I love women's wrestling, I love AEW but I didn't enjoy this as much as others. I hope they can have another match down the line because this is just a fraction of what they can do. My reasoning for the low rating is that they looked uncoordinated and sloppy, there was some obvious spot calling, obviously set up spots, overdone sequences on the outside, Aubrey Edwards being obnoxious as always and just a flat ending. Thank goodness the crowd was hot and I'm glad people enjoyed it. I was just kind of underwhelmed here."
[9.0] "A personal dream match to me, and it didn't disappointed me: Match of the Year candidate, no doubts! Tony Khan, please book Athena more in AEW! (****1/2)"
[9.0] "About as good a match as you could have expected between these two without being on a PPV. Excellent counters, great floor work, a perfect heel finish."
[10.0] "****3/4 (9.5/10) I thought Mercedes/Athena would've been the main-event. But given how the show had actually ended, we now see why they began the night in Boston with a stellar outing by the C.E.O. I'm sure some will dock a few points for some of the sloppy spots. But both Athena and Mercedes worked themselves out of the blunders to tune up a meaty banger that might've been one of Mercedes' best matches since joining AEW. The ending felt thunderous, seeing the ALL IN tease of a dream match between Timeless and the C.E.O. Amazing start."
[10.0] "Mercedes Monč vs. Athena was a masterclass in professional wrestling. Two of the best in the game went head-to-head and delivered a match that not only met expectations -- it surpassed them. Mercedes continues to prove why she's one of the most dynamic performers in wrestling today. Her ability to absorb and master so many different styles, paired with her unmatched finesse, athleticism, and storytelling instincts, is truly special. Athena, on the other hand, is one of the most explosive and commanding athletes in the ring. Her intensity, presence, and precision place her firmly in the elite tier. Together, their chemistry was undeniable. This match was an incredible showcase of athleticism, innovation, technical skill, and psychology -- every second mattered. One of the best matches I've seen and a TV MOTYC."
[8.0] "There was good chemistry in there but I thought that they were keeping a lot of stuff for their future matches which is absolutely right, it just means that they have to still make their magnus opus. Also the ending was a bit cold for the same reasons. Still absolutely worth a watch too. ****"
[8.0] "The Boston crowd was hot for Mercedes Mone which is natural as this is her hometown and it's a packed house. Athena has been a favourite of the crowd that watches Ring of Honor which adds to the appeal. The match began with a quick and rough lock up that somehow ended up to the stage, where they ended up pointing to the trophy they are fighting for, and established a lovely pace that they managed to keep up. There were a lot of sweet sequences that they managed to chain together from a small package exchange into a great looking handspring front elbow by Athena. Mone's reputation of being clumsy wasn't on show either. She was very fluid and matched Athena for precision. This eventually settled into a slightly slower pace, but they kept up the intensity, instead bringing more high spots into the match, including a brutal double knee gutbuster on the top ropes. They got ambition doing tombstone reversals which didn't really work as they struggled for leverage but to their credit, it didn't derail the match at all, rather the fans sort of willed them to try again which speaks to the connection to the crowd they had. The match does sort of lose me as they go into the finishing act, but there are some sweet moments like a scoop slam by Athena through the ropes which I recommend seeking out for visual clarity. But they did manage to land the actual finish with a good flash pin counter to the Eclipse (if that's still its name) even if the rhythm building to that was off-kilter. The match was excellently done for the majority. I think they managed to keep the competitive and exciting feel for the majority, except for the last 5 minutes where they sort of lost me and the momentum of the match before concluding the match with a good spot. ****"
[10.0] "My favorite match of the night, which might be my favorite match of the year so far was the opener with Athena and Mercedes. Both showed what urgency and drama is suppose to look like in a wrestling match. The teasing of spots they did and zigging instead of zagging made for a match that sets up their rematch where the spots they didn't do pay off. I loved how sloppy some of the spots were. Wrestling shouldn't always look pretty and it shouldn't always be judged on how crisp things are. I would love their next match to take place at a PPV upcoming like All Out and have Athena go over. *****."
[10.0] "A dream match that lived up to the hype and then some. This was the women's version of Cody vs Gunther for me, a match that I was really looking forward to and they ended up delivering on the hype that they warranted. The struggle, the desperation, the physicality., the little details in regards to the facial expressions. This is what professional wrestling is about right here. The finish was brilliant too. Mercedes just barely escaping Athena with a roll up. It's the little things man. And like I stated at the conclusion of Cody vs Gunther, the scary part about Mercedes vs Athena is that they have a much better match in them. There was a lot of stuff that was held back here and the match still ended up being a masterclass. Tv match of the year and contender for match of the year too. Women's wrestling >>>>>>> the match of the night too I may add. This the shit I live for. ****3/4"
[9.0] "This was a fantastic tv match. No one doubts Athena and Mone's workrates and they didn't disappoint. This was a clinic of wrestling where the smarter and the more opportunist woman won. One of the best women match in AEW history !"
[10.0] "Unbelievable to me that these two ladies have never had a singles match before. Their in-ring chemistry was off the charts. This is the kind of wrestling I love, desperate, scrappy but also logical and tactical from the psychological perspective."
[7.0] "A pretty good women's match tbf but I dont rate it as anything special. For a TV match this was great but as a 'dream' match between two world champions I was a little let down. The ending in particular where they struggled to get up on the barricade and then the finish was a bit sudden when it felt this match could definitely have went longer"
[3.0] "Yeah, I guess I just don't get it? I hated this match almost all the way through. Athena's offense looked great when she had a chance. Mercedes isn't horrible but she's absolutely overrated. Almost everything she did or attempted looked poor. I hated the structure of the match and this includes all the extremely stupid sections like taking tie up to the outside, rolling around in a cradle and dragging a submission to the outside (which includes Mercedes demanding she taps, though they're on the outside). Setups for spots sometimes took more than one try and a couple looked a little sloppy. Generally when I don't like something I can understand why someone else does. Anything above 7 here I actually don't understand. EDIT: I just had to come back and add. If her monotonous dance is supposed to be heel work, it's working. No bearing on the match but I can't stand it."
[9.0] "It is actually a little baffling that in all the years these two vets have circled each other, they've never had a singles match with each other. They had a number of tag matches with each other but they were almost always on the same side in them. To meet now, too, when both of them are largely invincible belt collectors of sorts makes this a very very very special matchup. As for the match itself, you can't deny that they put on something main event worthy. There isn't anything here that isn't at least presented as a struggle: even the opening lockup sees them both tumble out (and eventually, back into) the ring. Every bomb and high spot and jockeying for position is great. I think one could accuse this of being a bit of a spotfest--and that's fair, it is--I don't know if I'd have this tournament first-time-ever matchup between two of the company's biggest stars any other way. I particularly loved Athena's springboard elbow in this match, and the extended counters to set up Mone's lung-blower. A worse company wouldn't have allowed either woman to be pinned after this--AEW knew that both women had been presented so strongly, and could put on a good enough of a match to protect thier spots and still deliver a conclusive victory for the tournament."
[10.0] "Hilarious at some of these ratings which is very obvious what's going on lmao.. This was great, physical, filled with drama, hot crowd throughout. You can't find a better match where neither of the wrestlers actually hit even a signature move let alone a finisher. They were clearly holding back a little bit and it was still incredible. Just a taste of what they can do"
[9.0] "Similar to Ospreay vs Takeshita, amazingly one of the best TV matches of all-time and a genuine miracle we got their first of what's to be many contests, free on TV. They did not hold back, and you can rest assured they have a lot more in the tank against each other in the future. Mercedes has been a top 3 wrestler in the world this year thus far, and with the wrestlers she has yet to wrestle in the company, she's only going to get better and deliver more amazing performances. The same goes for Athena, as this felt like Tony Khan finally booking her on Dynamite. ****1/2"
[10.0] "Excellent match for the first ever singles match between the two, creative spots, stiff strikes, The best female TV match I've seen this Year, 21 minutes and not 1 finisher hit is insane and the finish was great with Mercedes using her hero Manami Toyota's Victory star drop, with a hand full of tights for the win, it was for sure a preview for later matches, but what an amazing first encounter, Athena and Mercedes went out there and showed they are 2 of the absolute best in the entire world, both should make the Pwi top 15 this year"
[10.0] "This match was indeed perfect from top to bottom.They told a perfect story and also very good selling between the two.One thing that stood out was how they struggled a bit telling a beautiful story of wrestling at its realest form.Best women's match so far in terms on non stipulation"
[9.0] "This Owen Hart tournament is getting more and more exciting. And Mercedes Moné vs. Athena delivered a performance worthy of their talent. The big year for women's wrestling in 2025 continues."
[10.0] "This was a great first time encounter between two very talented professional wrestlers. A strong start, top level selling and great pacing, made for an excellent opener which set the tone for the rest of the show. Mercedes Moné once again proved that under pressure, she can overdeliver and Athena had a star making performance, showing that she has her place in the AEW Women's Division. One of the best women's TV matches ever in AEW. I see some people complaining about the finish, but I see no issue - the rollup pin combo by Mercedes, shows she barely escaped Athena and it lays groundwork for a rematch. It showed how close it was between them. They left enough in the ring to treat the fans and kept back enough for us to salivate over further encounters between the two!"
[7.0] "I wanted to like this more, I really thought I would. It never really hit that next level for me unfortunately. Just felt like something was missing. Like it was good, I enjoyed it, the crowd loved it, but I wouldn't go out of my way to watch it again"
[6.0] "Ratings like this are how I know I'm out of touch with pro wrestling audiences. This was fine! Crowd was into it. Finish came out of nowhere, and nothing that happened in the match really led up to it. A lot of their moves just... did not look good. Or I guess a lot of Mone's moves didn't. Athena looked solid. Look, I've never gotten Mone. I've been sorta mystified for over a decade by what people see in her! I'm not gonna litigate that here, but like, her moves were sloppy and impactless! The only times her moves look threatening is when she almost kills somebody with one, and that didn't happen here. So it was a bunch of mediocre-looking stuff that didn't connect together to form any kind of coherent story by the end. But again, Athena was solid, crowd was into it. Decent match."
[9.0] "Fantastic opener, Athena finally getting a big match on AEW and she delivered against Mone, the two keeping you invested from bell to bell with the great submission sequences and faster paced exchanges."
[7.0] "****1/2 a great match, great sequences, very good chemistry, a very involved audience, a long duration that they knew how to manage despite moments where they lowered the great pace they had, very good intensity, and a good ending that didn't convince me completely but I understand it because they want to "protect" Athena although the ending could have been better"
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