Maya World Acknowledges Athena's Influence on AEW Career

Maya World has acknowledged the crucial impact of her trainer and opponent Athena in shaping her wrestling career in AEW. World began her training under Athena at the DFW All-Pro Wrestling Academy in 2021.

Recently, World defeated Athena in the semifinals of the Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament during the June 20 episode of Collision, a match rated 4.25 stars by Dave Meltzer. Although she lost to Mercedes Moné in the tournament final, World credits her experiences with Athena as transformative for her development as a wrestler.

In a conversation with the Daily Star, World noted that while her match with Moné was pivotal, Athena's guidance and training were instrumental in her growth. She emphasized the importance of being prepared for opportunities, a lesson she learned from Athena. World recently lost the TBS Championship to Persephone at the AEW All In Buy-In event on August 30, after holding the title since defeating Hikaru Shida on July 26.