AEW Star Athena Details How Her Training Made Her More Aggressive

Having held the Ring of Honor Women's Championship for over a year, Athena has developed a reputation as not just one of the world's best female wrestlers, but also one of the toughest and most aggressive. While she credits many people for her hard-hitting style, including her time working with Triple H and Robbie Brookside during her time in "NXT," Athena gives the bulk of the credit to her trainer, Texas wrestling legend Skandor Akbar.

During an interview with "Under the Ring," she described training under Akbar, whom she said was a tough man with a hidden softness to him. She also believes his teachings instilled in her something that has made her stand out from the rest of the pack.

"I just remember he was so tough and so adamant that I didn't train like a woman, that I was going to be special," Athena said. "Cause he also trained Ms. Jaqueline, he was also influential ... And JBL, according to him, Mean Mark's [Undertaker] career, if you guys know who that is. So it was very important to him that I showed that aggression, that I didn't wrestle like a woman, that I didn't wrestle like what was on TV. "And I think ... that I was different, that I could wrestle and do everything that the guys did. He instilled in my brain that, 'It doesn't matter if you're a man or a woman. You're a pro wrestler, and pro wrestling is the game. Be aggressive. Be the bad guy, be the good guy, be whoever you want to be. But don't be limited to gender, don't be limited to race.' 

"Ak was really adamant about those types of things, which I feel has definitely been ingrained in my brain to this day."

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Under the Ring" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription