Prestige - Vendetta (1/21/2023)
ROH Women's World Championship: Athena (c) vs. Miyu Yamashita
A showdown between ROH and EVE women's champions, with only the ROH title on the line. On paper, I expected the standard modern indie match with Japan-influenced back and forth action, but they went about it in a totally unexpected way. Athena employed clever tactics, focusing on her opponent's leg, interweaving character work, and taking frenzied bumps to enhance her opponent's counterattacks. She was wrestling like a heel NWA champion. Yamashita, in an unfamiliar role as the underdog, delivered outstanding selling and high-energy moves. The final strike trades felt authentic and well-deserved, thanks to the efforts of both wrestlers. Although the "Dusty Finish" was not perfect, the preceding action was so enjoyable that it did not detract from my overall enjoyment of the match. ****
