Athena’s reign as ROH Women’s Champion has been a historic one. The former Ember Moon set her past persona ablaze and reincarnated as a warrior who has the ROH Women’s Division in a stranglehold. Her reign has become one for the ages, as today marks the 1,237th day of Athena as ROH Women’s Champion. That means Athena ties Bruno Sammartino’s 2nd reign as WWWF Champion. Sadly, this historic moment comes on the same day that Bruno Sammartino’s widow’s death went public. This is a breaking story.
Athena Ties Bruno Sammartino At 1,237 Days As Champion
While many ex-WWE Superstars have struggled to transition into the AEW/ROH ecosystem seamlessly, one woman has flourished at this opportunity. Athena has made a name for herself as the face of the ROH Women’s Division, etching an impressive reign that will surpass that of Bruno Sammartino’s second run at the top of the mountain.
Today’s era is a lot different than yesteryear, with far fewer matches. During Bruno Sammartino’s 3+ year reign, he defended the Title 213 times. Comparatively, Athena has had 35 ROH Women’s Title defenses.
In Bruno’s heyday, he was Main Eventing Madison Square Garden against fellow Hall of Famers, such as Stan Hansen, Ivan Koloff, and Superstar Billy Graham.
Meanwhile, Athena has defended the ROH Women’s Title all over the world. The global Superstar has defeated Thekla in Korakuen Hall, Billie Starkz at the Hammerstein Ballroom, and Mina Shirakawa at the 2300 Arena.
Will Athena Surpass Roman Reigns’ WWE Championship Reign?
While Athena ties Bruno Sammartino today, the ROH Women’s Champion will surpass The Living Legend tomorrow. The next feat? The OTC.
Roman Reigns held the WWE Universal Championship for 1,316 days. It was the longest reign in the modern era. With Athena just 79 days behind this record, Tony Khan would surely like his talent to surpass Roman Reigns’ feat. So, don’t be shocked if Athena topples Roman Reigns for the longest reign in the modern era.
That said, Athena would have to defend the Title a lot more to surpass his total Titel defenses during the 1,316-day reign. The Tribal Chief defended the Universal Title 56 times. Currently, Athena averages less than one Title match per month. At this rate, Athena would only defend the title 37 or 38 times when she reaches Roman Reigns’ milestone.
If Athena wants to beat Bruno Sammartino’s longest record, she will need over four more years. Bruno Sammartino’s first WWWF World Title reign was 2,803 days, breaking down to 7 years, 8 months, and 1 day!
Bruno Sammartino’s career was certainly what Hall of Famers are made of. The Living Legend had such a long career, much in thanks to the support of his long-time wife, Carol. Sadly, news broke today that Bruno Sammartino’s son, Darryl, announced that Carol Sammartino passed away in March.
Carol Sammartino Passes Away at 96
The Sammartino family recently announced that patriarch Carol Sammartino died on March 4, 2026. Bruno Sammartino’s widow was 96.
Darry Sammartino confirmed the grim news, reporting his mother was suffering at the end:
“So, my mom passed away March 4th, 2026. She was in a home for about 16 months. And since my dad and my twin brother, my twin brother passed away 6 months after my dad. So, for the last 8 years, she’s just, you know, slowly deteriorated. And she was suffering towards the end. So, she’s not suffering anymore, which I’m very happy about. That’s it. Nobody deserves that.”
This announcement comes shortly after the anniversary of Bruno Sammartino’s death. Bruno Sammartino died on April 18, 2018. Fittingly, this date coincides with the night of WrestleMania 42 Saturday. Our thoughts go out to the Sammartino family.