AEW's Jim Ross Says This Star Was One Of The Main Reasons All In 2025 Was A Success

Despite a cancer scare and suffering a fall just days before AEW All In, the legendary Jim Ross was still able to make the show and call two matches. Naturally, he was also able to watch several matches backstage, including the Women's Casino Gauntlet match, which saw Ring of Honor Women's Champion Athena pull the rabbit out of the hat and win a guaranteed AEW Women's World Championship match, right near her hometown in Dallas, Texas.

Athena's performance at All In, and her work over the past few years in AEW and especially ROH hasn't gone unnoticed by Ross. During the latest "Grilling JR," Ross lauded Athena's work, and gave her a ton of credit for All In becoming as successful a show as it was.

"Athena got over," Ross said. "She made sure she got herself over. She worked hard. So I'm happy for her. She's busted her ass, no doubt about that. And I've got plenty of time for folks like that. She just never gave up her chase. And it's impressive, quite frankly. I'm almost emotional that she did as well as she did, and I'm a big fan of her work. 

"She works hard and does a hell of a job. And she was a big addition to...she was one of the main reasons All In: Texas was such a success. Players like her that had the opportunity to perform at a top level and she did. They just...it's impressive as hell, quite frankly. But Athena, we might not be talking about Athena a lot, but she deserves any flowers, as they say, that one could receive. She's just doing a great job."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Grilling JR" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription