Roman Reigns' Record Surpassed as Athena Hits 1,317-Day Title Reign

Roman Reigns has been knocked off the top of the modern-era title longevity list after Athena stretched her Ring of Honor Women’s World Championship reign to 1,317 days on July 19, 2026.

What happened?

Athena’s reign began at Final Battle 2022 when she defeated Mercedes Martinez for the vacant ROH Women’s World Championship. On July 19, 2026, she passed the 1,316-day mark set by Roman Reigns as WWE Universal Champion from August 2018 to April 2024. The new total stands at 1,317 days and counting.

Athena has defended the title 37 times during her run. The ROH Women’s World Championship itself debuted in September 2021, with Rok-C (now Roxanne Perez) as its first holder. After Perez lost to Deonna Purrazzo, Mercedes Martinez unified interim and original titles before falling to Athena.

Why it matters for Roman Reigns

Reigns’ 1,316-day run remains the longest modern-era world title reign in WWE history. It spanned his transition from babyface to Tribal Chief, the formation of The Bloodline, and his record-breaking Universal Championship reign. Cody Rhodes ended that streak at WrestleMania 40 in April 2024.

Athena’s achievement lands in a different era and competition. ROH’s Women’s World Championship has existed for less than five years, yet her dominance has already outlasted Reigns’ modern standard. The milestone underscores how title longevity can shift between promotions and divisions.

What comes next?

Athena has set her sights on Bruno Sammartino’s 2,803-day WWE Championship reign. She acknowledged the gap in May, telling Fightful: “Hey man, when we get to Supercard of Honor this week and I beat the epic Roman Reigns’ last championship…” She aims to surpass Sammartino’s seven years and eight months.

Even at 1,317 days, Athena still needs another 1,486 days to match Sammartino. The ROH Women’s World Championship has only existed since 2021, making her run an outlier in today’s wrestling landscape.