Fear Of Being 'Lost In The Shuffle' Led To Change In Athena's AEW Persona

"The Fallen Goddess" has turned furious. In recent weeks, Athena has unleashed a more aggressive approach to her outings in All Elite Wrestling.

On the November 18 episode of "Rampage," Athena attacked fellow veteran Madison Rayne after their bout. Referee Aubrey Edwards stepped in between them, only to be met by a cross-face from the enraged Athena. In the matches that followed, the AEW star extended invitations for beatdowns, defeating independent stars Laynie Luck and Dani Mo in the process. After her most recent win over Mo on the December 2 episode of "Rampage", Athena launched her opponent into the barricade and ringside steps, before landing a nasty Meteora.

In a recent appearance on "Busted Open Radio," Athena explained her new change in attitude.

"Cause I feel like it," she said. "Sometimes, nice guys finish last. Sometimes, you just get frustrated and it's really hard because you're trying to find an opportunity to not get lost in the shuffle because at AEW, there are so many talented women just across the board and it's like, 'What can you do to stand out?' You're asking your questions like, 'Why am I stuck in this position? Why is this happening to me? Am I not good?' Finally, you have to just say 'eff it.'"

Though many recognize Athena's prominence as a bubbly babyface, she was "probably one of the most notorious heels" before signing with WWE in 2015.

"I worked my entire indie career as the bad guy going around," she recalled. "I even got given the nickname 'The American Joshi' because of my hard-hitting style ... it's something I've always wanted to get back to."

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Busted Open Radio" with an h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.