Athena is looking to make a statement against Toni Storm at AEW Forbidden Door on Sunday ... and she caught up with TMZ Sports to explain why she's walking out with gold around her waist for the first time with the promotion!!
Athena -- FKA as Ember Moon in WWE -- chopped it up with "TMZ Sports" TV show cohost Mojo Muhtadi ahead of her showdown in London ... and she held nothing back when opening up on the current champ.
"Toni is nothing but a hack who tries to just put on this facade of being this 1920s character," she said.