Matt Taven: MSG Show Is A "Big Pat On The Back" For Ring Of Honor
Matt Taven spoke with Hollywood Life on Ring of Honor's show at Madison Square Garden, and wrestling having a true "Worlds Champion." Here are some of the highlights:
ROH heading to Madison Square Garden in April:
"I mean being a Boston guy, we have always dominated New York for years so every time we go to New York, I feel I am the reason for the sell out or in the main event or get the biggest reaction in the crowd. So I have been the King of New York and probably the world for a while now. But, as far as Ring of Honor going into Madison Square Garden, to be a guy who personally ? who, now doing the math ? has been here for six years, which is crazy to think about. Even in my first dark match in 2009, the amount of time that I have been around this country and seen the growth. To see us go into that building is a big pat on the back. It is a big accomplishment and, for me personally, I have been with this company in its biggest years of growth. For me it is one of those notches on the belt and a source of pride.
"It shows we are doing the right thing. It is catching on. I don't think I get the credit I deserve obviously but I like to see the fruits of my labor go into things like getting into Madison Square Garden. As far as I am concerned for a match, it should be me defending the Ring Of Honor World Championship against whatever Melvin that wants to get slapped around in front of the biggest audience in Ring Of Honor history. But, that is almost so far down the road that I haven't thought of it too much. I am very proud of what we have accomplished as a company and to be one of the cornerstones of Ring Of Honor, especially in the last five years. It really lets you know tat you are doing the right thing and all your hard work is going into the right direction and it is starting to pay off. The more people we can get to see this product, the more we will make fans so its a great pat on the back for all the hard work that has been put on this company in the last few years."
What he'd like to see more of in pro wrestling:
"Just like in Hollywood, everything has been done. And it is like, 'what is old is new again' and so it is hard to pinpoint something that hasn't been done in wrestling. But we are getting to a point were we have really shrunk the globe and this bubble. I think something that needs to be done and I know WWE is global, but an actual World Champion, a Worlds Champion that defends his belt in New Japan or Ring Of Honor or CMLL and then go to Australia. And that does kind of happen in a sense, but it is not like the New Japan Championship is considered the ROH Championship. And vice versa. So to see someone defend a title in Tokyo on a Saturday and then Friday back in New York and then the next night in Mexico City. And that sounds like an absolute nightmare for travel wise and what to do to your body. But that is the only thing that can be done that hasn't been done before. I am trying to rack my brain for something else, but I am literally coming up with ways to make wrestlers lives even tougher so I should stop now. [Laughs]"
Taven also discussed what music gets him pumped up before a match. You can check out the full interview by clicking here.