Matt Taven Reflects On ROH Title Win, Having History With Fan Hit By Ladder, Defending Against PCO

After being a TV champion, a tag champion and a six-man champion, Matt Taven won his first ROH World Heavyweight Title at the G1 Supercard in Madison Square Garden.

Speaking to Wrestling Inc. on today's episode of the WINCLY podcast, Taven said being champion "feels so good" and he stated why he hasn't changed the leather strap back to being purple since his win a couple of weeks ago.

"Making people upset seems to put a really bizarre smile on my face and I seem to make a lot of people upset being the ROH World Heavyweight Champion," Taven said on our WINCLY podcast.

Taven didn't just win the ROH World Title as he won the ROH World Title at MSG which makes it even more special. He talked about the experience of performing in The World's Most Famous Arena for the first time.

"It's probably the greatest moment of my life. I'm not gonna lie ? it was unbelievable," said Taven. "All my life I've wanted to wrestle in MSG? and here I am not only looking up at that historic feeling, but winning the ROH World Championship. Having 'FU Taven' echo through the halls of MSG ? I really couldn't ask for a better moment in my mind to hold onto forever."

Taven brought out a purple ladder to help him with his victory and says the idea was all his.

"C'mon, you know who thought of that. That was me. Everything that's happened around me has been thought of by me," stated Taven. "I'm out there not just to win ? I'm out there to look good at the same time. There's nothing more beautiful than the picture of a giant purple ladder in the middle of MSG with me on top of it holding the ROH World Title."

A fan was hit by a ladder during the match and Taven got a chance to catch up with him afterwards. He was asked if the fan getting hit affected his rhythm in the match.

"It really didn't affect the flow of the match for me personally," Taven said before adding that he has a history with the fan who was hit as he wiped his sweat on the fan at a recent show in Florida.

After the match, the fan asked Taven "are we cool from what happened in Florida?"

"Man, as long as you're okay with what happened tonight, I could really give a sh** less about if we're cool or not. I just want to make sure you're not hurt," said Taven.

Taven will defend his ROH World title against PCO while PCO's Villain Enterprises partner, Marty Scurll, will compete for the NWA World Title. PCO put over Scurll's upcoming opportunity but Taven says that deep down Scurll is upset with having to settle for the NWA Title shot instead of the ROH one.

"I think [PCO's] just trying to be nice and is lying to you because Marty is definitely upset," stated Taven. "Inside he's like, 'That should have been me [sniff]. That should have been me!'"

Taven made it clear that while the NWA World title is a nice belt, it's nothing compared to the ROH World Title.

"It's very nice that ROH is letting [NWA] use our platform, but there is only one true champion and you are speaking to him right now," stated Taven.

PCO got a pinfall victory over Taven at ROH's Master of the Craft in Columbus, Ohio. Taven contends that the match should have never even happened and it took all of Villain Enterprises to defeat him.

"I really think it's part of that "gang mentality" we're living in," Taven said of how the street fight match came about. "One person has an opinion on something and everyone else jumps onboard. I don't know who Marty thinks he is saying he could turn matches into Columbus Street Fights. He says something dumb, everyone else jumps onboard and then I'm in a street fight that me and The Kingdom weren't prepared for."

Taven then talked about all the hardcore punishment he had taken in the match before he was pinned including being hit in face with umbrella before PCO delievered a moonsault.

"After a moonsault from a 300-pound psychopath, that was finally enough to pin my shoulders down," stated Taven. "It's gonna be a different story when it's one-on-one, me and PCO. He's not gonna have his little buddies be able to get his shots in...I fear no man. Even one with half an eye and even less of a brain."

The ROH fans have really taken a liking to PCO and Taven says the fans cheering for him probably gets to his partner Marty Scurll.

"You know that makes Marty so jealous," said Taven. "PCO is a story that's hard not to think 'oh, look at this.' The guy is 51 and puts his body on the line ? hats off to him. That doesn't mean he's gonna be able to beat the top guy. There's only one fairytale ending in wrestling and we saw it come true in MSG."

Matt Taven will defend his ROH World Heavyweight Championship against PCO on May 9th at ROH's War of The Worlds in Toronto.

Taven's full interview with Wrestling Inc was included in a recent episode of our WINCLY podcast. It can be heard in the embedded player at the bottom of the post. In it Taven discusses his ROH title win at MSG, the fan who was hit by a ladder during the match, the "friendly competition" between ROH and NJPW, Enzo and Cass' "invasion", Dalton Castle's heel turn and more.

You can check out past episodes of the WINCLY here. Subscribe to Wrestling Inc. Audio on iTunes or Google Play. Listen to the show via Spotify here or through TuneIn here.