Matt Taven on Reuniting With Mike Bennett in ROH, Says Bennett Is ‘Himself Again’

– Sports Illustrated’s Justin Barrasso recently interviewed ROH wrestler Matt Taven, who discussed reuniting with Mike Bennett in ROH and more. Bennett and Taven are set to challenge ROH tag team champions Rhett Titus and Tracy Williams for the titles on this week’s edition of ROH TV. Below are some highlights.

Matt Taven on Mike Benett: “We’re extremely confident in what we can do together, and we get to show that in the match this weekend. This is the beginning of our chance to flourish together. We’ve been waiting for this for five years. We’re two totally different people now, so it’s hard not to imagine what we can do together now that we’ve had all these different experiences on our own.”

Taven on Bennett turning negatives into positives: “Mike’s been through so much. He’s found a way to turn negatives into positives, and he’s so happy to be in Ring of Honor. He’s used everything that didn’t go his way to motivate himself. Mike’s himself again, and to me, that’s very inspiring.”

On their upcoming match against ROH tag champs Rhett Titus & Tracy Williams: “This is a match I’m so proud of. It’s great wrestling and captures our personalities. Mike is re-establishing his identity and showing why he’s one of the best wrestlers on the planet, and this is a great opportunity to define himself again as a wrestler. And the backbone of Ring of Honor is built on guys like Rhett Titus. He’s at the absolute best he’s ever been. His in-ring work is so unbelievably good. And Tracy is one of those guys that doesn’t have to say a word. He lets his art speak for itself, and he’s an unbelievable performer. I wish his TV title run was a little longer, but something tells me he’ll be a two-time champ before too long. We’ve never wrestled this team before, and you’re going to see the evolution of all four of us in the ring.”

Taven is now entering his prime. He will eventually accept a rematch for the ROH title, which he has yet to receive since dropping the title to Rush in September 2019. He is also on the inaugural card for the new Federación Wrestling promotion, which will have its debut show next month in Mexico. And while his feud with Vincent and The Righteous persists, Taven is grateful to once again place his name beside Bennett’s in the tag team ranks of professional wrestling.