Matt Tremont Credits Onita with his recent success, looks back on his career prior to his retirement tour.

Just days before he announced his retirement tour, Matt Tremont joined VOC Nation’s In the Room Podcast to talk about his career, how Atsushi Onita helped him gain exposure, his challenge to Cody, and much more.  Here are some highlights:

On staying within the hardcore wrestling genre:  “I think if it went down a different path, things would be a lot different because a lot of my successes have been within this genre.  I’ll never shy away from (it); hardcore wrestling has been my bread and butter for a long time, and again, it’s what people pay to see me do…I can’t even fathom where it could have gone.”

On putting the match together with Onita:  “We were able to pull off something that other and bigger promotions and promoters couldn’t get done for a long time…  Onita, I believe his last time here before he came to CZW to work with me was an appearance in ECW in 98.  So it was a good 20 years before he was able to come back.  Honestly, I didn’t think we were going to pull it off; it was me having an idea to create and generate interest for myself to get me to Japan… It wound up working out, and it was because of a promo.”

On how the match with Onita came together:  “Once I put the promo out, his wife (told) me that’s what really caught his eye.  He saw the passion.  He had no idea who I was; I’m just some kid from America that’s calling him out on social media in promos.  But he took a liking to me and I was able to work with him not once, but twice here in the states and he took me to Japan for my first tour overseas.”

On Onita helping his career:  “Since that Onita match, (the match) definitely raised my stake and name and value in the business, and I’ve been able to really ride off that wave as well… I’m very thankful for Onita.”

On his challenge to Cody Rhodes on social media:  “It’s not about a contract.  It’s probably a very crazy thing for me to say as a wrestler but I’m very content and comfortable and have worked hard to build my own bricks and my own foundation…  It was never about a contract, never about a title.  What caught my eye – (when) he was still with Ring of Honor – I was just awestruck just as far as his work ethic, and his hustle, and how he came to the independents and reinvented himself.  I was just a fan of his work and a fan of him and how he presented himself in and out of the ring…  I know I could have done more, I never actually put out a promo…  Do I still hope for it to happen?  Sure, but it’s not about a contract or a title…. Would it be cool?  Yes, but I’m not losing any sleep.  Maybe one day.”