Show: Wrestling Epicenter
Guest: Trey Miguel
Date: 07/08/20
Your Host: James Walsh

Trey Miguel is one of 4 competitors main eventing Impact Wrestling’s Slammiversary PPV on July 18th as he challenges Ace Austin, Eddie Edwards, and a mystery opponent to crown a new a brand new World Heavyweight Champion! It is guaranteed that a new World Champion will be crowned live on PPV! Will it be the Rascalz member? Time will tell!

Find out how Trey feels about his amazing opportunity main eventing one of Impact’s major PPV events, who and what he credits for the rise of smaller yet more athletic wrestlers being given more of an opportunity, and his high praise for one of his Slammiversary opponents who he calls the “Greatest of All Time.”

Impact Wrestling’s Slammiversary PPV, celebrating 18 years of Impact, takes place on Saturday, July 18 on pay-per-view. Visit www.ImpactWrestling.com for details.

Visit www.WrestlingEpicenter.com for more interviews like this and an MP3 of this one!

TREY MIGUEL:

On main eventing Slammiversary in the 4 Way Impact World Title Match:
“It is crazy to think about because, last year, we didn’t have a match at Slammiversary until the day of. We just showed up and they were like, “Hey, we’re having an X Division opener and you’ll have something to do.” That was that. It wasn’t an advertised match. It wasn’t on the bill anywhere. So, to go from not being scheduled on the card to main eventing the biggest pay per view of the summer… (laughs) It is quite a difference on the spectrum!”

On Eddie Edwards being the veteran opponent at Slammiversary:
“I have to be worried about it because he’s experienced, he’s been there, he knows how to deal with the pressure. I, on the other hand, haven’t. He has an advantage. But, from a learning point of view, I’m going to learn a lot in this match because Eddie Edwards is, for lack of a better term, the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) of Impact Wrestling! He’s a veteran. So, I’m going to get the closest study point – You know what I’m saying? I’ve never worked with Eddie before. It is something that I’ve wanted to do. Doing it on the grandest stage that we have is a really cool thing and I’m going to have to step up to the plate.”

On facing Ace Austin again after his past involving his mom:
“Well, I don’t like Gambit or X Men. (laughs)!”

On if not knowing the 4th competitor is an advantage or disadvantage:
“It is a disadvantage for me because I don’t like mysteries. I don’t like Scooby Doo! (laughs) I love Scooby Doo. But, I don’t like mystery meat either! That was the thing in school and I wasn’t a fan of that and I’m not a fan of this mystery either. It could be anyone. It could be a former World Champion! It could be a Sumo wrestler! It could be an Olympian! I have no idea who it is going to be. But, they know who they are going to be facing, though. And, they have the opportunity to study all the tape that they think is necessary. So, it is a big advantage for them.”

On the Rascalz’s Natural Chemistry:
“Absolutely. We all, at one time, lived together. The first time I met Zack (Wentz), we showed up at an show and we were both wearing the same outfit. Then, a month later, we showed up to another show in the same outfit! To tell you the truth, Zack and I were kind of sizing each other up and thought, “I don’t know if I like this guy or not.” Then we wrestled each other and there was such a chemistry. And, when we got to the back, I knew I found a brother. Then, I got to train with Desmond (Xavier) and we got to wrestle one another. And, the exact same thing happened. Those two (Wentz and Xavier) were already traveling together. So, to be brought into that really meant a lot because I was really young. And, where I was in my career, the next step up was where Zack and Dez were. I was really trying to grind my teeth to get there. A lot of people aren’t so helping in wrestling anymore when they’re trying to make the climb themselves. It is hard to worry about the next man. For them to kind of slow down… I don’t want to say they slowed down because they in no way slowed down what they were doing. But, they kind of helped me to pick it up too. It is just as real outside wrestling as it is in it. I facetime Zack everyday! I send Dez weird stuff everyday! (laughs) We video game all the time on Playstation. I mean, we walked Zack’s wife down the aisle at his wedding. The cameras don’t change a thing.”

On what changed that gave smaller, more athletic guys a bigger opportunity at the top of the card:
“I would have to say the “Pipe Bomb” (CM Punk’s shoot promo). It was very real. The smaller guy wasn’t meant to be on the marquee. I feel that shuffled the way a lot of people thought. You had to take a step back and look at everyone participating and the thing that made you air-quote “love” professional wrestling. If you love something, you have got to be open minded and you’ve got to ditch tradition sometimes. It is no longer a big man’s game. Some of the smaller wrestlers are some of the best in the entire world. You just can’t deny stuff like that when it is evident. If it is put in front of you and you watch it and you see it. How can you deny some talent just based on their size? It is unrealistic. The way CM Punk worded that really opened up a lot of people’s eyes and I have seen a huge change and it has been only beneficial so more people can be seen. Because, if you love wrestling and you’re a good person and want to be a part of it, nothing should exclude you from being the best in whatever company you go to. It shouldn’t be your size, your weight, your color, anything like that. If you love it and you are good at it, you should be eligible to reach any goal in wrestling.”

On when he realized he was capable of the high flying stuff he’s known for:
“I’ve been wrestling for 11 years nwo. I would say the first 5 or 6 years of my career were pretty tame as far as what I was able to do and what I was allowed to do. I was put into positions where I’d wrestle guys that were much bigger than me, much more experienced and I didn’t have the opportunity to showcase as much as I could do. What I could do back then wasn’t what I can do now. A lot of what I can do I had to teach myself. I never did gymnastics. I can hardly hit a backflip on the ground but there is a special comfort that comes from being inside a wrestling ring – Closing your eyes, taking a deep breath, and breaking it down mechanically what you have to do in your brain and trusting that it will all go well. I don’t know how to do any of the stuff that I’m doing. I kind of just throw caution to the wind and do it for the fans. Zack used to tumble in high school so that is his advantage he has. I don’t. I just work out the tricks and try to perfect them.”

On Impact opening eyes over the past few months:
“It is. There are no bells and whistles right now so it is going to boil down to who has the best product. Since we got here, since before we got here, I literally have believed Impact has the best product. But, people were just turning a blind eye to it for whatever reason. But, because of what is going on right now, we don’t have a crowd. So, all wrestling looks the same on paper. So, it really will boil down to the talent we have, how they’re used, and how well they’re stepping up to what they’re given. I feel Impact is killing it on that front right now.”

On what winning the Impact Wrestling World Title would mean to him:
“It is hard for me to say because I can’t imagine what it would be like to even hold it. If you had asked me in January if I’d be here, I would have said “no.” If you had asked me where I thought I’d be now back in January, I would have said I would be the X Division Champion. This is a vast difference! This is the World Championship and this is being the face of Impact. If that did happen, I can’t tell you that words would be able to come out of my mouth because of the amount of tears I’d be shedding. (laughs)”

On his final thoughts heading into Slammiversary:
“I am as excited as the rest of the world is for Slammiversary. I genuinely believe this is going to be the best wrestling pay per view of the entire year!”