Matthew Marinelli (born March 20, 1985), known by his ring name, Matt Taven, is an American professional wrestler and wrestling trainer. He is working for Ring of Honor (ROH), which he has been a part of since 2012. Taven won the Ring of Honor World Championship in Madison Square Garden in 2019. He also appears for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL), where he is a former NWA World Historic Welterweight Champion.
Taven's Ring of Honor work includes being a member of The Kingdom (with Adam Cole, Mike Bennett, Maria Kanellis, Vinny Marseglia, and TK O'Ryan at various times) as well as performing across the Northeastern United States independent circuit. Taven won ROH's 2013 Top Prospect Tournament to become a full-time wrestler for the promotion. He is a former one-time ROH World Champion, one-time World Television Champion, one-time ROH World Tag Team Champion with Michael Bennett, and one-third of the first ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champions. Taven has also worked for the Japanese promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a former one-time IWGP Tag Team Champion with Bennett. Taven is the second wrestler to win championships in ROH, CMLL, and NJPW, the other being Rocky Romero.
Taven and Bennett have operated a wrestling school in West Warwick, Rhode Island, since 2016.
In wrestling[]
- Finishing moves
- Aurora Borealis Splash / Borealis Splash (Frog splash)
- Climax (Arm trap headlock driver)
- Trendsetter (Arm triangle choke/crossface combination)
- Signature moves
- Boston crab
- Corkscrew neckbreaker
- Diving dropkick
- Enzuigiri
- Flight of the Conqueror (Vaulting plancha to outside)
- Just the Tip (Running knee strike to a seated opponent)
- Kick of the King (Springboard enzuigiri)
- Spin kick
- Springboard crossbody
- Managers
- Kasey Ray
- Maria Kanellis
- Scarlett Bordeaux
- Truth Martini
- Valerie Malone
- Nicknames
- "The Chaotic Idol"
- "King"
- "The Trend"
- Entrance themes
- Ring of Honor
- "So Unkind" by Voodoo Vegas
- "The Hoopla" by The Jack of All Tracks
- "Damage" by Medeline
- "Something for You / Suffer Unto Me" by David Rolfe and Avenue F (used as a member of The Kingdom / The OGK)
- "Cathedral" by Phraze & Todd Andrew (used as a member of The Kingdom)
- New Japan Pro-Wrestling
- "Damage" by Medeline (used as a member of The Kingdom)
- "Suffer Unto Me" by Avenue F (used as a member of The Kingdom)
- "Something for You / Suffer Unto Me" by David Rolfe and Avenue F (used as a member of The Kingdom)
- "Cathedral" by Phraze & Todd Andrew (used as a member of The Kingdom)
- Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
- "Damage" by Medeline
- "Pretty Handsome Awkward" by The Used
- Independent circuit
- "Something for You / Suffer Unto Me" by David Rolfe and Avenue F (used as a member of The Kingdom)
- "Cathedral" by Phraze & Todd Andrew
- National Wrestling Alliance
- "Anno Satana" by The Smashing Pumpkins (used as a member of The OGK)
- IMPACT Wrestling
- "Tidal Wave" by Slowburn (used as a member of Honor No More)
- All Elite Wrestling
- "Something for You / Suffer Unto Me" by David Rolfe and Avenue F (used as a member of The Kingdom)
- Ring of Honor
Championships and accomplishments[]
- Chaotic Wrestling
- Chaotic Wrestling New England Championship (2 times)
- Chaotic Wrestling Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Vinny Marseglia
- Chaotic Wrestling New England Championship Tournament
- Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
- NWA World Historic Welterweight Championship (1 time)
- IMPACT Wrestling
- IMPACT World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Mike Bennett
- Impact Championship Wrestling
- ICW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Rhett Titus
- National Wrestling Alliance
- NWA on Fire Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Julian Starr
- New Japan Pro-Wrestling
- IWGP Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Michael Bennett
- Northeast Wrestling
- NEW Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- Pro Wrestling Experience
- Robbie Ellis Tournament of Super Juniors
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- Ranked #37 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2019
- Ring of Honor
- ROH World Championship (1 time)
- ROH World Television Championship (1 time)
- ROH World Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Mike Bennett
- ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with TK O'Ryan and Vinny Marseglia
- Top Prospect Tournament (2013)
- ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship Tournament (2016) – with TK O'Ryan and Vinny Marseglia
- Fifth Triple Crown Champion
- Second Grand Slam Champion
- ROH Year-End Awards
- Match of the Year (2019) – vs. Jay Lethal and Marty Scurll (G1 Supercard)
- Wrestler of the Year (2019)
- Top Rope Promotions
- TRP Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- Killer Kowalski Cup (2010)
- The Wrestling REVOLVER
- REVOLVER Tag Team Championship (1 time, current) – with Mike Bennett