Trey Miguel has offered a detailed look at the path Jason Hotch took from his training school to TNA Wrestling, explaining why he chose not to give Hotch a free place in the company’s Gut Check program even though TNA had made several spots available for Miguel’s students.
The former X-Division Champion spoke warmly about Hotch during an appearance on Busted Open, calling the current two-time TNA International Champion an overlooked standout within the company. Miguel’s comments centered on Hotch’s growth as a wrestler, his willingness to do whatever is asked of him in the ring, and the personal importance of seeing one of his trainees establish himself in TNA.
At the heart of Miguel’s story was the 2022 Gut Check process, which Hotch won before becoming a regular part of the TNA roster. Miguel said TNA had offered him five openings that he could distribute to wrestlers training at his school. Rather than place Hotch in one of those complimentary positions, however, Miguel wanted his student to pay his own way into the tryout.
It was not a lack of faith in Hotch. Miguel said it was exactly the opposite: he believed Hotch would win, and wanted him to have a clear answer if anyone ever suggested the opportunity had been handed to him because of his connection to Miguel.
For more background on this topic, read Trey Miguel Says He and Leon Slater Have a Bigger Story Than a “20-Minute Flip-Off” at TNA Destination X.
Miguel Wanted Hotch’s Achievement To Be Unquestionable
“He’s already a champion, but Jason Hotch. I think Jason is just so good,” Miguel said. “I remember when he came into my training school… this is 2019. I trained him. He did the Gut Check… I never told this story publicly but, TNA gave me five open slots to give to my students so that they could participate in the Gut Check. I told Jason I didn’t want him to get one of those free spots.”
Miguel said his reasoning was simple. He wanted Hotch to invest in the opportunity himself so that the eventual result would belong entirely to Hotch, without room for anyone to diminish the accomplishment by pointing to Miguel’s role as his trainer.
“I wanted him to pay for it so that way when he won it like I knew he was going to win it, no one could tell him that it was given to him,” Miguel continued.
That distinction clearly remains meaningful to Miguel. Training another wrestler can create an enduring connection, especially when that wrestler reaches the same national promotion as his coach. Yet Miguel’s account emphasized independence rather than taking credit for Hotch’s success. His decision was designed to make sure Hotch could say he earned his TNA contract through his own performance in Gut Check.
The story also adds context to the relationship between the two TNA wrestlers. Miguel trained Hotch beginning in 2019, and Hotch’s successful Gut Check run in 2022 became a major checkpoint in his transition into TNA. Miguel recalled anxiously awaiting the result alongside D’Lo Brown before receiving confirmation from another student that Hotch had won.
“I remember sitting there with D’Lo Brown, I’m freaking out, waiting for the results, and I finally get the call from another one of my students that Jason had won it,” Miguel said.
From Training School To TNA Champion
Hotch is now the current TNA International Champion and a two-time holder of that title. For Miguel, that journey represents what he described as a transformation from “zero to hero.” It is a perspective shaped not only by their teacher-student history, but also by watching Hotch develop into an established performer in the company.
Miguel pointed specifically to Hotch’s work with Mustafa Ali this year. He praised the matches and stories Hotch has been able to create, while also stressing that Hotch’s value goes beyond his athletic ability. In Miguel’s view, Hotch has grown as a storyteller while maintaining the physical skills that initially made him stand out.
“Jason is one of those perfect examples of watching someone go from zero to hero, and the matches he’s put on this year with Mustafa Ali especially and the stories he’s learned to tell, on top of the athleticism, I would love to have a World Championship match with him,” Miguel said.
That endorsement carries considerable weight coming from someone who has known Hotch’s potential since his earliest days in training. Miguel was not merely reflecting on a former pupil making good; he made the case that Hotch has earned consideration for the biggest matches available in TNA.
Miguel’s stated ambition is to meet Hotch in a TNA World Championship match. He framed that possibility as a meaningful personal milestone, but also as one he believes would be justified by Hotch’s body of work and standing in the locker room. The idea is rooted in their shared history, though Miguel was clear that he does not see it as a sentimental choice alone.
A Singles Match In Brampton Reinforced Miguel’s Belief
The two have already met in a recent singles contest. Miguel recalled facing Hotch in Brampton, Ontario, a few months ago, where they wrestled for approximately 20 minutes and received two standing ovations. For Miguel, working a match of that kind against someone he trained was one of the most rewarding experiences of his career.
“We did a singles match a couple of months ago. We were in Brampton, Ontario, and we went about 20 minutes. We got two standing ovations, and to do that with my Padawan basically, I thought it was one of the coolest things ever,” Miguel said.
The use of “Padawan” underscored the mentor-student bond, but Miguel’s broader comments made clear that he sees Hotch as much more than a trainee at this stage. Hotch has become a peer, a champion, and a wrestler Miguel believes is capable of reaching the world-title picture.
“I think that would be the ultimate thing for me and not just because I personally want it,” Miguel added when discussing a possible championship match. “I do think he has earned this. I do think he deserves it and I don’t think there’s a single person in the locker room that doesn’t enjoy the work that he puts out or being around him.”
That praise extended to Hotch’s personality and professionalism. Miguel described him as a good person and highlighted a trait that has long been valued in professional wrestling: a willingness to put his body on the line for a match, a moment, or a fellow performer.
“He’s such a good guy, and if you ask him to take a suplex bump from a ring post through a table 20 feet away, he’ll do it for you,” Miguel said with a laugh. “Says a lot about his character.”
Gut Check Win Remains A Defining Part Of Hotch’s Story
Gut Check has served as a gateway for independent wrestlers hoping to earn a place in TNA. In Hotch’s case, the 2022 victory remains an important chapter because it was not simply an invitation received through a trainer’s connection. Miguel had access to five free spots for his students, yet intentionally told Hotch to pursue the tryout without using one.
That choice came with an element of risk. A free opening would have provided a direct route into the process, while paying out of pocket placed the responsibility squarely on Hotch. But Miguel believed Hotch’s ability would carry him through. When Hotch ultimately won, the result validated Miguel’s assessment and gave Hotch a career milestone nobody could credibly portray as a favor.
It also illustrates the balance Miguel sought to maintain as a trainer with ties to TNA. He was willing to help create opportunities for his students, but he wanted Hotch’s specific accomplishment to stand separately from that assistance. The goal was not to distance himself from Hotch, but to make sure Hotch’s own work was the defining reason he arrived in the company.
With Hotch now holding the TNA International Championship for a second time, Miguel’s recollection arrives at a moment when he believes his former student has demonstrated continued upward momentum. Miguel sees championship potential in Hotch beyond his current role, and their Brampton match appears to have strengthened his conviction that they could deliver something significant on a larger stage.
For now, Miguel’s account serves as a testament to Hotch’s journey: a wrestler trained by Miguel in 2019, a Gut Check winner in 2022, and a current champion whom Miguel believes has built his position through ability, storytelling, work ethic, and character. If a TNA World Championship match between the two ever materializes, it would carry a natural history that began well before either man stepped into the ring together in Brampton.
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.