In PWMania’s latest exclusive interview, Scott Mitchell (@scott44mitchell) sits down with the new TNA International Champion, Jason Hotch (@TheJasonHotch). Hotch opened up about winning the TNA International Championship, working with Mustafa Ali, things taking a “personal” turn, his upcoming cage match at TNA Lockdown against Ali, TNA on AMC, the WWE NXT – TNA partnership, and much more. Watch the interview in its entirety down below.
I want to jump right into it. You are the new TNA International Champion, defeating Mustafa Ali for that title in an instant classic in Philadelphia a mere couple of weeks ago, on July 30th. What did this match and moment mean to you?
“It meant everything to me. I know that’s very cliché to say, but I’ve put in a lot of time. Eight years I’ve been at it. Been in TNA for four. Just kind of slowly been working. This is ultimately where I wanted to be. So, it’s kind of cool to be able to learn from guys like John Skyler, Tasha (Steelz), and (Mustafa) Ali, and kind of use what I’ve learned to be in this situation I’m in now. It’s really cool, man. It meant even more having my family at ringside for it.”
Since coming into TNA Wrestling, you, along with John Skyler, have been by the side of Mustafa Ali. What did it mean to you and your career to work with him?
“Man, it was awesome. I had found out before he signed with TNA, someone pulled me and John (Skyler) aside, and were like, ‘Hey, just want to let you guys know, we’re about to sign Mustafa Ali, and he requested that he have a faction and you guys are in his faction.’ A little backstory: I played two years of college baseball, and we all got batting practice songs. My batting practice song was his WWE song. Right. So, kind of a full-circle moment. Now I get to work and learn from him. It’s awesome. He has a very unique and particular way of thinking. I feel like I kind of apply everything that I picked up from him, in time.”
Things recently took a very personal turn between you two. Ali sat down with your wife and daughter on a recent TNA iMPACT episode and told them that he’ll “take care of them” regardless of what happens to you. What went through your mind seeing this?
“You know, what would go through your mind, right? I keep watching that back any time I wake up, and I’m like, ‘Eh, you know what, I might take it easy today.’ I watch that video, and I find myself in the gym. It’s funny how perspective kind of changes. July 30th, I went in. I felt like it was me against the world. I had all of Order 4 practically against me. Even if Tasha Steelz and John Skyler are kind of between a rock and a hard place. I felt alone. I knew that I had to try and slay the dragon that is Ali. But now, he decided to make it very personal. I feel like any mentor in anything- a mentor’s goal should be to, you know, somebody that they’re teaching, call it an apprentice, you should want them to surpass you one day. It could have been: I kept the International Title within the Order 4. He could have gone for the World Title. There are so many different avenues we could have taken. But he decided to make it personal with me. So, perspective now is: when that cage door shuts, and that bell rings, I’m going to be on him like a fly on shit. I’m non-stop coming forward. I just want to get my hands on him, but in due time, I will.”
Before this segment, it seemed like your matches with Ali were almost always friendly competition. Now, it seems like something much more personal needs to be settled. What is going through your head right now?
“It’s funny. I don’t know how many people paid attention and realized this. Against All Odds, 2025, if you watch that entire match, there’s not one time we threw a closed fist. We didn’t punch each other. We didn’t hit each other. We had a gentlemen’s agreement. July 30th, I was the first one who threw a punch. It was because he was constantly disrespecting me in the match, telling me I don’t belong with him. You have all you can stand, and you can’t stand anymore, right? Just focusing on how personal this is to me now. I’m not going for specifically a match of the night. I’m sure people will argue that it’s going to be. I think that’s just the level of talent that Ali and I are, and we have good chemistry. But this is going to be a fight. I’m bringing a fight to Ali. If he’s going to want to wrestle and do all of the things Ali does, I’m going to be coming forward with relentless pressure. He’ll have to find a way to stop me. Again, I know I’m walking into Chicago, his hometown. I’ve constantly heard him say on podcasts, in interviews, ‘Ali in Chicago, Jason Hotch has to fight me in Chicago.’ He acts like he is the second city saint. There’s only one of those in our business, and it’s not Mustafa Ali. I’m not taking anything away from him. I’m just saying how it is. There’s pressure on me, obviously. It’s my first-ever title defense in my career at TNA. However, he is the hometown guy. He’s got friends. He’s got family. He’s got a lot of fans coming to watch him. But what if he loses in Chicago? Where does he go from there? I think that would be rather embarrassing. You talk all this big game and talk about how easy it’s going to be, ‘Oh, I’m in my hometown.’ What if you lose? What does that do to his mental? Completely different perspective this time around. I’m just ready. I’m itching for Sunday to get here.”
Now, you and Ali will be locked inside a Steel Cage this coming weekend as TNA Wrestling returns to Chicago, IL, on Sunday for its big event, Lockdown. What is your mindset heading into this one?
“I try to see the positives in every situation. We haven’t had a Lockdown event in over 10 years. So, being able to say that I’m a part of this, and again, it shows how awesome of a wrestling city that Chicago is. We bring back this pay-per-view after all these years. And where’s the one place we choose to go? We go to Chicago. Chicago fans are like a different breed in the best way possible. So, really, I’m thankful to be on the card and be in the situation I’m in. Again, it’s completely personal to me now. While, yes, I’m thankful to be the TNA International Champion, I’m going to fight Ali. That’s all there is to it. You don’t mess with a man’s family, and you don’t talk about a man’s mama. Those are the two golden rules that I follow. Ali broke that. So, he’s going to reap what he sowed.”
You are a part of one of the biggest eras in TNA Wrestling history, and of course, I’m talking about the TNA on AMC era, as well as the fun WWE NXT-TNA partnership. What does it mean for you to be not only a part of this, but such a focal point wearing the TNA flag proudly?
“It’s awesome, man. The fact that we have a TV deal means we can get TNA’s name out to hundreds, thousands, and millions of people. That’s really cool. A lot of people are saying that Ali and I had the best main event in the AMC era, which, again, incredibly thankful for. There’s a lot of time, effort, and work that goes into it. So, getting that recognition is really sweet. As far as the partnership with WWE and NXT, the fact that eyes over there could potentially be watching is really sweet because who knows what the future has in store? A lot of opportunities can come our way just being signed to TNA, and it’s because of the connections we have through the company. Just incredibly thankful for TNA, for the people in the office, the agents, creative, the locker room. The locker room is as family-oriented as it could be. Just a really good situation I’m in, I feel like.”
Looking ahead, what are your future goals?
“As of right now, I want to be the best TNA International Champion that I could be. Again, Ali made it personal, but I’ll give him credit where credit is due. He did nothing but elevate the International Title. He took it all around the globe. To lose it to your protégé is pretty humbling, obviously. Aside from that, definitely would like a shot at the X-Division Championship. If John Skyler figures out what’s best for him, I’d love to win tag titles with John Skyler. I feel like over the course of time we were one of the more underutilized tag teams. I feel like there’s nothing but upside to us. But we don’t have a say in that. I’d love a shot at the X-Division title, Tag Titles if it presents itself, and go from there really.”
Do you have anyone you’d like to square off with?
“Yeah, you know. A question like this is tough for me to think because I don’t want to look past this Sunday. You know, Lockdown. I never got to mix it up with Mike Santana, Cruz Montana. I’d love to mix it up with him. Think of dream matches. Nic Nemeth would be really cool. I’d love another crack at Cedric (Alexander). Leon (Slater). Leon was one of the guys that opened my eyes to the truth that ultimately I was the one holding myself back. I have nothing but love and respect for Leon. He’s a generational talent, and I’d love to mix it up with him too. Really, I feel like anyone I can get in TNA- Frankie Kazarian- I feel like anybody that I can mix it up with, we could have a barn burner.”
