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| Former 3-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion Taz, pictured after his 2nd ECW Heavyweight Championship Win in 1999 at ECW Living Dangerously 1999. The match saw him defeat his ECW nemesis, Sabu, whom he had feuded with for years in ECW. The match was for Sabu's FTW Championship as Sabu held the belt after Taz "decided to let him have the belt" since he was going for the ECW World Heavyweight Championship. However, Sabu rubbed it in his face and they faced off with both belts on the line at Living Dangerously. |
Former ECW World Heavyweight Champion Taz retired back in 2002 from in-ring competition and only wrestled once after that, when he defeated Jerry "The King" Lawler at ECW One Night Stand 2006. Since his retirement he has been doing color commentary and has cemented himself as one of the longest tenured commentators in recent memory, working for such companies as WWE, TNA and now AEW, where his son HOOK wrestles at.
He has mentioned he is in need of both his knees and shoulders replaced, but that he is opting not to have surgery right now. The 56 year old legend said on social media:
"highly acclaimed orthopedic surgeon" has informed him that he needs the four joints replaced, he's not going to have it done now.
Taz is instead choosing to keep trying regenerative procedures and will attempt to deal with the pain.
Taz said the issue with his knees and shoulders is from training too heavy in the gym during his career, not the bumps he took in the ring. He urged today's wrestlers to be smarter about how they train:
Went to a highly acclaimed orthopedic surgeon yesterday to discuss my knee. It’s been brutal for a couple of years, he did testing & X-rays on me. So, both of my shoulders & knees need to be replaced. 4 joints. I am not doing this right now. I’m gonna keep trying regenerative procedures & try to suck it up dealing with the pain.
*This is NOT from bumps… It’s from training too heavy like a caveman trying to be 'big'. I’m posting this for today’s wrestlers, please be smarter, times have changed for the better!!
A former ECW Champion and WWE wrestler, Taz retired from in-ring competition in 2002 and only wrestled once after that, returning for a quick squash of Jerry Lawler at ECW One Night Stand 2006. He's worked as a commentator for WWE, TNA, and AEW.
Taz signed with AEW in 2020 and is part of the announce team for Dynamite. He's the father of AEW wrestler HOOK, who is a former 2-time FTW Champion, having recently lost the title to Chris Jericho at AEW Dynasty 2024!
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