While Steve Austin teases that he might wrestle again, and Goldberg remains adamant that he will be back, one AEW veteran has confirmed that he won’t be joining them.
During his time with ECW, Taz became one of the biggest stars in the company and made one of the most memorable WWE debuts at the Royal Rumble in 2000. However, by late 2001 injuries had started to catch up with the Human Suplex Machine and he wrestled much less frequently, becoming a full-time commentator on SmackDown in 2002.
While his WWE career might not have hit the heights some hoped, he was involved in one of the more bizarre matches in wrestling history during this period. In 2000, ECW World Champion Mike Awesome signed for WCW, so a plan was hatched for him to lose the title. The end result was Taz pinning the star, holding the title for ten days before losing it to Tommy Dreamer. This meant that a WWE-contracted wrestler, beat a WCW-contracted wrestler to win the ECW Title.
With nostalgia sweeping wrestling and many legends getting back in the ring, Taz was asked whether he might make a return. The veteran was adamant he wouldn’t be while praising his son Hook.
“Not a shot. I’m 55, I retired from the ring a long time ago. It’s a young persons business IMO. Watch my son, he’s 10x the athlete I ever was & his presence/vibe blows mine away. Took me 6-7 years to find “it”….he IS “it”. He’s just getting warmed up…trust me.”
When asked if he would take any bumps, the star pointed to his numerous injury issues, revealing he’s in pain every day.
“Not unless I’m ok with losing feeling in my legs being that I have nerve damage …so no sir. Along with needing a knee & shoulder replacement. I live in pain…everyday. Not complaining, just a fact. I’m use to being in pain. My wife is use to seeing me in pain. It’s all good tho!”
When Did Taz Join AEW?
Taz stayed with WWE until April 2009 when his contract with the company expired. Although he was offered a new deal he decided to take a break and try something new. That July, Taz joined IMPACT Wrestling where he remained until 2015.
The former ECW World Champion made his first appearance with AEW in October 2019 and signed a full-time deal with the company the following year. Taz joined the Dynamite announce desk in June 2022.