AEW commentator and ECW legend Taz has revealed that he will be stepping away from the AEW Dynamite broadcast team to undergo total shoulder replacement surgery. The longtime voice of AEW shared the news on X, informing fans that he will be taking time off to recover from the upcoming procedure.

“I will be having total shoulder replacement surgery in a short time. Therefore I will be off AEW Dynamite for some time. See you soon,” Taz wrote. While he did not give an exact date for his surgery, he confirmed that his absence will last for an extended period as he focuses on rehabilitation.

Before becoming one of wrestling’s most respected commentators, Taz made his name in ECW as one of the company’s toughest and most dominant stars. He captured the ECW World Heavyweight Championship twice, the ECW World Television Championship twice, and the ECW World Tag Team Championship three times, while also creating the iconic FTW Championship , a title that has since been revived in AEW.

Following his success in ECW, Taz made a memorable WWE debut at the 2000 Royal Rumble, where he famously choked out Kurt Angle. Although injuries eventually cut short his in-ring career, he reinvented himself as a top-tier commentator on SmackDown before later moving to TNA, where he served as both a commentator and on-air personality. In 2019, Taz joined AEW, initially managing Team Taz before becoming a full-time fixture on commentary alongside Excalibur and Tony Schiavone.

With Taz set to take time off, AEW may temporarily rotate members of its commentary team, with names like Bryan Danielson or Nigel McGuinness potentially filling in during his recovery.

Get well soon

, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) October 8, 2025

Comment – Join WNS (It’s Free!) 

Ready to join the discussion? Sign up in 30 seconds to comment on wrestling news, connect with fans, and track your activity on the WNS leaderboard. Click the link to sign up today – Become a Member (Don’t forget to verify your email!).