AEW commentator and ECW legend Taz has announced that he will be taking a leave of absence from the AEW Dynamite broadcast team to undergo total shoulder replacement surgery. In a post on X, the man known as “The Human Suplex Machine” informed his followers of the upcoming procedure and his necessary time away to recover.
“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 in his social media post. He did not provide a specific date for the surgery or a potential timeline for his return to the commentary desk.
Before becoming one of the best color commentators in the business, Taz was a top star in ECW. He was a two-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion, a two-time ECW World Television Champion, a three-time ECW World Tag Team Champion, and the creator of the FTW Championship, a title that has since been revived in AEW.
After his run in ECW, Taz joined WWE, where he had a memorable debut at the 2000 Royal Rumble, choking out Kurt Angle. While his WWE in-ring career was hampered by injuries, he successfully transitioned into a color commentary role, where he became a beloved voice on the SmackDown brand. After a successful run as a commentator and on-air personality in TNA, he joined AEW in 2019, initially as a manager before moving to the commentary booth full-time.
With Taz now set for a period of recovery, it remains to be seen who will fill his chair on the Dynamite broadcast team. It is likely that other commentators from the AEW roster, such as Bryan Danielson or Nigel McGuinness, will step in to join Tony Schiavone and Excalibur on Wednesday nights.
Get well soon
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) October 8, 2025
