Tod Gordon, the founder of Eastern Championship Wrestling (ECW), is currently in the hospital, according to a statement released by his family. The announcement was made on Saturday via Gordon’s Instagram account, noting that he has been hospitalized “for some time.”
The full statement from the family, which has since been deleted, reads: “From the Family of Tod Gordon: We wanted to share that, Tod Gordon, is currently in the hospital and has been for some time. If you’ve reached out and haven’t heard back, please know he’s not ignoring anyone — he’s just focusing on his health right now. While he is unable to receive visitors, we appreciate all your love, support, and prayers during this time. Please keep him in your thoughts. Thank you.”
The reason for Gordon’s hospitalization and the specifics of his medical condition have not been publicly disclosed. The family’s announcement also clarified that he is unable to receive visitors at this time while he recovers.
A Philadelphia-based jeweler, Gordon launched Eastern Championship Wrestling in 1992. He appointed Paul Heyman as the promotion’s booker in 1993, and the company subsequently became affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA).
Gordon and Heyman engineered the promotion’s significant departure from the NWA in August 1994. This separation was cemented when NWA World Heavyweight Championship tournament winner Shane Douglas famously threw down the title belt. That incident prompted the organization’s renaming to Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW). In 1995, Gordon sold his ownership of the promotion to Heyman. For his contributions, Gordon was honored with an induction into the 2300 Arena’s Hardcore Hall of Fame in 2009.
