Taz Inducted Into 2300 Arena’s Hardcore Hall of Fame Before AEW Dynamite

The legendary “Human Suplex Machine” Taz has officially joined the 2300 Arena’s Hardcore Hall of Fame, an honor many fans felt was long overdue.

The moment took place before AEW Dynamite went live on the air in Philadelphia. AEW President Tony Khan personally unveiled the banner, surprising both the fans and Taz himself, who admitted he had no idea the induction was coming.

Taz kept his remarks short but heartfelt, thanking the Philadelphia faithful for always embracing a New Yorker like him as one of their own. He credited Khan, the Arena, and the AEW fanbase for the moment, joking that he’d been “worked” by his own family, who kept the surprise under wraps.

After the broadcast, the AEW roster poured out wearing throwback Team Taz Dojo shirts as Kiss’ “War Machine” blasted through the speakers. Hook and Taz’s wife joined him in the ring as the crowd erupted into chants of “Thank you Taz!”

Tony Khan called Taz the “greatest legend in the history of this building,” recalling his own teenage years wearing a Taz shirt in the same arena. The veteran announcer and former ECW World Champion was visibly moved, noting that AEW carries the same extreme fighting spirit that made ECW famous, just with “a bigger roster and a lot more money.”

A Career Defined in Philly

Few performers are as synonymous with the 2300 Arena—once the ECW Arena—as Taz. From his 1993 debut against Sabu to capturing the ECW World Championship and FTW Title, his battles with names like Bam Bam Bigelow, Shane Douglas, Dean Malenko, and The Public Enemy helped shape the identity of ECW.

His rivalry with Sabu carried ECW into its first pay-per-view, Barely Legal in 1997. His last appearance in the building as an active wrestler came at Cyberslam 2000, where he lost the ECW World Championship to Tommy Dreamer.

Since then, Taz has built a second career as a respected announcer, transitioning from WWE to TNA, radio, and eventually AEW. His voice has become as recognizable as his suplexes once were.

With this induction, Taz becomes the 26th name enshrined in the Hardcore Hall of Fame, joining icons like Terry Funk, Tommy Dreamer, Sabu, Rob Van Dam, The Dudley Boyz, and even the passionate ECW fans themselves.

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This was more than just an induction—it was a full-circle moment. Taz was one of the last major ECW legends not yet immortalized in the Hardcore Hall of Fame, and AEW gave him the platform and respect he deserved. The surprise element, complete with Team Taz shirts and Hook by his side, elevated this into an emotional send-off that honored ECW’s legacy while highlighting AEW’s respect for wrestling history. For longtime fans, it was a goosebump-inducing night that connected generations.

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