During a recent episode of “Grilling JR”, Jim Ross discussed Taz jumping the WWE guardrail during an event in 1996 and what he thinks about Taz doing commentary for AEW After Dark. Here are the highlights:
On Taz Jumping The Guardrail:
Taz jumping the guardrail was just a booked angle. Something to create some talk, and — look, we knew all the stars at ECW. I mean, gosh almighty. Paul had done a good job of putting that band of outlaws together and creating an ‘us against the world’ mentality. And then kicking ass in their own unique style. And Taz was one of those guys. He was one of those cornerstones, just like the Dudleys, Rob Van Dam, Sabu, Dreamer. Sandman, all those guys were stars. We didn’t have a place for all of them, but some of them we certainly had high expectations that at some point sooner than later, that I’d be able to sign. And Taz was one of the guys on top of that list. We thought he’d fit in real well. And he would have fit in real well if he could have stayed healthy. That’s not his fault, it’s just one of those deals, man.
On Taz Doing Commentary For AEW Dark:
Good, I like them [Excalibur and Taz]. A smart move by Tony Khan. I suggested to the Powers That Be several weeks ago, i.e. when [AEW Executive] Rafael Morfi released the schedule of where AEW was gonna be travelling and doing our TVs. I saw Philly, so I thought, ‘You know, that’d be –‘ Taz I had been communicating, I knew he was interested in getting his toe back in the water in some shape, form, or fashion. I’m a fan of his work, he’s a friend of mine. We’re football guys and all that good stuff. So I suggested to some of our people that maybe [it could be] a surprise thing in Philly. And of course, he comes out in Philly and I though, you use him as a second or a manager, or a referee or whatever. Some minor role. And when, I think it was Cody. Cody and Tony Khan decided to use him on commentary with Excalibur. Which freed up Schiavone and me, which did not hurt my feelings at all.
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Credit: Grilling JR. H/T 411Mania.
