The big question heading into Friday night’s SmackDown was whether or not Rey Mysterio would take Paul Heyman up on his offer to join the new ECW. Before Mysterio could make his decision, SmackDown’s color commentator Tazz had an announcement of his own – he was heading back to ECW.

Tazz will be facing Jerry “The King” Lawler at ECW One Night Stand, and over the last couple of weeks, it became clear that Tazz was irate at how The King talked about his alma mater. After weeks of passionate words on behalf of ECW, perhaps it should come as no surprise that Tazz made this decision. The two-time ECW World Champion was short and sweet when it came to his farewell speech.

“Tazz is going where Tazz belongs,” he said on SmackDown. “Tazz is going home. Taz is going back to ECW for good. I had a great time here on SmackDown. I’m done. I’m going home. Goodbye.”

Tazz got his start in sports-entertainment in ECW, and it was there that he became known as the Human Suplex Machine for the wide array of bone-crunching maneuvers he would punish his opponents with. But even more feared than his suplexes is the dreaded Tazzmission – a hold in which he chokes out his opponents. Tazz used his unique style to defeat the best of the best in ECW including Sabu, Bam Bam Bigelow, Shane Douglas and just about anyone who came through the land of hardcore. He also held the ECW World, Television and Tag Team Championships. With so many fond memories, it’s easy to see why Tazz still has a special place in his heart for ECW.

But he’s had a successful tenure in WWE as well. Tazz burst onto the scene with a huge win over the then-undefeated Kurt Angle at the 2000 Royal Rumble in his debut match. Tazz went on to hold the Hardcore and World Tag Team Championships as well. Then, in 2002, Tazz donned a headset and became the color commentator of SmackDown. Tazz made a seamless transition from the squared circle to the announce booth and did a great job analyzing matches week in and week out on SmackDown. But when the new ECW came along, it appears as though Tazz got a little home sick.

Looking back at WWE vs. ECW Head to Head, perhaps it should come as no surprise Tazz made this decision. Early on in the broadcast, after Tazz was emphatically defending ECW against King’s insults, Lawler questioned Tazz’s allegiance to WWE saying “You’re a SmackDown commentator. Last time I checked SmackDown was WWE.”

Tazz’s response may have been a clue that he was ready to move back to ECW.

“I am a SmackDown commentator,” said Tazz. “I do what I want, when I want. I’m here showing respect for my history of ECW.”

Well, that history that Tazz spoke of, is now his present. The Human Suplex Machine is going back to ECW to join the likes of Kurt Angle and Big Show. Will anymore current WWE Superstars be following? Only time will tell.