Tod Gordon, ECW founder, hospitalized, family asks for privacy

Tod Gordon, the founder of Extreme Championship Wrestling, has been hospitalized and is focusing on his recovery, his family said in a statement posted to his official Instagram account on Oct. 19. The statement said Gordon "is currently in the hospital and has been for some time" and added that he is not ignoring messages but is concentrating on his health. It also asked for privacy and for well wishes while noting that he is not in a position to receive visitors.

Gordon’s family posted the brief update to explain why he has not been responding to outreach. They thanked supporters for their "love, support, and prayers" and asked that he be kept in people’s thoughts. No medical details, length of hospitalization, or prognosis were provided. The Instagram post was later removed; the family did not offer an explanation for the deletion.

Gordon, a Philadelphia-based promoter, launched Eastern Championship Wrestling in 1992. The promotion became an affiliate of the National Wrestling Alliance the following year and, after bringing in Paul Heyman as booker in 1993, rebranded as Extreme Championship Wrestling following a split from the NWA in 1994. Gordon sold his share of the company...