Don West Tributes Feature On WWE SmackDown & AEW Rampage
As tributes continue to pour in for Don West, both WWE and AEW made reference to his passing on last night’s programming.
It was announced by Mike Tenay on Twitter that Don West passed away due to brain lymphoma cancer. He had been fighting with cancer for the last two years.
Tenay wrote this touching tribute to his late friend:
Just heard from wife Terri that our brother @DonWestDeals will be spending New Years in heaven. Terri said D-Dub finally had to tap out from his match with lymphoma. We bonded as soon as we met, both as broadcast partners and friends. Years of great moments both on and off camera.
Wrestling fans are very familiar with Don West because he was one of the original TNA Wrestling announcers along with Mike Tenay when the company was formed by Jeff Jarrett and his father Jerry in the summer of 2002.
Although West didn’t work for the companies directly, both WWE and AEW have shared in mourning his passing on their latest shows.
The 30th December 2022 edition of AEW Rampage opened with a memorial slate for West, whilst Michael Cole made reference to his death on Friday Night SmackDown.
Cole made a point of what West had done for the industry, and how he had made an Impact from his position on commentary, a poignant reference to his home promotion.
"A man who made a true IMPACT on the wrestling business" – Michael Cole paying tribute to Don West on #WWE#Smackdownhttps://t.co/F3u7wqPAYs
— NoDQ.com: WWE and AEW news (@nodqdotcom) December 31, 2022
The tributes will no doubt continue to come in from the wrestling world, and we at TJR share in our condolences to his family, friends, and those who knew him in IMPACT Wrestling.