Why Did Shorty Leave Iron Resurrection? Iron Resurrection is a popular Discovery Channel show that follows the crew of Martin Bros Customs auto shop. They take old and worn-out cars and turn them into shiny new custom rides.

One of the crew members, Javier “Shorty” Ponce, was a popular figure on the show for the first three seasons. But when he disappeared from the show in season 4, fans were curious to know what happened to him.

Did Shorty have a falling out with the Martin Bros? Or was it just time for him to move on to different projects? Find out what happened to Shorty on Iron Resurrection and what else he’s doing now in the article below.

Why Did Shorty Leave Iron Resurrection?

Shorty left Iron Resurrection to spend more time with his family and focus on his personal paint shop.

Javier Ponce, AKA “Shorty” or “Short Dog,” was a fixture on Discovery channel’s Iron Resurrection for the first three seasons.

However, when the fourth season aired in 2020, Shorty was nowhere to be found. After fans of the show flocked to social media asking where Shorty was, the man himself responded with a video on Facebook.

In the video, Short Dog explained that he was expanding his auto paint shop, located in Dallas, Texas. He also wanted to cut back on the travel between Dallas and Austin, where they film Iron Resurrection.

He had also recently become a grandfather, and wanted to “enjoy every second of being a new Grandpa.”

Shorty wasn’t the only one to leave Iron Resurrection, either. Another fan favorite, Cato, left the show in season 4 as well.

Cato left in order to support his wife as she needed to move to Atlanta, Georgia for her career.

Fans were appreciative of the explanations and both of the men’s contributions to the show. Shorty was also grateful for the outpouring of care he received after his announcement.

Shorty thanked his fans for their support, stating “I had no idea that there were so many of you out there that really like me for who I am and what I did.”

See the video below:

Will Shorty Ever Return To Iron Resurrection?

Shorty has hinted that he could return to Iron Resurrection, but there are no official plans right now.

Iron Resurrection is still an on-going show; the sixth season finished airing at the end of 2022. While they haven’t announced a seventh season yet, there’s been no word of cancellation, either.

That means that Shorty could still have a chance to return to Iron Resurrection. In fact, Short Dog himself hinted at the possibility in his video explaining his decision to step back.

In the video, Shorty said “You might see me back in the future, so for now I’ll leave it at that and again, thanks a lot and I’ll see you soon.”

While he hasn’t made another appearance on the show yet, it seems as though he’s open to the idea. The other cast members of Iron Resurrection also seem to still consider Shorty a friend.

A Facebook post made on behalf of the show stated “we are all still close friends that respect and support each [other’s] decisions.”

Fans Reactions To Shorty Leaving Iron Resurrection

Fans were very surprised when Shorty was not part of Iron Resurrection season 4.

When the Facebook page for the show announced season 4 in January of 2020, fans filled the comments section with questions about Short Dog.

John Morgan said “Hate to see Shorty leave but understand his choice. He will be missed on the show.”

When the fourth season premiered, another fan on Facebook commented “Where’s short dog and kato [sic] and papa gone ?? Please tell me they’ve not been binned ???”

Is Shorty Still Working On Cars?

Shorty is still working on cars at his paint shop, Shorty’s Custom Paint, in Dallas, Texas.

Shorty worked in the automotive industry for over 16 years before going out on his own as a business owner.

And he hasn’t stopped his media career, either. Even though he’s no longer on Iron Resurrection, Short Dog is still documenting his work on cars.

The Motor Trend TV network, part of the Discovery Channel brand, now hosts Shorty’s Dream Shop. Similar to Iron Resurrection, the show follows Shorty and his crew at their paint shop as they transform old cars into “sleek hot rods.”