Reveal photo with car owner and Martin Brothers Crew from Iron Resurrection Season 3, Photo: MotorTrend Formerly Velocity

Iron Resurrection, MotorTrend Network’s hit show, premiered its 2020 season on February 5. While gearheads were initially rejoicing, their hearts sank when they noticed that familiar faces were missing during the premiere. Iron Resurrection fans were disappointed that Javier ‘Shorty’ Ponce and Phil Cato weren’t in the season 4 premiere and are obviously asking what happened to Shorty and Cato. Some are hopeful they will appear later in the season. But it appears that we might not see the two car customizers on the show in the near future.

What Happened to Shorty and Cato on Iron Resurrection?

Iron Resurrection focuses on Joe and Jason Martin of Martin Bros Customs, as they restore vehicles that were destined for the junkyard and transform them into some amazing hotrods. Joe’s wife, Mandi Martin, and other customizers like Shag Arrington, Javier “Shorty” Ponce, Phil Cato of Cato’s Upholstery, Mike, Manny, and Pompa have also been important members of the crew since the show premiered.

But season 4 saw several of these engineers and fabricators, like Shorty, Cato, Manny, and Pompa, MIA. Fans were disappointed that Shorty and Cato were left out this season.

The reasons were initially unknown and the network hadn’t officially addressed it. That didn’t stop fans from hitting up the show on social media and demanding answers.

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One fan appears to have gotten a reply from one of the social media accounts for Iron Resurrection. The fan posted the statement from the show explaining Shorty and Cato’s absence.

Family circumstances seem to be the reason why Shorty and Cato decided to leave. There’s no indication that they were fired or parted with Martin Bros and the show on bad terms.

According to the statement, Shorty is a new grandfather now and wants to spend more time with his family. Instead of dividing time between the show and his shop, he will now only focus on his business and customers in Dallas, giving himself more quality time with his family.

Posted by Lacy Kelly on Wednesday, February 5, 2020

As for Cato, he decided to let his reality TV career take a backseat when his wife earned a better job opportunity. He has relocated with his family to Atlanta, Georgia, where his wife’s work is now based. Cato Custom Upholstery has also shifted base to the Fuller Moto shop in Georgia.

The statement from Iron Resurrection closes with: “We are all still close friends that respect and support each others decisions. [sic]”

While it won’t be the same without Cato and Shorty and the others, it’s great to know that they are doing well. And perhaps they could return to TV in the future, too!

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