Professional wrestling icon Terry Brunk, recognized globally as Sabu, has died at 60, numerous sources reported on Sunday, May 11. The cause of death has not yet been revealed.
Sabu’s death follows his retirement match against Joey Janela at a Game Changer Wrestling event during WrestleMania 41 weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 18, 2025. He also attended the Tri-State Wrestling Alliance reunion convention at Philadelphia’s historic 2300 Arena shortly before his passing.
As the nephew of wrestling legend Ed “The Sheik” Farhat, Sabu began his wrestling journey in 1985 across the Midwest. After a short tenure in WWE (formerly WWF) and competing in Japan, he joined the emerging Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) in the mid-1990s, rapidly becoming a recognizable figure in the promotion.
Within ECW, Sabu earned the label “the suicidal, homicidal, genocidal, death-defying maniac” due to his high-risk style that merged aerial techniques with hardcore elements such as tables, chairs, ladders, and barbed wire. His inventive wrestling style helped shape the promotion’s edgy identity and influenced many future wrestlers.
Throughout his career, Sabu amassed numerous championships and honors. He was a two-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion, an ECW World Television Champion, and a three-time ECW Tag Team Champion. Outside ECW, he captured the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in 2000 and secured titles in various independent promotions globally.
Following ECW’s closure, Sabu continued his career in several promotions, including Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). In 2006, he joined WWE when it launched a revived ECW brand. During his stint with WWE, Sabu competed against top stars like Rey Mysterio, Big Show, and John Cena.
One of his notable WWE appearances occurred at WrestleMania 23 on April 1, 2007, in his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. There, he teamed with fellow ECW Originals Rob Van Dam, Tommy Dreamer, and The Sandman to defeat The New Breed team in an eight-man tag match in front of 80,000 spectators. WWE released Sabu from his contract in May 2007.
After departing WWE, Sabu continued wrestling in various independent promotions. In 2023, he made two appearances for All Elite Wrestling (AEW), acting as a special enforcer for a match between Adam Cole and Chris Jericho.
Tributes to Sabu came from across the wrestling community. Taz, a former ECW rival now an announcer for AEW, shared his sorrow in a video on social media. “I would not have had the career that I have had, and I’ve been blessed to have, if it wasn’t for Sabu. That man got me over, and he didn’t have to get me over, and he did,” Taz said.
Rob Van Dam, who was both a rival and tag team partner of Sabu’s in ECW, acknowledged his passing with a simple upward-pointing finger emoji on social media, referencing Sabu’s signature pose. AEW released a statement saying, “AEW and the wrestling world mourns the passing of Sabu,” while WWE extended condolences to Sabu’s family, friends and fans.
Brett Lauderdale, the owner of Game Changer Wrestling, which organized Sabu’s final match, shared his thoughts on the event’s significance with ESPN. He expressed that it was both an honor and a privilege to collaborate with Sabu for his farewell performance, emphasizing the importance of giving the wrestling legend the sendoff he rightfully deserved. Lauderdale noted that Sabu’s life and career were worth celebrating and found it gratifying that his final match fully embodied the true essence of Sabu.
Wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer referred to Sabu as the “king of the death matches” and credited him with popularizing hardcore wrestling in the United States. AEW wrestler Mark Briscoe shared his personal inspiration, noting, “Nobody made me want to be a wrestler more than Sabu.”
Sabu had reportedly been dealing with health issues in recent years. In 2023, he suffered what was described as a “serious medical emergency” during a wrestling event that required hospitalization. He had also spoken publicly about needing multiple surgeries for his knee, back, and shoulders.
Beyond his in-ring career, Sabu’s likeness appeared in several video games, including ECW Hardcore Revolution, Legends of Wrestling, and WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008. His impact on professional wrestling continues to be felt today through his pioneering influence on hardcore and high-risk wrestling styles.
