Sabu Passes Weeks After Final Match
Professional wrestling mourns the death of Terry Brunk, better known as Sabu, at the age of 60, with PWInsider.com confirming the news and reporting no disclosed cause of death, while fans and wrestlers alike react with sorrow.
Sabu wrestled his final match against Joey Janela on 18 April, according to The New York Post, in a bout that featured his trademark elements of danger, including barbed wire and a table spot, which defined his style over decades.
AEW and the wrestling world mourns the passing of Sabu.
From barbed wire battles to unforgettable high-risk moments, Sabu gave everything to professional wrestling.
Our thoughts are with his family, his friends and his fans. pic.twitter.com/JpgbYj2KKl
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 11, 2025
A Career Built on Hardcore Legacy
Sabu rose to prominence in the 1990s during his time with Extreme Championship Wrestling, where he earned the moniker “the suicidal, homicidal, genocidal, death–defying maniac” due to his relentless and risk-filled performances.
He regularly used chairs, tables, ladders, and barbed wire in his matches, helping define the hardcore wrestling genre and pushing the physical limits of what fans expected inside the ring.
Sabu followed the legacy of his uncle, wrestling legend Ed “The Sheik” Farhat, and carried that intensity forward with unrelenting consistency throughout his career.
Championship Success Across Promotions
Sabu achieved major success in ECW, where he captured the World Heavyweight Championship twice, the World Television Championship once, and the Tag Team Championship three times, while competing against names like Rob Van Dam, Mick Foley and Taz.
He joined WWE in 2006 during the company’s revival of the ECW brand and participated in WrestleMania 23 in 2007, teaming with fellow ECW Originals to defeat The New Breed in front of 80,000 fans at Detroit’s Ford Field.
Sabu departed WWE the following month, but his contributions remained present in the evolving style of the sport, both domestically and internationally.
Figure 1: Sandman, Sabu, RVD and Tommy Dreamer celebrate their win at WrestleMania 23
Wrestling Around the World
Beyond ECW and WWE, Sabu competed for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, WCW, AAA, and CMLL, showcasing his hardcore style across continents and adapting his craft for diverse audiences.
He made numerous appearances in independent promotions across the globe and continued performing long after many of his contemporaries had retired, demonstrating a career fuelled by passion and endurance.
In 2023, he appeared in All Elite Wrestling as a special enforcer in a match between Adam Cole and Chris Jericho, further extending his legacy into a new era of wrestling.
Industry Reacts to Sabu’s Death
WWE issued a statement acknowledging his passing, writing, “WWE is saddened to learn that Terry Brunk, known to wrestling fans as Sabu, has passed away,” while AEW echoed this sentiment through a tribute on X.
“From barbed wire battles to unforgettable high-risk moments, Sabu gave everything to professional wrestling,” AEW posted, adding, “Our thoughts are with his family, his friends and his fans,” as messages flooded in from across the industry.
Tributes From Fellow Wrestlers
Taz, an ECW veteran and current AEW commentator, released a video message stating, “I would not have had the career that I have had, and I’ve been blessed to have, if it wasn’t for Sabu,” while expressing deep gratitude for the role Sabu played in his rise.
“That man got me over, and he didn’t have to get me over, and he did,” Taz added, noting their shared debut in 1993 and concluding, “A great heart and soul. I’m gonna miss him immensely,” as he reflected on their decades-long connection.
Rob Van Dam, Sabu’s long-time tag team partner in ECW, honoured him with a single pointing-up emoji on X, symbolising Sabu’s iconic pre-match pose and his enduring presence in the sport’s history.
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A Life Dedicated to the Ring
Joey Janela, who faced Sabu in his final match, called him “my idol, a trailblazer, a gamechanger and an icon” in a post on X that included photos and video clips from their encounter, illustrating Sabu’s undiminished intensity even in his final bout.
AEW’s Mark Briscoe wrote, “Nobody made me want to be a wrestler more than Sabu. R.I.P. to a true hardcore legend,” acknowledging the direct influence Sabu had on his journey into the ring.
Matt Hardy highlighted it’s creative contributions, writing, “it was a trailblazing groundbreaker who played a major role in the expansion of what a pro wrestling match could be,” and added, “The fact that tables are commonly utilised in pro wrestling is because of Terry Brunk.”
Hardy also noted, “Heavily influential on today’s current style, even though his contributions are still under appreciated by most,” reinforcing the significance of it’s innovation.
Documentary Tribute and Enduring Influence
The team behind the documentary series “Dark Side of the Ring” confirmed Sabu’s inclusion in their upcoming episode, which focuses on his uncle The Sheik, writing on X, “Sabu’s death comes as a shock,” just days before the tribute airs.
Journalist Dave Meltzer commented on Wrestling Observer Radio, calling “the king of the death matches” and said, “He was the godfather of it in every way,” crediting him with shaping the modern understanding of hardcore wrestling in the United States.
A Final Farewell
it’s in-ring career spanned four decades, covered multiple continents and influenced generations of wrestlers who followed his fearless example, maintaining a presence even in an era where many had already stepped away from the spotlight.
He performed in a final match at age 60, where he once again embraced the physical brutality that defined his legacy, leaving fans with a final memory that mirrored the style that first made him a legend.
Terry Brunk, known worldwide as leaves behind a career forged in pain, steel and sacrifice, with tributes from every corner of the wrestling world affirming the impact of his relentless dedication.
