Wrestling pioneer Terry Brunk, better known as Sabu, and one of the most popular hardcore wrestlers of his time in ECW in the 1990s and a short stint in WWE in the mid-2000s, has died, PWInsider.com reported. Sabu was active in the ring as recently as last month, competing in what was his final match during WrestleMania weekend in Las Vegas.
He was 60, and his cause of death was not disclosed. His last known public appearance was at the Tri-State Wrestling Alliance reunion convention held in Philadelphia last weekend, sources said. Sabu nicknamed ‘The Human Highlight Reel’, was hailed by WWE as a ‘trailblazer’ and an ‘extreme lunatic’.
Death of a Legend
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Sabu was known for his daring and reckless in-ring style. In one bout, he tore apart his bicep when barbed wire was used instead of ropes. In another instance, he reportedly “reattached own jaw” and sealed a cut using superglue.
“AEW and the wrestling world mourns the passing of Sabu,” AEW said in a statement.
“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.”
A high-flying performer known for his hardcore bouts involving tables, ladders, chairs, and barbed wire, Sabu earned the nickname “the suicidal, homicidal, genocidal, death-defying maniac.”
Sabu, the nephew of wrestling legend The Sheik, became a two-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion, also winning the ECW World Television Title and three Tag Team Championships.
He was a key figure in the rise of hardcore wrestling during the 1990s.
After a run with TNA, Sabu joined WWE in 2006 when the company, having previously acquired ECW, launched a new weekly program dedicated to the brand.
Always a Star
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Sabu was a part of the ECW Originals team that won over The New Breed in an eight-man tag match at WrestleMania 23 on April 1, 2007. He was released by WWE the next month. Throughout his career, Sabu also competed in WCW, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and AAA, while continuing to wrestle on the independent circuit.
In 2023, he made two appearances for AEW, including serving as the special enforcer for a match between Adam Cole and Chris Jericho.
Rob Van Dam, a veteran wrestler and former ECW tag team partner of Sabu, paid tribute on X by sharing an emoji of an upward-pointing index finger, referencing Sabu’s iconic gesture.
Taz, another prominent ECW alum who later worked with WWE and now serves as a commentator for AEW, expressed his grief over the news, saying it “breaks my heart.”
“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 in a video posted on X.
“A great heart and soul. I’m gonna miss him immensely.”
