Professional wrestling icon Terry Brunk, known to fans as Sabu, has passed away at 60, multiple sources confirmed on Sunday, May 11. The cause of death has not been disclosed.
Sabu’s death occurs just weeks after 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 the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, shortly before his passing.
The nephew of wrestling legend Ed “The Sheik” Farhat, Sabu began his wrestling career in 1985, performing throughout the Midwest. After a brief period in WWE (then WWF) and competing in Japan, he joined the emerging Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) in the mid-1990s, becoming one of its most recognizable figures.
In ECW, Sabu earned the moniker “the suicidal, homicidal, genocidal, death-defying maniac” due to his high-risk style that combined aerial maneuvers with hardcore tactics involving tables, chairs, ladders, and barbed wire. His innovative approach to wrestling defined the promotion’s edgy image and influenced many wrestlers who followed.
During his career, Sabu won 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. Beyond ECW, he secured the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in 2000 and won titles in various independent promotions globally.
After ECW closed, Sabu continued his career in several promotions, including Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). In 2006, he joined WWE when the company relaunched an ECW brand. While with WWE, Sabu faced top stars such as Rey Mysterio, Big Show, and John Cena.
One of his notable WWE appearances was at WrestleMania 23 on April 1, 2007, in Detroit, Michigan. He teamed with fellow ECW Originals Rob Van Dam, Tommy Dreamer, and The Sandman to defeat The New Breed in an eight-man tag match before 80,000 spectators. WWE released Sabu from his contract one month later in May 2007.
Following his departure from WWE, Sabu continued wrestling in various independent promotions. In 2023, he made two appearances for All Elite Wrestling (AEW), serving as a special enforcer for a match between Adam Cole and Chris Jericho.
Tributes to Sabu came from across the wrestling community. Taz, a longtime ECW rival and current announcer for AEW, expressed his grief 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 stated.
Rob Van Dam, 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, 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 an honor to collaborate with Sabu for his farewell performance, emphasizing the importance of giving the wrestling legend the sendoff he deserved. Lauderdale noted that Sabu’s life and career were worth celebrating and found it gratifying that his final match embodied the 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 experienced 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.
