The hardcore legend Sabu has sadly passed away at the age of 60.
The news was first reported by Mike Johnson of PWInsider on May 11, 2025.As of now, no cause of death has been disclosed.
Sabu, real name Terry Brunk, was a pioneering figure in hardcore wrestling, renowned for his high risk, no holds barred style that helped define the identity of ECW in the 1990s.Trained by his uncle, the legendary Ed “The Sheik” Farhat, Sabu debuted in 1985 and went on to become a two-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion.
Beyond ECW, Sabu competed in WWE, TNA, and Japan’s FMW. He also made a one-off appearance in AEW in 2023.His final match took place on April 18, 2025, during GCW’s Joey Janela’s Spring Break 9 in Las Vegas, where he defeated Janela in a brutal No Rope Barbed Wire match.
Following the news, multiple tributes have poured in from across the wrestling world.AEW posted about him on social media honouring his legacy.
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
Fellow ECW legend Bully Ray also posted:
A brotherhood and bond that very few in our business will ever understand.
And tomorrow on @BustedOpenRadiowe will pay respect to one of our own. RIP Sabu and THANK YOU for being the pioneer and originator of getting the tables!!
Another ECW legend, Francine, shared a heartfelt message on social media, simply writing:
My heart is broken. 💔 Rest in peace to my friend Sabu. I love you always.
Sabu Was A True Professional Wrestling Innovator
Referred to as “The Homicidal, Suicidal, Genocidal, Death-Defying Maniac,” Sabu pushed the limits of what was physically and psychologically possible in the ring. Trained by his uncle, The Sheik, Sabu learned the brutal, violent, and unorthodox style firsthand.
He debuted in 1990 and wrestled extensively in Japan, particularly for FMW, where he honed his deathmatch skills. However, it was his time in ECW where his fame exploded. In the 1990s he brought his extreme style of wrestling to American audiences and regularly used tables, chairs and barbed wire in his matches.
He famously had to glue and tape his own torn open bicep mid-match to finish a barbed wire match against Terry Funk, which only boosted his popularity and insanity with fans.
Aside from his penchant for weapons, he also brought a game changing offence to his matches. His unique hybrid of lucha libre and deathmatch wrestling saw his springboard manoeuvres, leg drops through tables, and signature move, a leg drop with a chair known as the Arabian Facebuster, become iconic.
All at ITR Wrestling send condolences to Brunk’s family and friends, and thank him for everything he did in the wrestling business.