Sabu death: former WWE star dies aged 60 weeks after retirement fight

The former professional wrestler, Sabu, known for his tenure in both the ECW and WWE, has died aged 60.

All Elite Wrestling (AEW) confirmed the retired wrestler’s death in an X post on Sunday. “AEW and the wrestling world mourns the passing of Sabu,” the post began.

“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 cause of death has not yet been revealed.

A few weeks before Sabu’s death, he competed in a retirement match during WrestleMania in Las Vegas at GCW's Joey Janela's Spring Break 9. It was a No-Rope Barbed Wire Match against Joey Janela, which he ended up winning.

“It was an honor and a pleasure to work with Sabu one last time and to be able to give him the sendoff he deserved,” GCW owner Brett Lauderdale told ESPN about the opportunity to promote Sabu’s last wrestling match. “His life and career deserve to be celebrated, and it's refreshing to know that his final match was 100 percent authentic Sabu. He is and was a legend, and his legacy will live for generations to come.”

Sabu, whose real name is Terry Brunk, first started his wrestling career by training under his uncle, Ed “The Sheik” Farhat. He quickly earned a name for himself in the ECW throughout the 1990s, where he became known for his work in hardcore matches featuring tables, ladders, chairs, and barbed wire.

Through his stunts, Sabu became known as “the suicidal, homicidal, genocidal, death–defying maniac.”

He was a two-time ECW champion, ECW tag team champion, and ECW world television champion.

After competing in New Japan Pro Wrestling, WCW, and TNA, Sabu joined WWE in 2006. However, one month after his ECW Originals team defeated The New Breed in an eight-man tag team match at WrestleMania 23 in 2007, he was released from his contract with them.

A few of Sabu’s former colleagues in the ECW have paid tribute to him on social media. Rob Van Dam, who was a tag team champion alongside Sabu, posted an emoji of an index finger pointing upward to pay homage to Sabu’s signature pose.

Taz, another ECW alum and current announcer for the AWE, also posted a video message on X following Sabu’s death. “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,” he said, noting that his death “breaks my heart.”