Pro wrestling icon Sabu death at 60, just weeks after his retirement bout. Read career highlights, tributes from AEW and WWE, and the legacy of this hardcore pioneer.
Sabu Death Shocks the Wrestling World
Professional wrestling legend Terry Brunk—better known as Sabu—passed away on May 11, 2025, at the age of 60, AEW and WWE confirmed in statements issued that day.
Background
After debuting in 1985 under the tutelage of his uncle, Ed “The Sheik” Farhat, Sabu cut his teeth in Japan’s Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling before rising to superstardom in ECW during the 1990s. Dubbed the “suicidal, homicidal, genocidal, death-defying maniac,” he revolutionized hardcore wrestling through death-defying aerial stunts and barbed wire spectacles.
During his ECW tenure, he captured two ECW World Heavyweight Championships, one ECW World Television Championship, and an ECW Tag Team Championship. Beyond ECW, Sabu held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship and competed across WCW, TNA, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, AAA, and various independent promotions.
Final Match & Retirement
Just weeks before his passing, Sabu headlined Game Changer Wrestling’s Joey Janela’s Spring Break 9 on April 18, 2025, in Las Vegas—marking his formal retirement fight, where he faced longtime colleague Joey Janela .
Tributes & Reactions
All Elite Wrestling (AEW) honored Sabu on social media:
“From barbed wire battles to unforgettable high-risk moments, Sabu death gave everything to professional wrestling. Our thoughts are with his family, his friends and his fans.” — AEW on X
WWE extended its condolences in an official statement, and ECW alumni Taz and Rob Van Dam paid personal tribute, crediting Sabu for shaping their own careers. WWE superstar Sami Zayn summed it up as “a gut punch,” calling Sabu “one-of-a-kind, absolute legend and a true game changer,” while wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer noted that few performers “can claim the impact Sabu had on the industry.
Cause of Death
To date, neither WWE, AEW nor close associates have released an official cause of death.
Legacy & Impact
Sabu’s pioneering use of tables, chairs, steel cages, and even barb ed wire in high-stakes matches redefined what it meant to be a wrestling risk-taker. His signature moves—the Arabian Facebuster, Triple Jump Moonsault, and barbed wire boards—remain staples in hardcore promotions worldwide. As GCW owner Brett Lauderdale reflected to ESPN, “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.
Authoritative Sources
- WWE Official Announcement: “Sabu passes away”
- ESPN: “Hardcore pro wrestling legend Sabu dies at 60” by Andreas Hale, May 11, 2025
- Hindustan Times: “Sabu death at 60: What was the cause of Sabu death of WWE and ECW icon?”
- PWInsider: Initial report on Sabu’s passing (PWInsider.com)see more.