Wrestling pioneer Terry Brunk, better known as ‘Sabu’, has died at the age of 60.
Sabu was still wrestling as recently last month, when he took part in his final match during Wrestlemania weekend in Las Vegas.
According to reports, he made what is believed to have been his last public appearance at last weekend’s Tri-State Wrestling Alliance reunion convention in Philadelphia.
The 60-year-old, who became known as ‘The Human Highlight Reel’, was described by WWE as a ‘gamechanger’ and an ‘extreme maniac’.
Sabu made a habit of performing fearless stunts. In one bout, he shredded his bicep when the ropes were replaced with barbed wire. On another occasion, he is said to have ‘reattached his jaw’ and closed a wound with superglue.
‘AEW and the wrestling world mourns the passing of Sabu,’ AEW said in a statement.
Wrestling pioneer Terry Brunk, better known as ‘Sabu’, has died at the age of 60
‘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.’
Sabu, who hailed from Michigan, was the nephew of WWE Hall of Famer ‘The Sheik’. According to his WWE biography, Sabu ‘cut his teeth’ in Japanese death matches before landing in ECW.
He later formed one half of one of wrestling’s most iconic tag teams alongside Rob Van Dam and became known for his daring acrobatics.
Tributes poured in on social media on Sunday, with Sabu described as ‘an absolute legend of the business’ and ‘one of the greatest of all time’.
Fellow wrestling star Francine wrote on X: ‘My heart is broken. Rest in peace to my friend Sabu. I love you always.’
After joining WWE, he enjoyed iconic matches with John Cena – for the WWE championship – and Rey Mysterio – for the world heavyweight championship.
