Posted on 5/12/125 by Colin Vassallo
The world of professional wrestling mourned the loss of
Sabu, who passed away at the age of 60 this past weekend.
“WWE is saddened to learn that Terry Brunk, known to
wrestling fans as Sabu, has passed away. WWE extends its
condolences to Sabu’s family, friends and fans,” said a
social media post by WWE. A short story on Sabu was also
published on WWE.COM.
TNA Wrestling wrote, “We are deeply saddened to learn of the
passing of Terry “Sabu” Brunk, who competed in many
memorable matches in TNA history including the iconic first
ever Barbed Wire Massacre match against Abyss. We offer our
sincere condolences to his friends and family.”
AEW, where Sabu had one appearance, wrote, “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.”
His last match was promoted by Game Changer Wrestling, and
GCW wrote, “He was an outlaw and a gamechanger. He inspired
so many that stepped inside a GCW ring and he will continue
to inspire for generations to come. His legacy will last
forever and he will never be forgotten. Rest in Peace, and…
Long Live SABU.”
New Japan Pro-Wrestling also put up a social media message
and a post on the NJPW website. “NJPW is deeply saddened to
learn of the passing of former IWGP Junior Heavyweight
Champion Sabu at the age of 60. Our thoughts and deepest
sympathies go to Sabu’s family, friends and fans,” the
statement read.
Many other of his peers left messages on social media to pay
tribute to the former ECW champion.
Bubba Ray Dudley: “A brotherhood and bond that very few in
our business will ever understand. And tomorrow on
@BustedOpenRadio we will pay respect to one of our own. RIP
Sabu and THANK YOU for being the pioneer and originator of
getting the tables!!”
Francine: “My heart is broken. Rest in peace to my friend
Sabu. I love you always.”
Tommy Dreamer: “Game changers are people who altered the
RULES in the profession for which they played. Bob Gibson,
Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Deacon Jones, Mel Blount, Jordan Curry.
Sabu tables innovative movesets high flying assault
toughness. He was ECW.”
The Blue Meanie: “Rest In Peace Sabu….Thank you, I love you,
I’ll miss you…I’m totally devastated.”
Triple H: “The ECW original whose innovative style helped
bring the entire wrestling world to a new extreme. We send
our condolences to his loved ones.”
Mark Briscoe: “Nobody made me want to be a wrestler more
than Sabu. R.I.P. to a true hardcore legend. Suicidal,
homicidal, genocidal 4-ever.”
Damian Priest: “Rest easy legend. #Sabu”
Sami Zayn: “This is a gut punch. I was pushing this agenda
again a few weeks ago after Sabu had his final match. RIP
Sabu. One of a kind, absolute legend, and a true game
changer for professional wrestling.”
Matt Cardona: “RIP SABU. A true f*cking legend!”
Brett Lauderdale: “A pioneer, a rebel, and an outsider. Too
extreme for the mainstream. Captured the imagination of
multiple generations & inspired too many to count. Without a
doubt, one of the most influential wrestlers of *all* time.
Thank you for everything, and god bless you Sabu.”
Abyss: “Heart broken hearing the news of Sabu passing away.
He always treated me great and we shared some special
moments in the ring. He made me laugh so many times over the
last 20 years. Rest in Peace and God Speed Sabu.”
Matt Hardy: “Sabu was a trailblazing groundbreaker who
played a major role in the expansion of what a pro wrestling
match could be. The fact that tables are commonly utilized
in pro wrestling is because of Terry Brunk & how he made an
inanimate object like a table a must see component in his
match. Sabu was heavily influential on today’s current
style, even though his contributions are still under
appreciated by most. My thoughts go out to all of Sabu’s
family, friends & fans.”
Brian Myers: “Sabu, you were the most unlikely friend I ever
made in the wrestling business. I’m gonna miss our random
texts checking in on each other. I’m sorry I bugged you for
so many autographs over the years, but I certainly don’t
regret it. I’ll cherish them & our friendship forever. I
hope you’re with Melissa again & found the peace that you
deserve. You were unapologetically you, they’ll never ever
be another. Rest in peace.”
Jake “The Snake” Roberts: “I’m very sad to learn of the
passing of Sabu. He was a pioneer in our business, a
talented performer, and most importantly, a good man. RIP”
Tony Schiavone: “Terrible news on the passing of Sabu. He
was with us in WCW for only a brief time in 1995, but no
doubt redefined hardcore wrestling during his time in ECW.
An incredible talent that will obviously put someone through
a table in the afterlife.”
Josh Alexander: “I wrestled Sabu in 2019 a few months after
he had a hip replacement. He springboard tornado ddt’d me
out of my boots. It was wild! Then he wanted to stab me with
a spike for a bit but we figured it out. RIP Sabu. One of
very few who can say they changed the entire industry.”