Legendary Pro Wrestler Sabu Dies at 60 — Details on His Cause of Death
Legendary pro wrestler Sabu has died at the age of 60.
Published May 12 2025, 9:42 a.m. ET
Professional wrestling icon Terry Brunk, best known by fans as Sabu, has passed away. PWInsider.com first reported the news and later confirmed in official statements by both AEW and WWE.
He was 60 years old.
"From barbed wire battles to unforgettable high-risk moments, Sabu gave everything to professional wrestling," AEW shared in a tribute on social media.
So, what happened? Here's everything we know, including the cause of Sabu's death.
Sabu's cause of death has not been publicly revealed.
At the time of writing, the cause of Sabu's death has not been disclosed. However, we will continue to monitor the tragic situation closely and provide updates if and when more information becomes available.
As previously mentioned, the news of Sabu's passing was first reported by PWInsider, with journalist Mike Johnson noting that the news comes just weeks after Sabu competed in what would be his final match during WrestleMania weekend in Las Vegas against Joey Janela.
His last known public appearance occurred on the weekend of May 3–4, 2025, at the Tri-State Wrestling Alliance reunion show and convention held at the historic 2300 Arena (formerly the ECW Arena).
The nephew of WWE Hall of Famer The Sheik, Sabu — widely known as "The Suicidal, Homicidal, Genocidal, Death-Defying Maniac" — rose to prominence in ECW, where his daredevil style and brutal matches helped define the hardcore wrestling genre. Known for leaping off chairs and crashing through tables and barbed wire, Sabu became one of ECW's most legendary figures.
During his time in ECW, Sabu headlined matches against major stars such as Rey Mysterio for the World Heavyweight Championship and John Cena for the WWE Championship.
Among his career highlights was a memorable victory at WrestleMania 23 in his hometown of Detroit, where he teamed with fellow ECW Originals — The Sandman, Tommy Dreamer, and Rob Van Dam — to win in front of a crowd of over 80,000 fans.
Sabu departed WWE in 2007 and continued to wrestle around the globe, remaining a staple on the independent circuit. Most recently, in 2023, he made a special appearance in AEW as an enforcer during a match between Chris Jericho and Adam Cole.
Our thoughts are with Sabu's family, friends, and fans during this difficult time.