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Wrestling World Pays Tribute To ECW Legend Sabu After He Dies, Aged 60

ECW icons Mick Foley and Taz led the tributes to their fellow Extreme legend Sabu, after he died at the age of 60, this morning.

Joe Baiamonte

Sabu has sadly passed away at the age of 60
Sabu has sadly passed away at the age of 60 / WWE.com

Tributes have begun to pour in for Sabu after the ECW icon passed away at the age of 60, this morning.

Real name Terry Brunk, Sabu blazed a trail through the industry in the mid-late '90s, becoming one of the can't miss stars of the independent scene in both the United States and Japan.

Wearing the wounds of war across his torso from countless barbed wire bouts, Sabu fought through tables, chairs, flames and pretty much anything he, his opponents or the fans in attendance could get their hands on.

In the era of tape trading, long before the advent of YouTube and social media, Sabu's matches were the stuff of legend. Fervently discussed in forums and tracked down after readers of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter and Pro Wrestling Illustrated were illuminated by still photos of the wild eyed maniac from Bombay, Michigan.

Sabu's feud with Taz is, of course, his most notorious work. His most brilliant too. A rivalry that stands the test of time among some of the very best in pro wrestling history. Alongside the ECW Title chasing comeback of the great Terry Funk, Sabu and Taz took ECW into the pay-per-view era at Barely Legal on April 13, 1997 at the ECW Arena in Philadelphia.

So it is perhaps most fitting that tributes to the 'homicidal, suicidal, genocidal, death-defying maniac' were led by 'The Human Suplex Machine' himself, as well as one of Sabu's other most revered and memorable rivals, Mick Foley.

A clearly emotional Taz fondly remembered a Sabu interview he watched just last night, while also explaining that he would not have enjoyed the career he did were it not for Sabu.

On Instagram, meanwhile, WWE Hall of Famer Foley wrote, "RIP SABU. Just minutes ago, I learned the sad news of the passing of Sabu, one of the most influential wrestlers of all time. He was one of my favorite opponents and it’s no exaggeration to say that we trusted each other with our lives in the ring. A pioneer, an innovator, a man who gave so much more to wrestling than it gave back to him. I miss you already my friend…"

Across the wrestling world, tributes came in droves from ECW originals who shared locker rooms and rings with Sabu, along with tributes from those who were influenced by his work.

Terms such as 'legend' or 'icon' or 'innovator' are thrown around all too often in the modern era. Sabu was truly all of those things and so much more. The landscape of professional wrestling in North America is a far, far different picture had Terry Brunk decided against stepping inside the squared circle. There will truly never be another like him.

While ordinarily Rest In Peace would be the usual sign off for an article such as this, it is impossible to believe Sabu would be peaceful even after leaving this mortal coil. So rest in table breaking, barbed wire wrapped, fireball throwing chaos, king.

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Joe Baiamonte
JOE BAIAMONTE

Joe Baiamonte has been covering professional wrestling, sports and entertainment for over a decade, serving as editor at SPORTbible - where he helped the team to three consecutive Football Blogging Awards - and as head of sport at Unilad. Joe has covered pro wrestling for numerous outlets in the United Kingdom, including The Sportsman, Sporf and Pubity.

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