Why was Terry Brunk called Sabu? Wrestling name origin and more explored as WWE icon passes away

The well-known wrestler, Sabu, a ring name for Terry Brunk, died on Sunday at the age of 60. Sabu is considered a legend by wrestling fans thanks to his decades-long work in the industry. After his death, there is an increase in interest in why Terry Brunk was known as Sabu in the wrestling world.

Sabu’s ring name wasn’t a random word; after all, it was a homage to prominent Indian American actor Sabu Dastagir, who made it big in Tinseltown during the 1930s and ‘40s. Sabu Dastagir was a famous action star and was cast in adventure films such as The Thief of Bagdad (1940) and Jungle Book (1942).

According to the Times Entertainment, Brunk’s uncle, Ed The Sheik Farhat, was a wrestling star and a fan of Dastagir’s work. Watching the actor’s wild, untamed onscreen energy, Farhat thought the name would be perfect for his nephew’s in-ring persona.

Terry Brunk was dubbed to be from "Bombay, India" or "Saudi Arabia" in the early years of his career, which was a creative decision from the management to provide him with a foreigner image. ECW would later make a joke out of this and list his birthplace as "Bombay, Michigan".

A look into Terry Brunk's wrestling career and legacy

Terry Brunk was trained by his uncle, The Sheik, and debuted in the late 80s, and became a national sensation in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW).

According to an article by Alchetron, his matches were among the most brutal ever, as he flung himself off chairs, through tables, and into barbed wire matches years before such stunts went mainstream.

His no-ropes barbed wire match with Terry Funk at ECW’s Born to be Wired (1997) is one of the most famous matches in pro wrestling history. Reports and stories state that Sabu shredded his biceps on the wire mid-match, taped it up, and kept brawling.

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Outside ECW, Brunk wrestled in WWE, TNA, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and on the independent circuit. His rivalries with Taz, Rob Van Dam, and The Sandman are studied to this day, and his influence is evident in the high-risk wrestling of today.

Brunk kept on wrestling even in his late 50s. He competed in his final match at Spring Break 9, with his last match being on WrestleMania weekend 2024 in Las Vegas against Joey Janela. His death has shocked the wrestling community, as he previously showed no signs of any major health issue. The cause of death is yet to be disclosed.

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