Was Sabu married? Personal life explored as WWE icon dies at 60

Pro wrestler Sabu passed away at the age of 60 on May 11, 2025. He had his retirement match with Joey Janela last month, according to the reports.

The cause of his death was not revealed. He rose to fame during the ‘90s as a hardcore wrestler who is known for his famous matches featuring tables, ladders, chairs, barbed wire, and more.

His passing has drawn attention towards his personal life and if he was married at the time of his death. Although we are familiar with his professional life, very little is known about his life outside the ring. The legendary wrestler mostly kept the details of his personal life under wraps.

The American pro wrestler was not married at the time of his death. According to a report in TMZ, he was in a relationship with Melissa Coates during the 2010s. She passed away in 2021 due to complications from Covid-19 at the age of 52. He was previously married to Hitomi Brunk.

Here are more details about his personal life.

What we know about the personal life of American pro wrestler Sabu

Sabu, who was born as Terrance Michael Brunk, led a personal life marked by a strong wrestling lineage.

He was born on December 12, 1964. He was reportedly trained by his uncle pro wrestler Ed "The Sheik" Farhat. Brunk got his nickname, Sabu, from the Indian-American actor of the same name, as his uncle was a big fan.

Before getting involved with Melissa Coates, Sabu was in a relationship with a Japanese woman, Hitomi Brunk. According to a report in It's Time For Business, her maiden name was Hitomi Mibu, and she played a crucial role in his success.

They tied the knot on June 22, 1997, in Michigan and remained married for several years until they eventually separated. There are not many details about their relationship available, as Sabu led a private life.

Coates and Sabu began dating in the 2010s. She was his longtime girlfriend and a former bodybuilder, model, and wrestler, according to Pro Wrestling Stories. She also worked as his wrestling valet. On the tragic passing of Coates, Sabu spoke to the outlet in an interview where he described how he deals with pain.

“I can deal with pain, but I don’t like it. It’d be crazy to say that I like it, but I can just deal with it. I have a high threshold for pain, I guess. I got that from my mother’s side [of the family], the Arab side.”

Sabu’s girlfriend passed away in 2021 due to Covid-19 complications. Speaking about her, he shared,

"She was a great person. If it wasn’t for her, I don’t know where I’d be today. She saved my life a few times. And I couldn’t save hers. I tried. I met her about fifteen, twenty years ago in L.A., in passing. I then met her again in 2007 in WWE. I met her again six years ago when these guys were bullying her on the internet, talking s*** about her and saying she had s*x with me twenty years ago, but we didn’t.

He added,

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“We got stuck in the same hotel room, but I was the perfect gentleman, and she even said I was. I let her sleep on the bed. I slept in the chair.”

According to a report in Hollywood Life, Sabu was known by several stage names, including The Great Sabu, Terry S.R., and Sabu of the Jungle.

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