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* {{imdb name|id=0116318|name=Sabu}}
* {{imdb name|id=0116318|name=Sabu}}
* [http://www.extremesabu.com Extreme Sabu (fansite)]
* [http://www.extremesabu.com Extreme Sabu (fansite)]
* [http://www.officialsabu.com Official Site (home of the official Sabu forums)]


[[Category:1964 births]]
[[Category:1964 births]]

Revision as of 09:53, 9 August 2006

For other uses, see Sabu (wrestler) (disambiguation).
Terry Brunk
File:Newsabu.jpg
BornDecember 12, 1964
Detroit, Michigan
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Sabu,
Sabu the Elephant Boy,
Samu,
Terry Essar,
Terry Snuka
Billed height6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Billed weight220 lb (101 kg)
Billed fromBombay
Trained byThe Original Sheik
Debut1984

Terry Michael Brunk (born December 12, 1964 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Sabu.

Sabu is currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) on its revived Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) brand. He is perhaps best known for his appearances with the original Extreme Championship Wrestling promotion throughout the 1990s, where he developed his high-risk hardcore wrestling technique. Sabu was also employed with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) for a brief time in 2002 and then again from 2004 to 2006.

Career

Acclaimed for his career in hardcore wrestling, Sabu has developed a large fanbase in the US. Sabu was trained by his uncle, The Sheik. Notable title reigns included the ECW World Heavyweight Championship, the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, the ECW Tag Team Championship with Rob Van Dam as well as Taz, the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, and the XPW World Heavyweight Championship.

Extreme Championship Wrestling

Sabu's acrobatic and hardcore wrestling style helped catapult Sabu to become one of ECW's most reckless and intense wrestlers. His ability to make matches that were dangerous and his craftiness with weapons brought him recognition as among the most hardcore in the business. He is dubbed "the suicidal, homicidal, genocidal, death-defying maniac." He often pushed the expectations of hardcore violence in ECW and American televised wrestling in general with his dangerous and bloody matches. Sabu never spoke during his time in ECW as his handler 911 kept him under control. Sabu's famous signature gesture is pointing to the sky while looking upwards, especially when entering or exiting the ring, or before performing an especially dangerous move. It was once explained that Sabu's trademark point to the lights comes from his gimmick of being a "savage"; he is amazed by the lights and is pointing at them.[1]

Sabu's neck was broken during an ECW match with Chris Benoit, (November 5, 1994) pushing Benoit's nickname and gimmick of "The Crippler", but Sabu was able to recover and return to wrestling, wearing a neck brace in his return match a month later.

Sabu is also notorious for continuing to wrestle matches even though he has suffered serious injuries that would normally end a match early. An example of this was during a matchup with The Sandman where Sabu's jawbone was broken accidentally by Fullington (Sandman). Rather than end the match early, Sabu actually duct-taped his jaw shut and continued to wrestle the match for another five minutes. Sabu and Terry Funk created one of the most violent matches seen on televised wrestling in a barbed wire match on August 9th, 1997 at ECW's Born To Be Wired event. It was during this match when Sabu legitimately tore open his bicep on the barbed wire. He taped it up on the spot and continued the match. Afterwards, he super-glued himself together to drive to the hospital. It took more. than a 100 stiches to close the wound. He refused to miss any matches because of that injury.

Although Sabu did not sign with WWE until April 2006, Sabu did get some mainstream exposure. He won two of his three matches in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) 1995 against Mr. JL and Disco Inferno. Sabu "went against the script"---in the storyline---by defeating Alex Wright, only to have the ruling reversed by disqualification when he continued to fight after the bell. WCW did not like his violent style and unwillingness to lose a match, and did not offer Sabu a long term contract. Sabu was the first wrestler to dive off the entrance sign during an episode of RAW on February 24, 1997, while WWE and ECW were cross-promoting. He had actually lost his balance before diving off but managed to reposition himself in mid-air to land on team Taz.

WCW signed Sabu to a contract in 2000, but legal action threatened by ECW precluded Sabu from ever making an appearance before WCW's demise. From 2000 to 2001, he had a successful run in California's XPW, which catapulted him back into the national spotlight after Paul Heyman had tried to prevent him from working outside of ECW by actually suing him in court for breach of contract, when---as it turned out---Heyman was actually the one who had breached Sabu's contract.

Sabu went on to wrestle on the independent circuit, appearing with promotions such as Juggalo Championshit Wrestling (JCW), the promotion owned by his friends, the Insane Clown Posse.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling

Sabu debuted in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) on July 17, 2002, defeating Malice in a ladder match. The next week he faced Ken Shamrock in a ladder match which was declared a no contest when Malice interfered.

Following these two matches he took some time off and worked the independent circuit, including a stop in Pro-Pain Pro Wrestling (3PW) which saw him take home their World Title.

Sabu would later return to TNA on February 25, 2004, teaming with Raven to defeat Raven's former "Gathering" protégés, CM Punk and Julio Dinero. In March he began feuding with "The Alpha Male" Monty Brown and Abyss, who outnumbered him on several occasions after Raven failed to "watch his back".

Eventually Raven challenged Sabu to an empty arena match to be held on June 9, but Sabu refused to wrestle him, claiming that he had promised his uncle, The Sheik, that he would never fight Raven. Raven then waged a campaign against Sabu, disrespecting the memory of his uncle and assaulting Sabu's mouthpiece, Sonjay Dutt, until Sabu finally broke and attacked him on July 23. Raven defeated Sabu in a no holds barred match on August 4, and a scheduled return match on August 18 was cancelled after Sabu (legit) suffered a serious back injury.

Injury

While injured, Sabu contracted a virus and was hospitalized, sidelining him for ten months. On December 12 a benefit show, A Night of Appreciation for Sabu was held to raise funds for him. The show was considered a success, raising enough money for Sabu to cover the costs of his medical care and he was able to make a full recovery. In his first match back from the injury he defeated "Amazing" N8 Mattson with the Camel Clutch.

Sabu then appeared at Hardcore Homecoming, where he defeated Terry Funk and Shane Douglas in a three-way barbed wire rope match, and (two days later) at ECW One Night Stand 2005, where he defeated Rhyno after hitting him with an Atomic Arabian Facebuster through a table.

Return to TNA

Sabu returned to TNA on July 29, 2005. At TNA Sacrifice Sabu teamed with his old enemy, and then NWA World Heavyweight Champion, Raven to face Jeff Jarrett and Rhino. Rhino and Jarrett won the match after Rhino gored Raven through a table and pinned him. The match saw Abyss interfering and attacking Sabu, starting a feud between the two of them. They would go on to have a match at Unbreakable in September which Abyss won after performed his Black Hole Slam finisher on to a pile of tacks in the ring.

Sabu once again found himself squaring off against Rhino and Abyss, as well as Jeff Hardy, during Bound For Glory in the Monster's Ball 2 match. Rhino would win the match, but Sabu would still be enrolled in a 10-Man Gaunlet Match to decide a number one contender, which he also lost, once again to Rhino.

In late October of 2005 Sabu signed a contract with World Wrestling Entertainment to be a part of their Legends program.

Sabu continued his feud with Abyss, once again losing to him at Genesis, after taking a Black Hole Slam onto a barbed wire steel chair. They met up again, in the promotions first ever Barbed Wire Massacre at Turning Point. Sabu finally got the better of Abyss, but following the match wasn't seen on TNA TV for several months.

He made his return at Lockdown in April of 2006 in a match against Samoa Joe for Joe's X Division Title despite his having a broken arm. Sabu was defeated in what would turn out to be his final TNA match.

Following the match Samoa Joe reported on his MySpace page that Sabu's injuries from Lockdown were worse than reported. Joe stated that part of Sabu's fingertip was severed, he had a broken arm, as stated above, and he had been partially scalped in an undisclosed Mexican independent event.

World Wrestling Entertainment

On April 24th, 2006, Sabu's official website reported that he signed a one year contract with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) which will have an option for renewal when it is completed. The next week WWE.com confirmed that he had signed a contract and was now a member of the newly-revived ECW brand. Shortly after that announcement, Sabu's profile was removed from the TNA websites roster section.

On the June 2nd, 2006 edition of SmackDown!, Paul Heyman announced that Sabu would challenge Rey Mysterio in a "dream match" at the upcoming One Night Stand pay-per-view for the World Heavyweight Championship.

At the end of the pay-per-view matchup Mysterio found himself standing on a ringside table with Sabu flying at him. Sabu caught the champ in in a headlock and nailed him with a DDT which caused both men to crash through the table and land awkwardly on their heads. At this point the WWE medical staff rushed to the downed men and declared neither man could continue and ordered the match stopped, resulting in a no contest in which Mysterio kept his title.

On the June 13th premiere of ECW on Sci-Fi, Sabu won a 10 man Extreme Battle Royal (legalized weapons) with the stipulation that the winner face John Cena at Vengeance. Sabu further fueled the feud during the next weeks RAW when he interfered in a Cena match and gave him a chair shot before performing a Triple Jump Leg Drop on him, driving Cena through the announcer's table. Cena defeated Sabu in their "Extreme Lumberjack match" at Vengeance.

On July 2nd, 2006, Sabu, travelling with fellow ECW wrestler Rob Van Dam, was arrested and charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and nine Testolactone tablets following a traffic stop in Hanging Rock, Ohio. On July 5th, 2006, WWE.com announced that Sabu would be fined $1000 based on the guidelines of WWE's Wellness Policy.

It is interesting to note that during his WWE tenure, Sabu has begun to speak on camera with greater frequency.

Wrestling facts

File:Saburhino-impact072905.jpg
Sabu hits Rhino with a chair on the July 29, 2005 episode of TNA iMPACT!.
  • Finishing and signature moves
  • Nicknames

Championships and accomplishments

  • Asylum Championship Wrestling
  • 1-Time ACW Heavyweight Champion
  • 1-Time BCW Can-Am Heavyweight Champion
  • Extreme Wrestling Alliance
  • 1-Time EWA Junior Champion
  • Insane Wrestling Federation
  • 2-Time IWF Heavyweight Champion
  • 1-Time JCW Heavyweight Champion
  • Main Event Championship Wrestling
  • 1-Time MECW APW (Alternative Pro Wrestling) Champion
  • Motor City Wrestling
  • 1-Time MCW Heavyweight Champion
  • National Wrestling Conference
  • 2-Time NWC Heavyweight Champion
  • Professional Championship Wrestling
  • 1-Time PCW Television Champion
  • Pro-Pain-Pro-Wrestling
  • 1-Time 3PW Heavyweight Champion
  • PWI ranked him # 86 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI Years in 2003.
  • 1-Time Stampede Pacific Heavyweight Champion
  • Ultimate Championship Wrestling
  • 1-Time UCW Heavyweight Champion
  • Universal Wrestling Association
  • 1-Time UWA World Junior Light Heavyweight Champion
  • USA Xtreme Wrestling
  • 1-Time USA Pro Heavyweight Champion
  • USPW
  • 1-Time USPW Heavyweight Champion

Championship succession

NWA World Heavyweight Championship
Preceded by:
Mike Rapada 		First Succeeded by:
Mike Rapada
ECW World Heavyweight Championship
Preceded by:
Shane Douglas 		First Succeeded by:
Terry Funk
Preceded by:
Terry Funk 		Second Succeeded by:
Shane Douglas
ECW Tag Team Championship
Preceded by:
The Dudley Boyz
(Buh Buh Ray Dudley & D'Von Dudley) 		First
with Rob Van Dam 		Succeeded by:
The Dudley Boyz
ECW FTW Heavyweight Championship
Preceded by:
Taz 		First Succeeded by:
Taz
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
Preceded by:
Koji Kanemoto 		First Followed by:
Koji Kanemoto

References

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