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WWE paid tribute to Sabu who passed away at the age of 60.
CM Punk pays tribute to Sabu. (Pic Credit: IG/cmpunk)
WWE universe is mourning the death of celebrated wrestle Sabu, who recently breathed his last at the age of 60. The ECW legend, widely acclaimed as the pioneer of hardcore wrestling, announced his retirement with a resounding win over Joey Janela a few weeks ago.
WWE paid tribute to Sabu in the latest episode of Monday Night RAW, aired on May 12. The show started with a heartfelt speech by Michael Cole, who reminisced about Sabu’s legacy while addressing the Louisville crowd. The opening segment also featured CM Punk as he pointed at the sky to imitate the iconic pose of the wrestling great.
Punk later shared the picture on Instagram and wrote, “He (Sabu) influenced everyone and everything. You read about him, and when you finally saw him, he somehow exceeded your expectations. He was infamous. There will never be another.”
Sabu, who is best known for his rivalry with WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam and Mick Foley, crossed paths with Punk a few times during his illustrious career spanning over two decades. They clashed in a three-way match in September 2001 as part of the ECW brand. The bout also featured Tracy Smother, who died five years ago.
Punk and Sabu again met in the squared circle in 2004. The duo took part in a tag-team battle at TNA, where Sabu teamed up with Raven, and Punk joined Julio Dinero as “The Gathering”. Sabu was also seen alongside Punk at the 2007 Royal Rumble.
Sabu, who won the WWE Heavyweight title three times, stood out for his innovative attacks. He was the first to introduce the idea of jumping off chairs and driving his opponents through tables and barbed wire. Sabu developed a passion for wrestling at an early age. He took early training from his uncle, Ed “The Sheik” Farhat, before making his professional debut in 1985.
Sabu was initially popular in the United States but soon gained prominence in Japan after joining FMW (Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling) and New Japan Pro Wrestling. He remained contracted with ECW from 1993 to 1995 and later returned for five years.
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