Remembering Sabu: 5 most iconic matches of the ECW legend
Image via WWE
Sabu
had some of the most hardcore and remarkable matches in his wrestling career.
The wrestling world was saddened to learn about the passing of
ECW
legend Sabu on May 11th, 2025. While the cause of his death remains unknown at this moment, it comes as heartbreaking news for his fans and peers alike. Sabu was one of the most well-known faces of Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) and made appearances in
WWE
, too.
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Moreover, he wrestled his retirement match a few weeks ago against Joey Janela in Las Vegas. With Sabu leaving for heavenly abode, here is a look back at his five greatest matches in the world of professional wrestling:
5. Sabu & Taz vs. Public Enemy – ECW Double Tables (1995)
The unlikely onscreen duo of Sabu and Taz teamed up to challenge Public Enemy (Johnny Grunge and Rocco Rock) for the ECW Tag Team Championships. The match took place at the ECW Double Tables event in 1995. It was a sight of absolute carnage, from broken tables to the use of foreign objects, and it was a stellar showdown. However, Sabu and Taz failed to win the titles that night.
4. Rob Van Dam - Wrestlepalooza (1998)
Rob Van Dam and Sabu had one of the most exciting matches at the 1998 ECW Wrestlepalooza event for the ECW World Television Championship. They displayed excellent on-screen chemistry alongside the brutality of the promotion's environment. The match ended without a winner as it ended in a thirty-minute time limit draw.
3. Taz – ECW Barely Legal (1997)
This was a match one year in the making at ECW's first-ever pay-per-view and lived up to its expectations. Sabu and Taz hit each other with every move in their arsenal and used the entire ECW environment to their advantage. In the end, Taz made him submit to the Tazzimission to win the match. Post the bout, he shook hands with Sabu as a sign of respect, followed by the betrayal by RVD and Bill Alfonso, which took the storyline further.
2. Abyss – TNA Barbed Wire Massacre (2005)
The first-ever Barbed Wire Massacre was held by TNA at their Turning Point event between Sabu and Abyss in 2005. It was one of the most brutal matches in TNA history, with both stars fighting inside the confines of barbed wire. Sabu proved his hardcore worth outside ECW and won the bout against Abyss.
1. Terry Funk – ECW Born to Be Wired (1997)
One of the most memorable matches in Sabu's career was against fellow ECW legend Terry Funk at the Born to be Wired event in 1997. It was also a Barbed wire match that probably defined Sabu's career and was one of the most gruesome matches in the history of the company. The night Sabu defeated Funk after an absolute stunner to become the new ECW World Champion.
Also read:
WWE icon Sabu dies at 60: Here's how the ECW legend got his Indian name
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