Terry Michael Brunk, who was 60 years old when he died, was best known to wrestling fans as former ECW Champion Sabu and he was was previously married to wife Hitomi Brunk
The 60-year-old Sabu, whose real name was Terry Brunk, was a legend of Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) and the WWE.
With performances in WCW, WWE, TNA Wrestling, and multiple independent promotions, Sabu was a pioneer in professional wrestling with a career spanning more than 40 years. Hitomi Brunk was Sabu’s previous spouse.
Who is Hitomi Brunk, ex-wife of wrestler Sabu, did they have any children together, what was his cause of death reason and net worth
Here we were just a few weeks ago at Wrestlecon. You never know when it’s the last time you’ll be together when it comes to this.
Sabu was as irreplaceable in my life as he was in the industry.
You all know how important he was to my career, and you know how much he meant to me… pic.twitter.com/WrCAPqkx6d— Rob Van Dam (@TherealRVD) May 12, 2025
All Elite Wrestling (AEW) announced his passing in a social media post on Sunday.
“AEW and the wrestling world mourns the passing of Sabu. From barbed wire battles to unforgettable high-risk moments, Sabu gave everything to professional wrestling. Our thoughts are with his family, his friends and his fans,” the post by AEW stated.
As of now, Sabu’s cause of death has not been disclosed. While his net worth is not known, either, Sabu struggled financially in later years, to the extent that he reportedly had to seek assistance from WWE to help cover medical costs.
Although the background of Hitomi Brunk, the ex-wife of Sabu is unknown, it is known that she is of Japanese ancestry and was born Hitomi Mibu. On June 22, 1997, Hitomi married Sabu in Michigan. On December 12, 1998, while the wrestler was in Japan for the ECW/FMW Supershow, the couple had a second wedding in Tokyo.
The precise date of the couple’s breakup is unknown, but they eventually parted ways and became divorced after remaining married for a few years.
In the middle of the 2010s, Sabu started dating Melissa Coates after splitting from Hitomi Brunk. His wrestling valet was Coates. Due to complications from COVID-19, she died in her sleep on June 23, 2021, at the age of 52. Sabu didn’t have any children.
Never Had The Pleasure of Being In The Squared Circle With Sabu‼️Would Gave Been A “CLASSIC” Match👍🏻🫡 My Condolences To Hitomi😔R.I.P. Terrance Brunk🙏🏻YOU🫵🏻Were One of A Kind In This Business⭐️ pic.twitter.com/uWQBNtoU6m
— SGT SLAUGHTER (@_SgtSlaughter) May 11, 2025
Sabu’s career
In the 1990s, Sabu became well-known as a major player in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW). Alongside WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam, he went on to capture the ECW World Heavyweight Championship and the ECW World Tag Team Championship.
Sabu participated in the WWE/ECW revival in the mid-2000s. He faced off against well-known pay-per-view competitors including Big Show, John Cena, and Rey Mysterio.
Later that year, Sabu quit WWE and went back to competing in independent wrestling, where he remained until this month, when he announced his retirement.
In his final match, which took place at WrestleMania 41 Weekend in Las Vegas on April 18, 2025, Sabu defeated Joey Janela.