Terry Funk Says Wrestling Wasn’t Financially Beneficial To Sabu, Calls His Work Ethic Revolutionary

Terry Funk knows the toll that the hardcore wrestling style can take on the body and says Sabu’s body of work changed the game, even if the business wasn’t so kind to him financially.

Terry Funk spent a good portion of the 90s in Extreme Championship Wrestling as he tried to help along several potential-filled Stars reach a higher level of success through extreme acts of violence. There is perhaps nobody more violent in the history of ECW than Sabu.

The nephew of The Original Sheik, Sabu was known for his Innovative offense that often resulted in his body taking just as much punishment, if not more, than that of his opponent. In 1997, Terry Funk and Sabu engaged in a brutal barbed wire match for the ECW championship, a match that would tie both men together forever.

Speaking with Dominic DeAngelo of WrestleZone, Terry Funk candidly praised Sabu her changing the way the wrestling business worked. 

“He created a different look to the profession and I really mean that. What he created was ‘Hey, this guy is going beyond what he should possibly do in the ring,’ and he did. He would go in the ring and physically abuse himself and do things that physically hurt himself. He’s still wrestling, but they definitely shortened his career, you know? That guy has got a tremendous heart and a love for his business and that’s why he did what he did and took the chances that he took within the ring.”

Funk continued, “He loved the business, I’m sure he still loves it, but as far as financially goes, it wasn’t that good to him. Why? Because the one person that makes you rich wasn’t there and he had the qualities to do it, but he did so much. And he loved it so much that he is very much like Cactus, destroyed their bodies for the fans.”

Terry Funk would go on to praise the competitive environment in the ECW locker room, further appreciating how each guy gave 100% at all times.

If you would like to check out the full interview, you can do so at this link.