Height:6'0 Weight:245
Well being born into a wrestling family didnt hurt abit,he was trained in the early 1980s by his legendary uncle the original Sheik, were he developed his style of non-stop mayhem early on. While his uncle instructed him on the basics of mat wrestling and brawling, Sabu, on his own, learned the aerial maneuvers that would make him famous. He built a ring in his own home where he not only imitated the likes of Satoru Sayama (the original Tiger Mask), but created many of the spectacular moves we see him utilize, and others emulate, today.
Sabu made his unofficial debut in 1984, a wild brawl against a mystery opponent chosen by his uncle who turned out to be the Sheik himself. But because the 1980s were a time in which promoters yearned for bodybuilder, larger-than-life, super-hero wrestlers it was not until 1992 that the more athletic-oriented Sabu landed his first break, signing with Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling (FMW) in Japan. Just a short time after signing, he teamed with Horace Boulder to capture the FMW WWA tag team titles from Japanese icon Atsushi Onita and Tarzan Goto.By 1993, Sabu began to slowly but surely become more recognized in wrestling circles. World Wrestling Federation owner Vince McMahon actually offered Sabu a contract early in the year, but heturned it down, as it would have conflicted with many of his Japanese commitments. That fall, however, Sabu inked a deal with an up-and-coming promotion based in Philadelphia that ultimately would catapult him to national stardom. He debuted for Eastern Championship Wrestling on October 1 and pinned the Tasmaniac (now known as Taz) not once, but twice in the same night. The following evening, he shocked the wrestling world by defeating "The Franchise" Shane Douglas for the ECW heavyweight title. A short time later he captured the ECW TV title by pinning hardcore legend Terry Funk in a tag team match in which a stipulation held that if Sabu pinned Funk, he would get the television strap.Sabu lost the belt back to Terry Funk at Holiday Hell in December , due in large part to Douglas attacking Sabu from behind during the match. This scenario set up the famous triangle match between Sabu, Funk and Douglas on February 5, 1994 on a card appropriately named The Night The Line Was Crossed. The three combatants battled to a one-hour time-limit draw in arguably one of the best matches of the decade. Perhaps the highlight of this five-star classic was Sabu's attempt at an Asai moonsault over the ringside barricade onto a prone Douglas, who was laid out on a table. Throughout 1994, Sabu furthered his reputation as one of wrestling's most insane stars. His battle with Cactus Jack on June 24 at Hostile City Showdown '94 was the all-out, "Oh My God!" brawl one would expect from those two. He made wrestling history on July 23, capturing the NWA Independent World title from Al Snow in a ladder match that saw usage of a 25-foot ladder, the largest ladder used in wrestling history. Perhaps Sabu's most amazing accomplishment occurred on November 5 in a match against Chris Benoit. Benoit dropped Sabu on his head, dislocating his shoulder and cracking several vertebrae in his neck. Unbelievably, Sabu finished wrestling the match.
Turning his attention to the tag team scene, Sabu formed an alliance with Taz. The two defeated The Public Enemy for the ECW tag team titles in February of 1995 in the world's first Double Tables match. The only way to win was to put both members of the opposing team through tables. However, their reign as champions was short lived, as the team of Benoit and "The Shooter" Dean Malenko beat Sabu and Taz for the straps on at Return of the Funker. Despite it being a loss, there are some who hold this bout as Sabu's greatest match, as it featured him reeling off one highspot after another against Malenko and Benoit while his partner Taz was tended to in the locker room for a knee injury. Just as the three-way feud between Sabu/Taz, Benoit/Malenko, and The Public Enemy began to heat up, Sabu abruptly left ECW in April 1995, when he failed to show for an ECW card due to a Japanese commitment. ECW owners Paul Heyman and Tod Gordon fired Sabu over the incident.
Sabu made his way back to Japan with New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he won the IWGP Junior Heavyweight title. Sabu lost the belt and then in August, began a three-month stint with Ted Turner's World Championship Wrestling.Although it allowed for him to be seen by a nationwide audience, Sabu's tenure in WCW was not as prosperous as he would have hoped, as WCW Executive Vice President Eric Bischoff was not as fond of Sabu's daredevil style as were others. Never quite figuring out how to use him, Bischoff fired Sabu for booking himself for other independent organizations, a firing Sabu found out about not via a phone call from Bischoff but by hearing a report on WCW's 900 hotline.Typical WCW!!!So he returned to now EXTREME CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING
ECW held its biggest card of 1995, November to Remember and Sabu was introduced just prior to the opening match and the ECW Arena crowd, notorious for its rowdiness, went absolutely crazy with delight. In his first match back Sabu disposed of Hack Myers, executing a 360-flip plancha onto a prone Myers through a table. . He engaged in a series of matches with Rob Van Dam during the spring and summer of 1996 that featured some of the best pure wrestling one will see anywhere in the world. Towards the end of the year, the two having earned each others respect, he formed a tag team with Van Dam and they, in late 1996 and early 1997, battled the Eliminators in some of the most spectacular, "can-you-top-this" matches to ever take place in the United States.
During 1997, ECW expanded nationally into the world of pay-per-view, and Sabu played an integral in their doing so. He headlined the company's first PPV, Barely Legal on April 13, losing to Taz in one of the most highly anticipated matches ECW has ever booked, and joind Rob Van Dam and Jerry Lawlers anti ECW group afterwards. Sabu captured the ECW heavyweight title for the second time defeating Terry Funk at Born to be Wired in one of the most brutal barbed wire matches ever staged.At one piont in the bout Sabu wrapped himself in the wire to deliver a leg drop on to funk through a table,then the 2 became intangled in the razor sharp wire.At the end of the match the 2 were wrapped in Barbed Wire to the point were they had to be cut out of the ring. Born To Be Wired August 1997
However, he dropped the title to Shane Douglas in a rematch of the famous triangle match from February 1994 with Sabu, Douglas, and Funk on ECWs second PPV, Hardcore Heaven '97 ,he wrestled the match after being attacked by the Sandman.This attack lead him into his legenday fued with The Sandman.And beleve me they beat the hell out of each other on a regular basis. Sabu pinned the Sandman at the November to Remember PPV in a tables and ladders match, but of course the most btural of al of them was the Stairway To Hell ladder match involving a roll of Barbed wire at the top os the ECW arena that seen Sabu get his jaw broken by The Sandman s infamous Singapore Cane, but the fued ended when Sabu won the Dueling Canes match at the March PPV living Dangerously.
So what now, well he seen his tag team partner Rob Van Dam steal his chance at becoming the ECW tv Champion for a 3rd time go away, but ECW signed a match for the tv belt at Wrestlepooloza 97 between the 2 that went to a 30 minute time limit draw, the 2 fueded breifly but got back togheter to win the tag belts away from Chris Candido and Lance Storm in the summer of 98.They Defended against all chalengers including a awesome title defense againsy japanese superstars Hiabusa and Jinsei Shinsake (Hakushi), The 2 breifly teamed up with TAZ to fight the Triple Threat, but this fued seen Sabu steal TAZ s thunder at the November To Remember 1998 PPV when he pinned Shane Douglas and got a shot for his world title. But TAZ wouldnt put up with that when he attacked Sabu repeatavely and broke his neck, but Sabu gained revenge on both TAZ and Douglas at Guilty as Charged when he interferred in the world title match.Now SABU was the number 1 contender to the world title.A match with his rival TAZ for the belt was upcoming at Living Dangerously 99.The 2 beat the hell out of each other on a regular basis,the fights backstage and in the ring got so bad that TAZ broke SABU s jaw in Charlotte,NC 2 weeks before the PPV.Broken Jaw and all SABU went in to Living Dangeroulsy on a mission.The mission:TO DESTROY TAZ.And he nearly got the job done.TAZ and SABu tore the house down that night literally.TAZ barely got by using the crossface to open up SABUs jaw.Blood poured out of the mouth and nose of the arabian mad man but he continued the match.TAZ would then hook on the dreded TAZMISSION for the win.That night the impossible happend after the match TAZ extedned his hand to SABU in a act of sportsmanship the 2 shook hands
All hell would literally break loose in the next few months,although advised by doctors to stay out until his jaw fully heals or risk permanant damage, SABU kept on wrestling regardless.Until The Impact Players who were hell bent on sending SABu and Rob Van dam out of ECW found a loophole in the by laws of the New Your State Atheletic commision.It stated that any athelete that did not take time off to let his injury heal especally if that injury was reaggrevated in competition must be banned from competition.This sent SABU into a violent frenzy at every turn he would break the law to get his hands on Justin Credible.Only to be restrianed by ECW security or even arrested .At the advise of his manager Bill Alfonso SABU finally too time off to heal.Only popping up when Justin Credible least expected it, like at the Hardcore Heaven 99 PPV when he came out of the crowd beat up both Lance Storm and Justin Credible and putting SID through a tabel driving him out of ECW.The stage was set for a final showdown the attacks and impromtu matches continued through the summer months even at Heat Wave 99 during the Impact Players/RVD and Jerry Lynn match.Finally the week before the Anarchy Rulz PPV TNN and ECW offical convinced the NY state atheletic commsion to lift the ban on SABU and let him finally get his hands on Justin Credible before he hurt himself on anyone else further.It was the SABU of old at Anarchy Rulz taking every risk in the book and putting himself and Credible in danger many times to get what he wanted.But to no avail as Justin Credible pulled off the upset of the century on him pinning the arabian madman in a absolutely brutal match up.Then the announcement that shocked ECW, TAZ had decided to leave ECW for The WWF in early september.One more chance arose for the legendary SABU/TAZ fued to end and on October 26th 1999 on TNNs friday night thrill zone we seen the most legendary and brutal fued in ECW history come to an end when SABU pinned TAZ in the middle of the ring
SABU went on to face Chris Candido at the November To Remember 99 in a incredible match.But when Rob Van dam defeated TAZ for the TV title there was only one man left that he hadnt defeated for the belt.SABU!!!!!!!!!!! The 2 exchanged words often over the matter until one night in Chicago when they finally came to blows and in a impromptu match between the 2 RVD hit the Five Star Frog Splash off the top rope on SABU s already injured knee that was sandwiched between a chair.The injury was the only thing that ever put SABU out of action of over a week. Not even a broken neck kept him out of action.But he would still show up and jump RVD and use every weapon in the book on him till ECW finally signed a match between the 2 at Guilty as Charged 2000 for the belt.SABU vowed that if he didnt defeat RVD that he would walk out of ECW.It was a fast paced, violent and high flyng match that seen both men go for 45 minutes straight.Finally after SABU missed a atomic arabian face buster , RVD capitalized and hit the frog splash for the win.The 2 shook hands in the middle of the ring and SABU wasnt seen or heard from again.One night at the ECW arena Mike Awesome called out RVD to a match.After insulting RVD and the Tv title RVD had enough and finally aggred to a match. Then the lights went out, when they came back on standing in the middle of the ring was SABU.Awesome challenged both men to a 2 on one match, as soon as RVD aggred with SABU to jump Awesome he was double crossed,SABU turned on his partner and best friend to align himself with Awesome and judged Jeff Jones in a fed with RVD and Little Spike Dudley.But the fued that was gonnd light the wrestling world up didnt happen.Assuming that SABU was a free agent since he hadnt said anything publicly about his contract,WCW went into negotatios with SABU.Unknowingly SABU accpeted a deal , but what he didnt realized is that he was bound contractually to ECW for the next 5 years.WCW backed off and now SABU and ECW exectutive producer Paul Heyman are now in a awkward situation.SABU has only wrestled once for ECW since and has walked out on many events for no reason due to a ongoing arguement with the company.Hopefully this deal can be worked out soon and SABU will return to ECW.
