Sabus tragic passing in May 2025 at the age of 60 has left a cloud of unanswered questions surrounding the official cause of death. According to Rob Van Dam, the situation is more complicated than anyone realized, and the answer may never be revealed.
On a recent episode of his 1 Of A Kind podcast, Van Dam explained that Sabus unfinished divorce from his ex-wife, Hitomi, is blocking investigators from moving forward. They never got the official divorce. Divorce. Yeah. So, we need her signature for several things. And I dont want to get too personal on what the holdup is, but its everything. And um part of that is the cause of death. And I have gotten to reach her through a mutual friend. Um and she doesnt want nothing to do with this, but trying to get her to understand that um in the meantime, without her signature, everything is held up, Van Dam said.
Sabus final match took place against Joey Janela during GCW Joey Janelas Spring Break 9 during WrestleMania week in Las Vegas, NV. The bout was billed as his retirement match, but Sabu insisted it wasnt his last. Just days before his death, he appeared on the Legion of Skanks podcast and clarified, It was my last match, not my final match. When asked if he would wrestle again, Sabu replied, Probably.
Despite Sabus insistence that he wasnt done, Francine, who spoke to Sabu shortly before his death, described him as exhausted and unwell. He looked tired. He just but he was there, and he was taking pictures and signing autographs. I just said, Are you okay? and he goes, Im okay. Im okay. But he didnt look okay to me, Francine said during her podcast tribute.
Following Sabus death, rumors began to circulate about possible drug use before his final match. Reports surfaced alleging that Sabu may have taken substances prior to his last bout, leading to public commentary from Joey Janela, GCW, and promoter Brett Lauderdale.
Sabus passing has sparked a wave of tributes from wrestling legends, with longtime friend and former tag team partner Rob Van Dam continuing to share memories of the hardcore icon. But as the investigation stalls due to legal complications with his ex-wife, the truth behind Sabus final days may never come to light.
Should Sabus cause of death be revealed, or is it time to let the hardcore legend rest in peace? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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Should Sabus cause of death be revealed, or is it time to let the hardcore legend rest in peace? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
