Hours after news that Sub had passed away, Dave Meltzer Wrestling Observer Radio To discuss the sacrifices that Sub’s hardcore wrestling style has won his life and career. Sabu, whose real name was Terry Blank, died at the age of 60, leaving behind a legacy defined by the blood, barbed wire and unparalleled atrocities within the ring.
Meltzer began by working on Sub’s physical condition in his last year, noting that decades of hardcore wrestling acquired his body. “Sub had a lot of issues with painkillers from what he did.” Meltzer said. He also mentioned that sub “He fell back on the floor and took what looked like a bad bump in that match. He’s 60. All you know, he’s not wrestling in years.”
Sub’s personal life was also characterized by heartbreak, which Mirtzer emphasized to reflect the tragic losses he deeply influenced. “He’s gone through some big heartbreak. You…with him, I don’t know if it’s his girlfriend or not… when she dies, you know. Meltzer revealed. He suggested that emotional pain had exacerbated the physical punishment he had endured throughout his career.
Meltzer painted a harsh picture of Sub’s condition for years after his ECW ran, explaining how the promoter reserves Sub despite the deterioration of his health. “There were a lot of horror stories before, but that was a bit… you know, he went through them and he was out of wrestling, so we hope we know we don’t see or hear them because he’s not wrestling.” Meltzer said.
He also argued that Sub’s hardcore persona became both a blessing and a curse, and that Sub was constantly pressured to outperform himself in order to meet his reputation. “It was mentally difficult to get there. That was a gimmick, so all the shows he had to do. The gimmick was that he worked harder than anyone else.” Meltzer explained.
Meltzer recalled the conversation in which Sub refused to wear protective padding. “I remember very early on, they know, why don’t you, you know, put more padding? He says, he wanted it to be difficult.”
Meltzer also expressed regret over how Sub’s career unfolded, noting that Sub never received the financial rewards that many wrestlers did in the late 90s. “By the time you know, you know there was a lot of money there. I mean, he didn’t get that big money at all while running in the late ’90s. Meltzer said Sabu’s loyalty to ECW and hardcore wrestling hinted at the possibility that he had spent a big salary.
Despite his physical and emotional sacrifice, Sub’s reputation as a hardcore icon remained unchanged until his final days. Meltzer confirmed his sub’s final match against Joey Janela over WrestleMania weekend. “He picked up a lot of injuries. He went for a long time… he had a retirement match against Joey Janela over WrestleMania weekend.
Meltzer put together his comments by looking back at the double-edged swords of hardcore wrestling, particularly the impact ECW had on subs and countless others. “I sometimes remind me of the back, and that’s what we’re doing, if there’s no one we’re going to, ‘We want a table,’ which started out in ECW during all the big games, they want to sit there and pull the table to people, so it wouldn’t be better.” Meltzer said. He pointed out that while Sub gained fame through his willingness to go to extremes, the sacrifices that it took could not be denied.
Sabu’s career was characterized by iconic moments in ECW, FMW and WWE, with unforgettable matches with Rob Van Dam, Taz, Terry Funk and others. But as Meltzer’s comments revealed, the hardcore legendary life behind the scenes was filled with the pain, heartbreak and prolonged injuries that bothered him long after the bell rang.
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