WWE Hall of Famer Jeff Jarrett, who currently serves as the Director of Business Development for All Elite Wrestling (AEW), recently appeared on an episode of his podcast, “My World with Jeff Jarrett.” During this episode, he explored various topics, including his earliest memories of Sabu.
Jarrett said, “I can’t think of Sabu without first thinking of his uncle, The Sheik. And the stories and as wild and crazy, and one of the originators of being a true, true, true heel that protected the business. And I know it’s a different generation. But behind that man was — and the first time my old man refers to Eddie, Eddie Farhat, as the promoter in the Detroit area. And that that generation of promoters, and he came in and worked with Lawler a few times. And my dad, this is maybe ’87 -— I know it was his first, second, or third year. ‘Hey, Sabu and a guy named Judge Dredd are coming in,’ and a young man named Rob Zachowski, later known as RVD.”
On getting to know Sabu:
“So where I really got to know him was the early days of TNA. And that’s when you understand kind of the man behind everything. Scars — not just in his forehead, but his arms. And he felt — when you were around him, you just felt this guy like ‘Damn, this guys’ been through the ringer.’ But he worked for us at TNA, off and on, really the whole run that I was there. And did it all. And some of the stories he and Abyss would tell in the ring, and they had a good relationship.”
On Sabu’s work ethic and selflessness:
“The innovator, the uniqueness, the unorthodox style, the passion that he gave to the business. And look, I don’t think anybody who knew him, knew his style, knew his work ethic, wouldn’t say, ‘Hey, that was a crazy S.O.B.’ But right down in the core of who he was, he was a giver. He gave to the business, he gave everything he had, and even on a light show, he never went second or third gear. He always just had it in him. Who he was as a person was a complete giver with none of the nonsense ego. Because he protected who Sabu was for years and years. And to me, I respect the hell out of that. There’s a lot of integrity in that. And you really wouldn’t associate those words with Sabu [the character]. But I’ll just say the business lost a human being who trail-blazed his path. And at the end of the day, isn’t that what we’re all trying to do? Blaze our own path and leave a legacy of, ‘Hey, he gave more than he took.’ And you can say that about Sabu.”
You can check out the complete podcast in the video below.
(H/T to 411Mania.com for transcribing the above quotes)
