The wrestling world continues to mourn the loss of ECW legend Sabu, who passed away over the weekend at the age of 60. Just three weeks prior, Sabu competed in what would be his final match—a no-ropes barbed wire deathmatch against Joey Janela at GCW’s Spring Break 9 on April 18, 2025.
In a revealing article by Phil Schneider for Yahoo’s The Uncrowned, Janela opened up about the behind-the-scenes chaos that nearly derailed the highly anticipated retirement match—and how it miraculously came together.
Janela described a rollercoaster day leading into the match. Though he had been reassured for weeks that Sabu was physically ready—“going to the gym,” “on a training program”—things fell apart just hours before bell time.
“Then two hours before, I get a call: ‘Sabu can’t walk.’ What do you mean Sabu can’t walk? They said, ‘Yeah, something with his knee — they’re locked up. He can’t walk. And his feet are bleeding. He’s not coming.’ I said, ‘Sabu’s f***ed.’”
Faced with the possibility of canceling what had been billed as Sabu’s final match, Janela scrambled for a backup. Indie deathmatch icon Matt Tremont was nearly tapped as a last-minute replacement.
“There’s 2,000 people here. This is one of the biggest Spring Breaks ever… I’m going to have to go out there and announce that Sabu, once again, no-showed. And no-showed his own retirement match.”
Just as hope was slipping away, Sabu’s team administered a controversial herbal supplement known as kratom, a legal opioid alternative.
“They said, ‘He’s hopping on the bed, he’s hopping off the bed, and we’re going to get him to the show.’”
Two hours into the show, Sabu arrived in a state Janela describes as being on a “different f***ing planet.” Backstage nerves were high, with many unsure if the match could—or should—go on.
But against all odds, the match happened.
Despite physical limitations and backstage panic, Sabu went through with the bout, battling Janela in a brutal, fitting finale that featured barbed wire, chaos, and echoes of his wild ECW past. The moment now stands as the last chapter in the career of one of pro wrestling’s most innovative and extreme pioneers.
Sabu’s passing has prompted an outpouring of tributes across the wrestling world, including heartfelt statements from Taz, Rob Van Dam, The Sandman, and many others who worked alongside the hardcore icon.
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for more on Sabu’s legacy and coverage of memorial tributes from across the industry.
