Rob Van Dam Says Sabu Was Irreplaceable in His Life

The wrestling world continues to mourn the loss of Sabu, and Rob Van Dam has now joined the chorus of tributes for his longtime friend and mentor.

Taking to Twitter, the WWE Hall of Famer shared a heartfelt post reflecting on Sabu’s impact on his life and career.

Alongside a photo of the two at WrestleCon just weeks ago, Van Dam wrote, “Here we were just a few weeks ago at Wrestlecon. You never know when it’s the last time you’ll be together when it comes to this. Sabu was as irreplaceable in my life as he was in the industry.”

Van Dam didn’t shy away from expressing just how much Sabu meant to him personally, admitting that Sabu was a guiding force in his life since he was just 18 years old. “You all know how important he was to my career, and you know how much he meant to me personally. He’s been a tremendous influence since I was 18 years old, when I met him. Learning to be an adult, while you’re in the crazy environment of this business can go several different ways,” Van Dam said.

For RVD, Sabu was more than just a wrestling icon — he was family. “I’m proud to have been able to carry on so many of Sheik and Sabu’s values, both in and out of the ring. Sabu helped make me the wrestler I am, the person I am, and I’ll always be proud of that and grateful,” he added, ending the post with, “wRESTle IN PEACE.”

Sabu’s influence on the hardcore wrestling scene is undeniable, and for Van Dam, the loss hits especially hard given their shared history in ECW, where Sabu’s high-risk, fearless style left a lasting impression on both fans and fellow wrestlers.

With tributes pouring in from Taz, Rob Van Dam, and others, Sabu’s impact continues to resonate.