Sabu returns deposit after no-showing Indie HOF ceremony

The situation with Sabu no-showing his Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame induction has now been fully resolved.

Sabu had been announced as a member of the Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame class of 2024. But even though he was physically in the same building where it was taking place, Sabu did not appear at the ceremony this past Sunday. He was at WrestleCon while the HOF ceremony was happening.

The ECW legend explained that he didn’t appear at the ceremony because he “changed [his] mind.” GCW promoter Brett Lauderdale responded that there were no hard feelings and he still respected Sabu both as a person and a performer.

In an update on Thursday night, Lauderdale revealed that Sabu has returned the $300 deposit he received for the Hall of Fame event. Lauderdale has donated the deposit to the William Way LGBT Community Center in Philadelphia.

“Tonight, Sabu reached out to GCW & returned the deposit ($300) he received for the Indie Hall of Fame. I appreciate the gesture & want to thank/reiterate my respect for Sabu,” Lauderdale tweeted. “I’ve decided to redirect the money in the form of a donation to The William Way LGBT Community Center.”

The William Way LGBT Community Center seeks to “engage and support the diverse LGBTQIA+ communities in the greater Philadelphia area through arts & culture, empowerment, and community connections.”

The Sheraton hotel in downtown Philadelphia was the host of the 2024 Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame ceremony. Since 2022, the event has taken place annually during WrestleMania weekend. The Hall of Fame is presented by Game Changer Wrestling and Orange Crush magazine.

The Briscoes (Jay & Mark Briscoe), Trent Acid, Steve Corino, Mercedes Martinez, “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert, and indie superfan Kevin “Whack Packer” Hogan were the other members of the 2024 Indie Hall of Fame class.