Former UFC fighter Elias Theodorou dies from cancer at 34

Former UFC fighter Elias Theodorou has died from cancer.

He was 34 years old.

MMA Fighting confirmed the news with a representative for Theodorou, following an initial report from BJPenn.com. TSN reports that Theodorou was battling stage 4 liver cancer and that his diagnosis was known to few.

Theodorou (19-3) was a veteran of 22 MMA bouts, including an 8-3 run in the UFC. He won The Ultimate Fighter: Nations middleweight tournament and holds notable victories over Eryk Anders, Dan Kelly, Cezar Ferreira, and Sam Alvey.

Theodorou is best remembered for his advocacy for medicinal cannabis in combat sports. In 2020, the Canadian veteran became the first fighter to receive a therapeutic use exemption for medical cannabis, which was granted by the British Columbia Athletic Commission.

Theodorou also made headlines when he served as a “ring boy” for an Invicta FC event in 2018. The all-women promotion tweeted out their condolences on Saturday.

After making his pro debut in 2011, Theodorou began his career 8-0 and went on to earn a UFC contract by winning TUF in 2014. He parted ways with the promotion in 2019, following a unanimous decision loss to Derek Brunson. Back on the regional scene, Theodorou went 3-0 and scored a unanimous decision nod over Bryan Baker at a Colorado Combat event this past December in what would be his final fight.

Fighters reacted to the tragic news on social media.