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Tragedy struck the MMA community over the weekend as news broke of the death of former UFC fighter Elias Theodorou due to cancer.
Shortly after Theodorou’s death became public, fighters and fans paid homage to the Canadian veteran and The Ultimate Fighter: Nations winner, who died of cancer Sunday. He was 34 years old.
Invicta FC President Shannon Knapp called Theodorou “a beautiful soul” and “a bright light in this world” in a Twitter post, accompanied by images of the always unconventional Theodorou serving as the all-women promotion’s first-ever “ring boy.”
ONE heavyweight champion Arjan Bhullar, another standout fighter from Canada, wrote, “This is so damn sad. Never heard a bad thing said about him and blown away he just fought less than a year ago,” while UFC welterweight Michael Chiesa uploaded a video sharing a story in which Theodorou literally gave him the clothes off of his back.
UFC President Dana White took to Instagram to pay homage to Theodorou, who went 8-3 during his run with the promotion from 2014-2019.
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See the MMA community’s social media reactions to the tragic news below.
This is a very difficult post to write. Elias was a big brother to me. My MMA big brother. He helped bring me up in the sport. Laid more beatings on me than probably anyone else ever will. pic.twitter.com/Sxaz5K6PDa
— Aaron Jeffery (@aajmma) September 12, 2022
You were such a beautiful soul. Always so kind and such a bright light in this world. This news is devastating. You will be greatly missed, but never forgotten. Fly high, Elias! #RingBoy pic.twitter.com/tHP9jv41JU
— Shannon Knapp (@shanknapp) September 12, 2022
A member of the @InvictaFights family has sadly passed from his battle with cancer. Our sincere condolences to his friends and family. Elias was truly a kind, humble and charismatic personality who will be missed greatly by all. #RingBoy pic.twitter.com/20nkgnLZgU
— Invicta FC (@InvictaFights) September 12, 2022
Rest In Peace my friend. @EliasTheodorou pic.twitter.com/r51KnalsHL
— Michael Chiesa (@MikeMav22) September 12, 2022
Wow. Loss for words on hearing the news on one of the nicest guys I’ve met in this sport. #RIP Elias. This is saddening
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) September 12, 2022
— Michael Chiesa (@MikeMav22) September 12, 2022
Horrible news to see, Canada lost a great one
— #OnAmission4Gold (@KelvinGastelum) September 12, 2022
This is so damn sad. Never heard a bad thing said about him and blown away he just fought less than a year ago. RIP https://t.co/UEqpdG6WEQ
— Arjan Singh Bhullar (@TheOneASB) September 12, 2022
— Sodiq Yusuff (@Super_Sodiq) September 12, 2022
I’m so sad.,. https://t.co/QC3yPLRxrf
— Roxanne Modafferi (@Roxyfighter) September 12, 2022
I can't believe! terrible news! RIP my friend Elias Theodorou it’s was a pleasure to share the octagon with you my brother
— Thiago “Marreta” Santos (@TMarretaMMA) September 12, 2022
Woah! R.I.P https://t.co/h76MFqfe7P
— Julian marquez (@JMarquezMMA) September 12, 2022
Damn #RIP https://t.co/xTTJY1Kjrg
— Miesha Tate (@MieshaTate) September 12, 2022
— PEARL GONZALEZ (@PearlGonzalez) September 12, 2022
— Mike "Biggie" Rhodes (@TeamRocBiggie) September 12, 2022
— Shai Yaya (@shai_yaya) September 12, 2022
I sat in a hot tub with Elias Theodorou in Moncton, NB, Canada back in 2018. He was fun to talk to… a thoughtful and nice guy. So sad to hear this news.
— Brendan Fitzgerald (@BrendanFitzTV) September 12, 2022
RIP Elias Theodorou. A great person and a HUGE voice for the more fair and equitable treatment of marijuana use in MMA and sport.
— Jeff Novitzky (@JeffNovitzkyUFC) September 12, 2022
Took a nap to wake up and find out Elias Theodorou has passed. Way to young. You will be missed my guy. #LONGLIVETHESPARTAN
— Chris Curtis The Action Man (@Actionman513) September 12, 2022
Such sad news. May he Rest In Peace. https://t.co/bDBzIe8Q52
— Megan Olivi (@MeganOlivi) September 12, 2022
I’m shocked, rip. https://t.co/H8hSrIQXsQ
— Angela Hill (@AngieOverkill) September 12, 2022
Oh man, It’s so sad to hear about Elias Theodorou. May he Rest In Peace.
— Tanner Boser (@BulldozerBoser) September 12, 2022
And he didn’t make it known to the public at all. Can only assume he didn’t want pity. Damn. What a badass.
— Tanner Boser (@BulldozerBoser) September 12, 2022
Always a great guy. Polite, respectful and a great sense of humor. RIP. Was shocked when I saw this. Sincere condolences to his loved ones. https://t.co/zVdzkIsfdC
— michael (@bisping) September 12, 2022
This is heartbreaking. https://t.co/py3GKXfGT4
— Alan Jouban (@AlanJouban) September 12, 2022
Condolences to Elias family and friends. Rest easy my friend https://t.co/JhB2O3igFK
— Gray Maynard (@GrayMaynard) September 12, 2022
Just awful news. Gone way too soon. Rest in peace Elias https://t.co/8CywJrNZRG
— John Gooden (@JohnGoodenUK) September 12, 2022
It was always a pleasure to be with @EliasTheodorou, the man had such a positive view on life. His smile was infectious, every time I saw him he had me smiling and laughing. May you Rest In Peace my brother!
— Aiemann Zahabi (@Aiemannzahabi) September 12, 2022
Rest in Power @EliasTheodorou @InvictaFights pic.twitter.com/k4HFiCiNBu
— Julia Avila (@RagingPandaMMA) September 12, 2022
Prayers and condolences go out to the family and friends of @EliasTheodorou so often people fight and we don’t see it, just as often we don’t even know. RIP Elias, classy to the end I am so sorry that we, the MMA community did not no about your toughest fight ever pic.twitter.com/nSbzd6tZRp
— Big John McCarthy (@JohnMcCarthyMMA) September 12, 2022
Very sad to hear about Elias Theodorou . RIP
— Demian Maia (@demianmaia) September 12, 2022
A positive energy if ever there was one, a man who almost always flashed a winning smile, a man who spoke out about what he believed in.
— Sarah Kaufman (@mmasarah) September 12, 2022
You will be missed Elias. (Don’t worry guys, he approved this photo )#themaneevent #themaneevent™ #rip #eliastheodorou #fuckcancer pic.twitter.com/GBAIJkBVDg
This is so sad. He was a good guy. RIP Elias https://t.co/5oRkCclUpl
— Alpha Cat Zingano (@CatZingano) September 12, 2022
@EliasTheodorou always walked tall. He was a natural performer & belonged on stage. A karaoke stage, a fight stage, a ring boy stage, an advocate stage…
— Zachary Makovsky (@ZachFunSize) September 12, 2022
He was always kind and fun and making everywhere he was, a little brighter. You’ll be missed, brother. Grateful I knew you ❤️ pic.twitter.com/rsXvE28tTV
Was a pleasure sharing the octagon with you . Elias Theodorou was 8-2 in the UFC & left the UFC due to standing up for what he believed in . He was 19-3 as a martial artist and from all accounts was a great person . RIP my brother, a true Canadian pioneer ! pic.twitter.com/SOC7nOxJJ1
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) September 12, 2022
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