[MMA] 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.
Along with his fighting career, Theodorou was best known for being an advocate for the use of medicinal marijuana 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.