OTTAWA, ON - MAY 04: Elias Theodorou of Canada battles Derek Brunson in their middleweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at Canadian Tire Centre on May 4, 2019 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
UFC community mourns passing of Elias Theodorou
The UFC community has come together to pay tribute to Elias Theodorou, who died of colon cancer at the age of 34. His death came as a surprise to many as only his closest friends were aware of his illness.
The Canadian MMA fighter, who was a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a dark blue belt in Muay Thai, had a record of 19 wins from 22 MMA bouts, with eight knockouts.
Theodorou, whose nickname was The Spartan, was the Ultimate Fighter Nations Middleweight Tournament Winner and his overall UFC record was eight wins and three defeats, beating the likes of Eryk Anders, Dan Kelly, and Cezar Ferreira.
Tributes from the world of MMA and UFC
Tributes to Theodorou from the MMA and UFC community have poured in, with fighters emphasizing his positive outlook on life. US fighter Aljamain Sterling expressed his shock at the news and described Theodorou as one of the nicest guys he has met in MMA.
Sterling is currently preparing for UFC 280, which is sure to feature moving tributes to the Canadian fighter, especially with Theodorou making such a lasting contribution to the popularity of the sport. In 2019, the prominence of the sport led to ESPN securing the television rights to the UFC on a five-year deal worth $150 million a year. The UFC is also popular amongst sportsbooks with a range of betting promotions available to new players. When Sterling faces fellow American T.J. Dillashaw at UFC 280, he is at odds of -161 to win the bout with BetMGM, while Dillashaw is priced at +135 to emerge victorious.
Shock and disbelief
Theodorou’s compatriot and teammate Aaron Jeffery expressed a mixture of shock and disbelief at the news, highlighting the positive energy and charismatic personality of his friend. Jeffrey is dealing with the loss by spending time at the gym, something he is sure would meet the approval of his friend, who he describes as being like a big brother to him.
Jeffrey paid tribute to Theodorou’s supportive influence on his career and his legacy and stature in the sport will be sure to have an impact on up-and-coming fighters in MMA. This does not just refer to his fighting skills, but also his willingness to support others.
Although he left the UFC in 2019, the emotional video posted on social media by UFC welterweight Michael Chiesa demonstrates his lasting influence on the sport. He explained that Theodorou was the sort of person who would give someone the shirt off his back and recounted the occasion when he needed a formal jacket for a press conference and the Canadian was only too willing to surrender his own jacket to Chiesa.
A cameo role as ring boy
The overwhelming impression of Theodorou is that he was well-liked and didn’t take himself too seriously. This was exemplified by his appearance as a ‘ring boy’ which resulted in rapturous applause at Invicta FC 28, which featured women’s mixed martial arts. His rightful claim to have the best hair in MMA was accompanied by his trademark winning smile.
After leaving the UFC, Theodorou fought in three bouts, with the final win of his career against Bryan Baker at Colorado Combat Club 10 on December 18th, 2021.
The UFC has lost one of its biggest names in the larger-than-life character of Elias Theodorou, but his memory will live on, not just the legacy of his martial arts ability, but the memories of his winning character and positive personality which touched everyone he met in the MMA community. Perhaps the last words should go to former MMA referee John McCarthy, who offered prayers and condolences to the friends and family of Theodorou and expressed regret that the MMA community was unaware that he was going through his toughest fight ever.
