Stephan Bonnar nickname namesake Tanner Marlow was killed in a tragic double homicide last Christmas

Promising light heavyweight prospect Tanner Marlow, who adopted his moniker 'The American Psycho' from UFC legend Stephen Bonnar, was reportedly killed in a tragic double homicide in Bakersfield, California, last Christmas Eve.

The 30-year-old undefeated fighter made his professional MMA debut against Luis Barbeau in June 2012 and emerged victorious via first-round knockout. Marlow went on to finish his next three opponents via TKO/KO, last defeating Joel Guzman at LFA 134 in June 2022.

According to reports, Tanner Marlow was killed during a home invasion. The armed assailant, Jacob Malena, forced his way into his ex-girlfriend's house and was surprised to see Marlow there. 'The American Psych', who was also armed, confronted the home invader, and the two engaged in a shootout that resulted in both men succumbing to their subsequent injuries.

Iridium Sports Agency, which represented Marlow, released a statement post his death:

“We’re heartbroken over the tragic passing of our Team Iridium brother Tanner Marlow. Tanner is remembered fondly as one of the most promising unbeaten prospects in the sport of MMA and a very proud family man. Tanner is missed greatly, and we extend our sincerest condolences and prayers to his family, friends, and team at this difficult time.”

Stephen Bonnar, a UFC Hall of Famer, tragically passed away due to an accidental drug overdose a few days before Tanner Marlow on December 22 in Las Vegas.

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Tanner Marlow death: Fans react to news of 'The American Psycho' being killed in deadly home invasion

Tanner Marlow was a very promising MMA fighter who competed as a light heavyweight and was undefeated in his professional career.

The news of his tragic death sent shockwaves across the MMA community. They took to social media to express their sympathy and send their condolences to Marlow's family and friends.

In the comments section of Twitter posts, one fan pointed out how close Bonnar and Marlow's dates of death were and wrote:

"Is this real? What an odd and tragic coincidence."

Another fan wrote:

"RIP."

One user claimed to have known one of the victim's friends and wrote:

"This happened in my city my best friend went to school with the other guy and he said he was very short-tempered, and he could see him doing some sh*t like that."

One user wrote:

"After reading the story, now that’s what I call a double KO."

Another user pointed out:

"Love triangle gone wrong."

One fan expressed his condolences, stating:

"Damn, man that's super fu**ed up. May he rest in peace."