"The day you start putting an expiry date on it, you already have your days numbered" - When the late Elias Theodorou refused to "put an end date" to his MMA career

The MMA world was shocked when former UFC fighter Elias Theodorou passed away on September 11, 2022. The 34-year-old succumbed to stage four liver cancer as confirmed by multiple friends and teammates on social media, including UFC President Dana White.

The Canadian fighter appeared on Ariel Helwani's MMA Show on ESPN MMA following his release from the UFC in 2019. He addressed a question from Helwani regarding his plans to continue fighting without offering up a potential end date for his career. He said:

"Again, I don't want to put an end date in it because I think the day you start putting an expiry date on it, you already have your days numbered. I love what I do, as a martial artist and the subsequent stuff that comes with it."

His liver cancer diagnosis was not public knowledge until his death and it is uncertain if he was battling the illness at the time of this quote. Nonetheless, 'The Spartan' expressed gratitude for getting to practice mixed martial arts professionally and all the perks of being in the MMA limelight.

Check out his inspiring words on Ariel Helwani's MMA Show:

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Elias Theodorou led the fight for in-sport cannabis use

Elias Theodorou accomplished a lot in his time as a mixed martial arts professional. He competed in the middleweight division for the UFC after winning the middleweight tournament at The Ultimate Fighter Nations finale.

He notched a 8-3 record inside the octagon prior to his release following a loss to No.5-ranked middleweight contender Derek Brunson. His foremost achievement, however, was his activism for medical cannabis use.

Theodorou became the first professional athlete in North America to receive a Therapeutic Use Exemption from the British Columbia Athletic Commission in January 2020. In 2021, he received a similar exemption from the Colorado Combative Sports Commission.

Elias Theodorou spoke to BJPENN.com in 2019 about his stance on medical cannabis and the motivation behind his activism:

“I want to use my platform to bring attention to what I’m doing. But, also bring attention to the current stigma that unfortunately surrounds cannabis. It is something that I can slowly remove. Obviously, the stigma still remains, but one step at a time. Not only for myself but for other athletes to educate themselves and that this is an option."

A fighter par excellence and a genuine professional who aspired to use his platform to give back, Elias Theodorou will be missed dearly by the MMA fraternity.