Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fans received sad news amid the holiday season. The former UFC fighter Stephan Bonnar passed away at the age of 45. His former opponent, Anderson Silva, is still competing at 47. So it is definitely heartbreaking to see someone as young as Bonnar pass away tragically. The MMA community was saddened by the news and many shared their thoughts on the matter.
But how did Stephan Bonnar die? According to an official report from the UFC, Bonnar died from heart complications while working.
However, there are no exact explanations as to what those complications actually were. But, some old videos have surfaced where Bonnar was talking about his ailments. Videos from late 2020 and 2021 may give some context to his untimely passing.
On 9th November 2020, Bonnar posted a video on his Instagram account from a hospital bed. He hinted towards potential heart issues. Apparently, the ammonia levels in his blood were very high.
Stephan revealed that the doctors told him the ammonia levels in his blood should have been around 20. Hence, such high levels would have been potentially fatal. The medical experts suspected that he had Wilson’s disease.
View this post on Instagram
“Apparently, my ammonia levels were above 200, and when I asked the doctor if that was bad, he said, ‘usually people die at that level.’ And normal is 20. But levels are back down. He thought maybe it was salmonella, and he also thinks it could be Wilson’s disease.”
Stephan Bonnar had problems with pain medications
Aside from that, he also gave an interview with MMA Fighting in September 2021. In that interview, Bonnar shared a horrible experience he had in a hospital. Apparently, Bonnar had a broken wrist and broken vertebrae which was causing him a lot of pain. However, the authorities apparently asked him to leave in that condition after Bonnar had an argument with the doctor present on the scene.
Stephan also added that a push from the security personalities caused him to fall down and it also injured his shoulder. Stephan was on pain medications all his life as he had many many surgeries over the years. It led to the interviewer asking him, if he had any problems with pain medication addiction or not. It angered Bonnar beyond belief.
“Are you f***ing kidding me? Let me f***ing fracture your lumbar vertebrae and see how you feel two weeks later. And also break your wrist, and also f**k your shoulder up, and you’re crutching your shoulder on it. Come on man, like really, I’m being honest here. ‘Do you have a problem?’ F**k you, that’s what I’m talking about.”
“Dude I’ve been through a bunch of AA and sponsors and treatment and all the works of it. Like I first started drinking like probably seven years ago and finally fully quit three and a half (years ago.) Oh yeah, I do have my medical marijuana card. Like I can have my little vape pen. But it’s legal. And that, it can only offer so much relief. You know, like it’s not like the same relief that some of this other medication can offer.”
Bonnar revealed during the interview that the injury was caused during a pro-wrestling contest. Bonnar has wrestled in wrestling companies like Impact and NJPW.
He also wrestled quite extensively on the indie circuits and was quite good at it. But, pro wrestling can be very tough on the body and Bonnar suffered quite a few damaging injuries across his career.
View this post on Instagram
But, there is no implication that pain medication had any role to play in Bonnar’s heart complications. The 45-year-old also had chronic arthritis in his knees. So all in all, Stephan Bonnar was in suffering from a lot of injuries after extensive careers in MMA and pro wrestling.
American Psycho will always be remembered for his legendary fight against Forrest Griffin in 2005 and what it meant for the UFC. The bout was so good that it even found itself in the Hall of Fame in 2013.