Elias Theodorou, First MMA Fighter Approved for Cannabis, Dies at 34 from Cancer

The world of combat sports was shaken by tragic news: successful MMA fighter Elias Theodorou passed away on September 11 after a tough battle with colon cancer. The unexpected and very sad announcement of his death was published on Theodorou’s official Twitter account. Only a small circle of people knew about his diagnosis.

Elias Theodorou became the first professional mixed martial arts athlete in Canada and the United States to receive permission to use cannabis for therapeutic purposes during competitions. His first fight with this status took place on December 18, 2021, in Colorado.

Theodorou was not only an athlete but also an actor, model, stuntman, TV host, and an active advocate for cannabis. For many years, he campaigned for the use of medical marijuana in sports, eventually securing a therapeutic use exemption for treating bilateral neuropathy—a condition that affects the nervous system and causes pain.

“That’s what this whole fight was about—removing barriers and stigma associated with medical marijuana use,” Theodorou wrote on his Instagram account. “Today it’s Colorado, tomorrow—the whole world.”

The official account also posted a request for fans to forgo flowers at the memorial in favor of donations to two of Elias Theodorou’s foundations: Theodorou Foundation and Higher Access. These nonprofit organizations were created by his family and coaches at his request: “As always, he was thinking not only of himself, but of those who came before him and all those who will follow. While undergoing several rounds of chemotherapy, he decided it was the right time to help others gain access to the same things that, in his opinion, helped him cope,” reads the donation page.

Funds raised will go toward providing educational content and access to medical resources for patients facing barriers to medical support.