Muay Thai Champion And UFC Fighter Shane Del Rosario Dies Tuesday
ByUFC heavy weight Shane Del Rosario died on Tuesday from a heart attack he suffered on Nov. 26., the Los Angeles Times reported. The 30 year-old was revived after going into full cardiac arrest, but later slipped into a coma. Doctors attributed his death to a congenital disorder, but a complete diagnosis hasn't yet been made.
Del Rosario was the first American to win the WBC's Muay Thai championship in 2007, according to ESPN. Just before that title, he began training for mixed martial arts in 2006. He bounced around several different organizations, including King of the Cage, EliteXC, M-1 Global, and Strikeforce, and won all eleven of his fights. In 2011, he jumped to the UFC, where he lost his only two bouts. His last fight ever was a knockout loss to Pat Barry in December 2012. He was scheduled to fight in UFC 169 this December, but withdrew because of injury, ESPN reported.
"The Ultimate Fighting Championship mourns the tragic loss of heavyweight competitor Shane del Rosario, who has passed away at the age of 30," the UFC said in a statement. "Del Rosario suffered a heart attack on Tuesday, Nov. 26, as a result of what doctors believe to be a congenital heart disorder, according to his manager Jason House. The entire organization sends its deepest condolences to Shane's family and friends."
"It has been truly amazing to realize just how many lives Shane touched in such a positive way," Del Rosario's family told The Associated Press. "As always, Shane fought hard, but it was his time to go in peace. We will miss his huge smile, his huge bear hugs, his gift of giving to others, and his Aloha spirit. He was larger than life."
Del Rosario grew up in Orange County, CA and is of Norwegian and Hawaiian descent. He started training at the age of 17, went to the University of California, Irvine for his psychology degree, and then focused on kickboxing in the Muay Thai discipline.
"RIP to one of the best people I've ever had the honor to have in my life and call my best friend," wrote Del Rosario's roommate, Ian McCall, on his Twitter account Monday.