Note: This source is being questioned. We will update this story as soon as possible … hopefully it’s good news. Apologies for any confusion between now and then.

Mixed martial arts journeyman Kimo Leopoldo reportedly died last night from complications caused by a heart attack, according to several published reports. He was 41 years young.

The UFC veteran last competed inside the Octagon at UFC 48 in 2004, losing to Ken Shamrock via first round knockout (knee). He fared no better in the last performance of his career, which was a technical knockout loss to Wes Sims at Extreme Wars 5: “Battlegrounds” in 2006.

Kimo (10-7-1) is perhaps best known for wearing down Royce Gracie in a losing effort at UFC 3, thus allowing Nebraska police officer Steve Jennum his 15 minutes of fame.

Throughout his 12-year career, Kimo struggled with substance abuse. He tested positive for steroids several times, including after his last fight with Shamrock and prior to a scheduled bout against Bas Rutten at the World Fighting Alliance that never materialized.

Kimo — who made an unsuccessful bid to become the executive director of the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) — was also recently held by police for drug possession in Tustin, Calif., after authorities spotted the ex-fighter wearing a Long Beach Police Department jumpsuit complete with patches and a cloth badge.

It’s unclear at this time if drugs played any role in his untimely death or if it was due to natural causes. R.I.P. Kimo: Jan. 4, 1968 to July 20, 2009.

http://mmamania.com/2009/07/21/kimo-leopoldo-dead-at-41-because-of-heart-attack-complications/

Take it for what it's worth.

Lol, you don't even say R.I.P. for the lovely steroid user.

R.I.P. Kimo Leopoldo.

Damn, yeah I remember him wearing down Royce.. If he's dead, R.I.P..

R.I.P. Kimo

Not exactly unexpected, but if it's true... RIP.

Lol, you don't even say R.I.P. for the lovely steroid user.

R.I.P. Kimo Leopoldo.

It hasn't been 100% confirmed, though

It's been reported now in the NY Daily News, though it is still unconfirmed.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_sports/2009/07/21/2009-07-21_ufc_star_ki.html

Despite a simple Google check revealing that the BJJ instructor source cited in the post does not exist, multiple sites were happy to run with it and found themselves citing each other as the rumour became self-perpetuating.

Yahoo! Sports writer Kevin Iole has posted a Twitter item stating that he had “just spoke to Kimo's publicist. He was NOT in Costa Rica last night. Was in Orange County and alive at 11.

The publicist added that "No one has heard from him today" but that does not lend any truth to the rumour, which cleary stated Kimo was in Costa Rica yesterday.

Looks like it might be a hoax

http://www.canada.com/entertainment/celebrity/Early+star+Kimo+Leopoldo+still+alive+just/1813251/story.html
Reports on Tuesday of the death of early Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) star Kimo Leopoldo was a big story throughout the mixed-martial-arts world. No one was more surprised by the news, in fact, than Leopoldo himself. He’s alive and well.

“I knew I wasn’t dead,” Leopoldo told Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports in a phone interview on Tuesday evening.

“So when I was reading this I wondered if I was jinxed or something was going to happen.”

Leopoldo, who became an overnight mixed-martial-arts sensation following his appearance at UFC 3 in 1994, was reported dead Tuesday by numerous news outlets, including TMZ, the New York Daily News and Orange County Register. Rumors of Leopoldo’s death first appeared on MMA.tv’s popular forum, “The Underground.” The post claimed that Leopoldo died in Costa Rica after complications from a heart attack.

To put an end to the rumours, Leopoldo, 41, went to the Orange County Sheriff’s office in Santa Ana, Calif., late Tuesday afternoon.

“It was really strange,” Leopoldo told Yahoo!

“I’ve always had strange things written about me but nothing this bizarre. I couldn’t believe it when I searched for my name and I wrote in ‘Kimo Leopoldo’ and it added the word ‘death.’ ”

Leopoldo, known simply as Kimo in the MMA world, debuted with Ultimate Fighting Championship at UFC 3 against UFC Hall of Famer Royce Gracie. That night, the 6-foot-3, 235-pounder entered the ring with a massive cross on his back and pushed Gracie — then, a two-time UFC tournament champion — to the point of exhaustion before eventually submitting. Gracie could not continue in the tournament, however, due to the damage from his match with Kimo.

Kimo fought four more times for UFC: a loss at UFC 8 in 1996 to Ken Shamrock; a loss to Tsuyoshi Kohsaka via decision at UFC 16 in 1997; a win over Tank Abbott at UFC 43 in 2003; and another loss to Shamrock at UFC 48 in 2004.

His career MMA record is 10-7-1.

In July 2006, Leopoldo was scheduled to fight ex-UFC heavyweight champ Bas Rutten but tested positive for steroids in the days leading up to the match. He had also tested positive for steroids following his UFC 48 match versus Shamrock.

Leopoldo was sentenced by a California judge earlier this week to 10 days of community service and to participate in a drug diversion program. He was arrested in February on suspicion of possession of methamphetamine.

“I knew I wasn’t dead,” Leopoldo told Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports in a phone interview on Tuesday evening.


LMAO, Kimo is a genius. He knew he wasn't dead, ahahaha. Now we should say L.I.P = Live In Peace.

L.I.P Kimo.

What responsible journalism that was:rolleyes:

Rumor has it that some dude on the UG started this.

For those not "in the know," The UG (underground) is a pretty informative forum where lots of fighters and mma people post amongst the regulars. You can find lots of spoilers, rumors, and gossip on there.

There are already spoilers about who won and lost in the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter