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UFC Fighters Mourn the Loss of George Foreman

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio G Losada | Last updated Mar 22, 2025 10:30 AM ET

The death of boxing legend George Foreman on Friday has drawn emotional tributes from across the combat sports world, including prominent figures in the UFC.

Foreman, a two-time heavyweight world champion and Olympic gold medalist, passed away at the age of 76, prompting an outpouring of respect from fighters and promoters alike.

The legendary heavyweight passed away surrounded by loved ones, according to a statement released by his family. No cause of death was given.

UFC President Dana White, who is currently preparing to re-launch UFC’s boxing venture with an event scheduled for September, posted his respects, simply writing, “RIP Big George” on his personal account on Instagram.

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A post shared by Dana White (@danawhite)

Former UFC double champion Daniel Cormier also shared a personal message on Instagram.

“Rest easy, big champ! Such a gentleman. The fact that he took time to train me is a memory I’ll cherish forever—a dream come true,” Cormier wrote.

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A post shared by Daniel "DC" Cormier (@dc_mma)

UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who just became co-owner of the Dirty Boxing Championship, honored Foreman with a message on his Instagram stories, writing, “REST IN PEACE, GEORGE FOREMAN.”

Other fighters from the MMA community joined in, including Alan Jouban, Billy Quarantillo, Terrance McKinney, and Cris Cyborg, the latter of whom remembered Foreman as a cultural icon.

Very few times have I felt like I was meeting a cultural icon.

When @GeorgeForeman walked into the room he electrified it.

I can imagine him in Heaven doing the same thing ❤️ pic.twitter.com/HXFUBnDBCz
— CrisCyborg.Com (@criscyborg) March 22, 2025

“Very few times have I felt like I was meeting a cultural icon. When @GeorgeForeman walked into the room he electrified it,” Cyborg wrote on X. “I can imagine him in Heaven doing the same thing ❤️ ”

"RIP George Foreman absolute legend ", Quarantillo posted on X.

"Rest in peace George Foreman. A true legend in and out of the ring," McKinney wrote along with a picture of Foreman.

"RIP to the champ George Foreman. ," Jouban said in a brief statement.

Best known for his iconic battles against Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali, Foreman had enough fuel to become the oldest heavyweight champion in history at 45 as well as launching a booming grill business outside of the ring.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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