Earlier this month, UFC veteran and UFC Ultimate Fighter 17 alumni Josh Samman passed away after slipping into a coma. We now have an apparent cause of death according to the Broward County (Florida) Chief Medical Examiner.
According to the chief medical examiner, Craig Mallak, Samman died of a probable drug overdose. He came to the conclusion after Samman’s friend Troy Kirkingburg was found deceased in the same apartment of Samman with heroin, cocaine, Xanax and ethanol/alcohol in his system.
The same chief medical examiner also performed the autopsy on Kirkingburg, an MMA ring announcer. Kirkingburg passed away due to a massive accidental drug overdose.
Samman (12-4-0), last competed at UFC Fight Night 91 in July 2016, where he suffered a second round TKO loss to Tim Boetsch. Samman was also a best selling author -- he recently released a biography titled “The Housekeeper: Love, Death & Prizefighting.”
Samman may best be remembered in the cage by MMA fans for finishing Eddie Gordon with a head kick at UFC 181. It was his first fight back in the octagon after his longtime girlfriend passed away in a car accident.
Prior to his sudden passing earlier this month, Samman was set to fight Oluwale Bamgbose at UFC Fight Night 102. Bamgbose will now be taking on Joseph Gigliotti at the event.
