Death of noted Las Vegas MMA trainer Robert Follis ruled a suicide

The death of longtime MMA coach and trainer Robert Follis has been ruled a suicide, according to the Clark County Coroner’s Office.

Follis, a Las Vegas resident who was 48 years old, died Friday from a gunshot wound to the head on state Route 160.

He had struggled with the suicide of his brother three years ago.

“Death is like the sun,” friend and former UFC star Randy Couture posted on social media. There is no escaping it. It infuses every part of our lives, but it doesn’t make sense to stare at it too long. That becomes a real challenge when someone you know, love, and respect ends their life. This is where Robert has been since his brothers passing a couple years ago and where we are left now. It is very easy to get caught up in the urgency that comes from the limited span of our lives. It can push us to obsess over life’s meaning in the time we have. But obsessing over it, and staring directly at it too long can blind us to the possibilities of living.”

Follis had been one of the head coaches at Xtreme Couture gym in Las Vegas until last month. He said publicly he planned to stay in Las Vegas and continue training fighters.

At Xtreme Couture, he was instrumental in helping guide Miesha Tate to the women’s bantamweight title and propelling Kevin Lee’s meteoric rise to lightweight contender.

“You don’t realize how much of an impact you had on my life,” Lee posted on social media. “A good coach is so much more than someone to teach techniques. Through the darkest moments in my career and life you’ve helped me see the light and keep pushing. I thank you for everything and apologize for everything more. The next gold belt is for you.”

Follis left a lasting legacy on the sport through his work with several generations of UFC stars.

“Sucks to wake up and hear this news,” UFC president Dana White tweeted. “RIP Robert Follis. Such a nice guy.”

Follis’s girlfriend Myra Fukuno said the family is requesting privacy, but asked those who wish to share memories, stories and photos to send them to robertfollismemorial@gmail.com.

Opening numbers posted

The Westgate sports book has posted numbers on a pair of upcoming UFC title fights.

Breakout heavyweight star Francis Ngannou has been installed as a minus-170 favorite over champion Stipe Miocic for their UFC 220 bout on Jan. 20 in Boston.

Ngannou, who now lives and trains in Las Vegas, has won six straight fights since signing with the organization and none have made it to the third round. Miocic can set a record for most consecutive defenses of the UFC heavyweight belt should he do so for a third straight time.

Newly minted middleweight champion Robert Whittaker is also a minus-170 favorite over former champ Luke Rockhold in the main event of UFC 221 in Perth, Australia, on Feb. 11.

Whittaker held the interim title until champion Georges St. Pierre decided to vacate the belt earlier this month and he was promoted.

The matchup with Rockhold, who lost the belt in June 2016, will be his first defense.

McGregor hints at return

UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor hinted at a return to MMA during a visit to New York.

“We’ll see what happens,” he told TMZ cameras. “I think a true fight is what I want to do next.

“A real fight, what’s a real fight? MMA next.”

McGregor last competed in the UFC when he won the lightweight belt with a win over Eddie Alvarez at Madison Square Garden in November 2016. His only action of 2017 was a loss in his professional boxing debut to Floyd Mayweather at T-Mobile Arena on Aug. 26, one of the most lucrative events in combat sports history.

There has been speculation he would try to box again, perhaps against Manny Pacquiao or even Paulie Malignaggi, but it now appears he may be leaning toward stepping back in the cage first.

Werdum fined

Former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum received his sentence for throwing a boomerang at welterweight contender Colby Covington during a heated confrontation in Australia last month.

Werdum, 40, was fined $600 by Downing Centre Local Court during a hearing last week for which he failed to appear.

Covington has drawn the ire of fans and fighters for his constant attacks on the microphone and on social media. Werdum is one of several fighters who have publicly warned Covington about his demeaning comments about Brazil.

Werdum and Covington crossed paths in the valet area of a hotel in Sydney and threw the boomerang at him from closed range in a video captured by a fan.

The boomerang did not come back.

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Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-277-8028. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.