Stephan Bonnar’s cause of death was the result of an accidental overdose.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Hall of Famer, Bonnar, 45, died late last year (Dec. 22, 2022) in Las Vegas, Nevada from what was at the time suspected to be heart complications. MMA Fighting confirmed with the Clark County coroner’s office today (Mon., April 24, 2023) that “The American Psycho’s” death was ruled as an accidental overdose from “Fentanyl, Parafluorofentanyl and Mitragynine intoxication.”
The synthetic opioid, Fentanyl — often compared to morphine — is 100 times more potent than its relative drug and finds itself at the center of the ongoing opioid crisis, causing thousands of U.S. overdose deaths. Like Bonnar’s, they’re often unintentional. In late 2021, former Bellator and Professional Fighters League (PFL) Light Heavyweight, Jordan Young, died from an accidental overdose of Fentanyl and alprazolam (Xanax) intoxication.
Bonnar had dealt openly with substance issues in his life post-mixed martial arts (MMA), dealing with several lingering injuries caused by the sport as well as professional wrestling. While Bonnar claimed to have been on bad terms with UFC after his final fight in the promotion against Anderson Silva in 2012, he was later inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame for his Octagon debut classic with Forrest Griffin in 2005. UFC also held a tribute for the notable figure following his death. Against Silva, Bonnar tested positive for the anabolic steroid Drostanolone.
Bonnar (15-9) only fought once after his career with UFC, suffering a split decision loss to Tito Ortiz in his lone Bellator fight in Nov. 2014. Bonnar fought 15 times in UFC, taking on several notable names like the aforementioned former UFC champions, Silva, Griffin, Ortiz, Jon Jones, Mark Coleman, Lyoto Machida, and Rashad Evans.