UFC Hall of famer’s cause of death confirmed

UFC Hall of Famer Stephan Bonnar died from accidental fentanyl drug overdose confirmed the Clark County coroner’s office.

UFC fighter Stephan Bonnar, who was a finalist on the first season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” died on Dec. 22 in Las Vegas at 45 and the cause of death has been finally confirmed.

According to a report from MMA Fighting, the coroner’s office officially ruled Bonnar’s death as accidental due to “fentanyl, paraflurofentanyl, and mitragynine intoxication.”

Bonnar is best known for his classic UFC Hall of Fame fight against Forrest Griffin in April 2005. UFC president Dana White described Bonnar as “one of the most important fighters to ever compete in the octagon”

The UFC hosted a Celebration of Life ceremony for Bonnar in February at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, where several speakers paid tribute, including White, his historic rival Griffin, and friends and family.

According to the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, fentanyl is a synthetic opioid so powerful that it is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine.

It is often found in counterfeit pills and mixed with other drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin. 

Anne Milgram, an administrator with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency described fentanyl as “the deadliest drug threat our country has ever faced.”