The UFC Releases an Official Statement Regarding the Passing of Corey Hill.
In a tragic event, MMA fighter Corey Hill passed away after complications with pneumonia on May 15. Friends of the family immediately came forward to share their condolences with the family, including Hill’s former coach, UFC Hall of Famer Pat Miletech, who had these nice words to say:
He was just a lovely guy. He was intense when he had to be, he always had a smile when I’d see him, and he was the kind of guy – and this is not because he passed away or because I liked him so much – who literally lit up any room that he was in. He was a ball of energy and I loved seeing his face and seeing him smile.
Back in January 2008, Corey Hill won his first UFC fight against Joe Veres. However, he wasn’t as lucky in his second fight against Justin Buchholz in UFC 86 later that year, where he was taken out by submission. In a fight later on during Octagonside against Dale Hartt, it took a devastating injury to knock Hill down for the count. Even though Hill was favored to beat Hartt during that fight, his leg broke and the referee immediately called the fight.
It was such an injury that nobody thought he would ever fight again, and gave cause for the media pit to remain silent. Word traveled quickly about the injury, even without social media, and there was one consensus: it couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.
Hill was one of those fighters who refused to give up, and he shared in an interview during his recovery that quitting wasn’t ever an option, even after the doctor said it would be at least a year before he’d be back in the gym. But in January 2010, Hill came back in a big way to beat Jason Trzewieczynski, even though he was no longer a part of the UFC. That year, Hill fought in 10 more fights, and his final record reads 6-9, but that’s little comfort to those he leaves behind.
Corey Hill is survived by his wife, Lauran, and three children, Kenyan, Corey Jr., and Seytia.
The UFC released an official statement, sending its condolences to the family of Corey Hill:
The UFC family mourns the tragic loss of Corey Hill, who passed away on May 15, due to complications from pneumonia at the age of 36. Fans will remember Corey for his time as a lightweight competitor who fought multiple times for the organization in 2008 and was a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter season 5. UFC sends its condolences to the family and friends of Corey Hill.
Source: UFC
