Brian Gassaway, an MMA veteran of over 50 fights, has passed away at age 49.
The UFC and Pancrase alum reportedly passed away Sunday, with the cause of death unknown at the moment.
Gassaway fought as a pro from 1996 to 2010, fighting many big names in the scene during its early years.
He competed in the early years of pivotal Japanese MMA promotion Pancrase, putting together a promotional record of two wins and four losses. His time in the promotion included matchups against legendary names like Minowaman and Yuki Kondo.
Gassaway fought at UFC 54 in 2005, where he lost to Diego Sanchez.
Gassaway’s extensive career included appearances in top promotions like UFC, WEC and Bellator. His last pro win, a fight in August 2010, was a unanimous decision victory over Kevin Knabijan at Bellator 25.
A donation box has been opened at the crowdfunding site GoFundMe for Gassaway’s memorial. The fund has a goal of $20,000 and surpassed $16,000 by Tuesday night.
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