We lost a legend :(

Former UFC fighter Elias Theodorou dies at such a young age

It's a shame to see such and inspiration leave us so soon, I can remember interviewing him like it was yesterday.

What I found online in an article posted by ESPN News Services, was Theodorou's official twitter account announced that the former UFC fighter died in Toronto of colon cancer that metastasized.

It boggles my mind that this happened, as he was using cannabis as therapy daily, and I have seen people come out of the darkest stages of cancer and make a great come back, so what happened? For the whole story you can check it out HERE

For those of you who haven't had the opportunity to read the interview I did, well here it is, thought I would save you having to go back to our first issue.

I feel absolutely blessed and privileged these days, I have conducted interviews with some of the most incredibly talented people on this great plane of ours. But this interview I was not expecting to have the opportunity to, as I had no fucking idea about this guy.

A good friend of mine owns a tattoo shop and boxing club downtown Toronto. Through our search for people who use cannabis and want to share their story, I thought I would pay him a visit. I walked into his boxing club and started to admire all the accomplishments hanging on the walls of the club. This gentleman came up to me and we started to chat about the reason why I was at the club, and it just so happened that this was the master coach of the club, he asked me if I knew Elias Theodorou. I had taken Kung fu and Mai Thai during my personal training obsession, but I wasn’t familiar with Elias, I knew the old school like Gary Goodrich, or Tank Abbott. So, when the master coach showed me who Elias was and what he was all about, I had to learn more, so I contacted Jesse and told him the good news.

But enough of story, now let us tell you about his.

Meet Elias Theodorou, professional MMA fighter, he is in his 30’s and has competed professionally for 10 years of his life. As a fan, first and foremost, watching the UFC. It inspired him to start street level training at an earl age during high school years. With his undefeated reputation during his high school career, he moved on to university, and picked a fight with someone he shouldn't have. You see Elias had a little bit too much to drink, and his opponent was completely sober. with his years of experiences on the mean, streets of suburbia, he thought he was sure to kick this guy’s ass. He started with a superman punch, an ill-fated superman punch, off the top curb, he slipped and then fell. As he was down his opponent kicked him in the face, and at the same time, someone was recording the whole thing, then posted it online. It was called “Boot to Face”, it went viral.

So, imagine that, basically, what ended up happening was Elias was mortified, because at that time, it was the first case of something recorded like that, and went viral. Just before this occurred and he was ending his high school career, and he tried to walk away from a fight, but this guy pulled him in, and sucker punched him. Instantly it was like a light went off, and trigged the beast within him, he went into full on hockey jersey mode, hit him, 10, 20 times and won the fight, which gave him some serious street credit, in the mean streets of suburbia and Mississauga.

Let’s go back to when that video went viral, with his first loss, this is where his life literally changed. We're talking about a 10-fold regarding how many people saw it. Pretty brutal life experience if you ask me. I remember during high school, before I took martial arts, I was a bit of a street fighter myself, I can remember the time I was foolish enough to join a gang and those fights were brutal, especially when your being led to a path where your getting jumped from behind so everyone can watch you get your head smashed off the curb, that was a fair fight, but thank God there was no cell phones that could record live shit, after they were done with me I was a mess.

Elias knows the true meaning of being mortified, so after that fight happened, he confided in his father, and his father said,

“Well, you love that UFC shit so much, why don't you go to the gym and make sure it never happens again”.

And he did, originally, he went to learn a couple more things and find the guy, then challenge him. But then he eventually centered himself and being the lost boy that he was, he developed discipline, and the right path for his journey, which he has been running with since the age of 21, by the age of 24 he ended up going from amateur to pro. When Elias entered the Ultimate Fighter, he won the Ultimate Fighter being the first Canadian to do so. Before the age of 25 was the time limit, he gave himself to make a career out of Mixed Martial Arts. He was able to do it, and at the same time he achieved a high degree in advertising. Elias ended up being with the UFC for better part of six years, and his focus was between mixed martial arts, through the UFC transferred into his advocacy, and activism for cannabis. He found he realized that there were opportunities to do something different beyond just fighting inside the cage, but fighting outside and what took place during the process of USADA (U.S. Anti-Doping Agency) entering the UFC, which he was really proud of, for those that don't know your shit. You see, Elias is a big believer in clean sport because he is a clean athlete. Unfortunately, and fortunately, his medicine which is cannabis, is and was considered a prohibited substance.

The big push at the beginning was, cannabis at that time was looked at no different than a steroid. There are even cases of athletes like Nick Diaz and Anderson Silva fought, Anderson Silva was flagged for steroids, actual performance enhancing drugs, were Nick Diaz flagged for was cannabis. Nick Diaz got five years regarding a sanction where Anderson only got 18 months. So again, that was the stigma that Elias was aware of, and he took on the fight. As working with USADA and the UFC, he was talking with Jeff Novitzky, which his claim to fame was that he is the guy that busted Lance Armstrong. He's now part of the athlete development, regarding being a liaison on the athlete side when it comes to dealing USADA, Jeff is a big believer in a clean sport, and his conversation with them is in many ways is very supportive in the capacity of Elias trying to get his medicine recognized and approved. That's when he applied for what's called the therapeutic use exemption. Basically, cannabis is a band sport, but Elias applied for an exemption for his therapeutic medicine. It was an uphill battle for him, unfortunately, he was with a US based company, and they partnered with the US anti doping agency, which gets funded by the US government.

So, they must look at cannabis as the same way as the US government does. And it was still a schedule one drug, at the time which means it has no medical properties. When Elias developed bilateral neuropathy, which is essentially nerve damage of the upper extremities, you can imagine, daily life functions would, aggravate and sets off the pain, which compounds, Think, punching, elbowing, getting picked up, slammed, and cranked in every single way, this isn't a job or a career for the faint of heart.

“Being a third-party organization, UFC allowed my to do his thing, where USADA was very much against it in the capacity of it was an uphill battle, as I mentioned, because every time and again, I went from my pediatrician, and actual family doctor, who has been my doctor my whole life. This isn't some guy that you know, in the old days before, cannabis was legalized and where a doctor, would, you telecommute with you and then you have a license. No, it's my family doctor who's known me my whole life”.

Elias started seeing them when he was 10 years old, now being 33, his family doctor has been there through out his entire career. And through his doctor’s diagnosis, and help, they realized that cannabis was a superior option compared to the than the first line medicines that, out of all of them that was out there. Especially with his own experience part of his medical claim was for a therapeutic use exemption. In a previous life, he used to jump off tall buildings before he realized he was terrified of heights as a semi pro skateboarder. He broke his hand, two breaks, four fractures, and they took bone out of his hip and made him a new wrist, for what's called a bone graft. And that was medical basis of his therapeutic use exemption. Elias stated it's almost not enough to say that he had arthritis with chronic pain, or he had this that and the other. They need actual medical proof, so building off that, the USADA never got to the point where it was never a no, it was always denied, but you can resubmit. So, he ended up submitting five times, to the point where they finally agreed he had this medical condition, and agreed he had bilateral neuropathy.

His family doctor, and six other doctors, he ended up having towards the end of this journey, we're talking about, pain specialists, pain management specialists, sports doctors, they had different researchers on the team, compiling 40 Page write ups, based on Elias trying every other option, and he kept on coming to the point where they just kept on saying, You need to try more opioids, you need to try more, you need to try more painkillers, even to the point where, by the end of it, they said” You have to try antidepressants, where basically, you are not depressed in any way, shape, or form.” But what they wanted to do essentially, was to numb the whole body, to the point where it doesn’t hurt anymore. There would be points where his family doctor was almost laughing, or he would say, “I would be laughing if it wasn't really messed up, because we haven't really suggested this since like the 80s and 90s” So at that point, Elias left the UFC to focus on his advocacy, and it was then he was able to go back to Canada, and apply for a therapeutic use exemption through the province of British Columbia.

The BC commission approved it in the first of its kind, and then he was able to set up events, where he was a fighter and the promoter. He was able to make history as the first sanctioned cannabis athlete in Canada, more broadly speaking the world, which set precedent not only for Elias, but for other athletes. And from there he was able to leverage that precedent because all the Commission's work with each other, both for the negative and the positive. For instance, let's say if cannabis is considered a steroid, and let say Elias got flagged in New York, for steroid use. The Californian Commission wouldn't want to license Elias, until his suspension was up. So, the same kind of thing in a positive sense, happened with the fact that British Columbia approved Elias’s therapeutic use exemption. And then he was able to apply for a license, then the therapeutic use exemption in Colorado, which he recently, was the fighter and promoter for the event, and was able to make history as the first sanction cannabis athlete in the US winning both fights in 2020, again, setting precedent not only for himself, but other athletes.

This guy is a legend! At this point, I was in absolute aw listening to these accomplishments during our interview.

Elias thinks the real caveat to why he is looking at the long-term approach to what he achieved, was even more important than what he did with USADA, as it is a third-party testing company. It's an organization that you can hire, where permissions are overseen and run by the state and provincial government. So, his actual approvals are the first of its kind approved by state and provincial government, meaning it's the natural fundamental foundation of medical cannabis rights, both in Canada and the US.

Again LEGEND!!!!!

I asked asked Elias if these approvals would roll over into legislation, for both countries, and here is what he said.

“Legislation and more in the capacity of actual medical cannabis rights, it's the first time that cannabis is considered a medicine in professional sports that is overseen by the state and provincial government, so it's another foundation of medical cannabis rights, more broadly speaking.”

Ultimately it sets a precedent, that now can be cited in court cases, court cases and other people's own therapeutic use exemption application. Elias and his counsel, Eric McCracken, who's out in BC, they're going to be helping other athletes use his precedent to actually what's about to get their own therapeutic use exemptions, and it comes parallel to mixed martial arts and cannabis, more broadly speaking, where they can now start attacking different prohibitions in different states that have bans on cannabis, so they can start applying for therapeutic use exemptions, and then once other athletes start doing so they can pollinate the rest of the country.

In sports It's very easy to go get a prescription of opioids and painkillers or use alcoholism as an option for pain relief. Elias is not saying that cannabis is the end all be all. It's not for everyone, because everybody and everybody is different. And what is really needed is the ability to look at all options, and cannabis should be one of those options.

Elias started using cannabis when he was in high school recreationally, because it was easier to get cannabis than it was alcohol. He pointed out the backwards results of prohibition, and if you don't regulate said product, then it becomes an illicit product. Then what ends up happening is, it becomes easier to get access to it, including people that might not necessarily be of the right age group. Elias dabbled a little bit in high school with friends and stuff like that, especially when he started into mixed martial arts, and jumping into sports around the age of 20, he very much thought cannabis and sports did not mix well. At the time he had that stigma on his own right in the capacity of, he didn’t want to be lazy with cannabis, and he didn’t want to do it, then ruin his training, focus or anything else he felt was important. it was one of his coaches, and good friend.

Unfortunately, he's no longer a coach, but he's still very much a friend. Elias was with his friend through out his cannabis experience and medical journey, not only was cannabis the right medicine for him, but it also helped him get off the opioids.

When they traveled around the world, it would be for a couple of weeks, especially anywhere that doesn't have any cannabis at all, after a couple of weeks, with his friend being on opioids, Elias would witness what it did to his did to his friend’s body, both mentally and physically, and not being able to enjoy the fighter’s journey that they were both doing together. Elias’s friend was a couple years older; they were living the crazy dream of a Coach and fighter; you know that UFC thing. Then after being out on the road for a couple weeks, his friend’s body just started falling apart because of the opioids, so he had to make the switch. So when Elias eventually developed his own medical issues, he already knew the damages of opioids, painkillers, SSRIs and every other type of first traditional medicine that would be prescribed to high performance athletes and that's kind the mindset, plus the learning lessons Elias brought to his family doctor, to be able to have the conversation, and they were able to figure out that cannabis works best for Elias, and he was able to start his journey from there.

It’s incredible to see the similarities with the professionals we speak with, Andrew Freedman the one and only Canadian Sommelier said the same thing, he started his career to enable people to have that conversation about cannabis at the dinner table.

Elias believes firstly, medicines like painkillers and opioids are still the go to, but cannabis and MMA, especially through the jujitsu route, has a long going history. There is that awareness to it, especially on the West Coast, both in British Columbia, and Vegas, even more specifically California. He thinks there's a big call, for a cannabis influence regarding the jiu jitsu and MMA area, Elias thinks one of the interesting things with cannabis is it's obviously a medicine, but it's also there is some many other benefits to using it. For examples not only does Elias use it for pain treatment, but he also uses it to help with being more in tune with one's body, especially when your stretching, the anti-inflammatory properties really help.

Elias says we're all different bags of chemicals, and everyone tries to find what works best for them. Some are more negative regarding their detriments to your body and mind, and it's always important, whether it's cannabis or any other type of medicine to speak to a professional. That's what I always suggest to anyone, but at the same time, there's some people that, self medicate with cannabis or self medicate with even alcohol in some capacity, what they're trying to do is take that edge off in some capacity. But if we're looking at it as a natural medicine, we can go back to our original question, Elias think’s that the go to is still first line medications. With his medical condition, is neuropathic pain, he has different flare ups, and different stingers, he experiences these inflammations just from the wear and tear daily on the body during training, never mind the extreme abuse he has experiences during his fights. So that is what he mainly uses cannabis for, and the UFC was kind of very progressive in the stance.

So, think about it, he needs this for his pain, while maintaining his cannabis levels within the authorized limit. As a fighter there is a process you need to follow to prepare before your fight, they call it “In competition”, and what “In competition” is, the first or the last two weeks, that standard drug testing is to be completed, it was very hard, and they would use the same test for 115-pound woman that they do for 260 pounds, man. As you know THC stores in your fat cells, and again, anyone that's a little heavier, it stays in your system a little bit longer. He knew a friend who, he was on a big side, “big Terry” was a champion in a in a local promotion, and had the eyes of the UFC on him, basically a fighter can have a threshold of 100 to 150 nanograms for cannabis in their system. Terry had more than that, point being Canada flag is at 150 nanograms. So, Terry was stripped of his title, half of his pay was deducted, a fine, plus he was suspended, which ended up being six months, it could have been 9 to 12 months if he didn't take responsibility for it. It totally derailed his career

Before this devastation they did independent tests on their own right with readings staying within the limits, but it takes 81 days with heavier dudes for the cannabis to be out of their systems without the risk of it being detected. One joint 81 days out, versus you can literally crush a handful of perks and it's not an issue.

Tis a shame to see the regulatory and support systems out there, that have a closed mind to natural options for treatment, and you must really appreciate Elias Theodorou, for what he has accomplished is not just athletes, but for everyone who wishes to use cannabis as treatment when an authority figure doesn’t allow you to use it. Essentially this legend has paved a green path for us all to use cannabis in so many incredible ways, and even if there are roadblocks, Elias has shown us all we can win the fight for cannabis, and that is another freedom of choice we need grow and keep locked.

I had the opportunity to share his closing remarks, and this is what he said.

“I'm fighting my fight inside the cage and out, I'm very thankful for again, you know, five plus years of hard work regarding that said fight outside of the cage. It' has come to a full circle, with the UFC to get through that process. it eventually happened outside, and then I was able to come almost full circle, back to the US within months from it. It made me just as determined, and just as motivated for all the hard work that I took to get here, all the hard work that I still have plans, later on this year, again will come to a full circle, with the ability to take it to the powers that be that told me no. I'm very excited to continue this fight and I’m also humbled in the capacity of what it means for others, so they don't have to go through the same fight. So, they don't have to, you know, try and exhaust every other medical option under the sun just to come back to what medicine already works for them. And if that's what I'm fighting for, and just more broadly speaking, just to allow athletes to compete at a playing level field, but you know, aa a big believer of a clean sport. Cannabis is not a performance enhancing drug, It is a medicine and should be seen as such. I'm no different than anyone else, and my fight is in the cage and out for medical equality. And I'm really excited to keep fighting for the cannabis side of history.”

Well said and we will join the fight, please take the time to show support and follow Elias Theodorou with his journey, his battle, his life fight!

Keep er Lit!

Its too bad he lost this fight RIP