Elias Theodorou facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Elias Theodorou
Theodorou at UFC 231
Born	Elias Michael Theodorou (1988-05-31)May 31, 1988 Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Died	September 11, 2022(2022-09-11) (aged 34) Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada
Other names	The Spartan
Nationality	Canadian
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight	185 lb (84 kg; 13.2 st)
Division	Middleweight
Reach	75+1⁄2 in (192 cm)
Stance	Orthodox
Fighting out of	Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Team	Grants MMA Tapout Burlington Tristar Gym
Rank	Black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Dark blue belt in Muay Thai
Years active	2011–2022
Mixed martial arts record
Total	22
Wins	19
By knockout	8
By submission	1
By decision	10
Losses	3
By decision	3

Elias Michael Theodorou (born May 31, 1988 – died September 11, 2022) was a Canadian mixed martial artist. He was known for competing in the UFC, where he fought in the Middleweight division. Elias also won a special tournament called The Ultimate Fighter Nations: Canada vs. Australia. He had a great career with 19 wins and only 3 losses.

Early Life and His Start in Sports

Elias Theodorou grew up in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. His family had Greek roots. He went to Meadowvale Secondary School. After high school, he started college at Humber College. He studied Creative Advertising there.

However, after his first year, Elias found a new passion. He started taking MMA classes. What began as a workout soon became his main goal. He decided to pursue MMA as a full-time career.

His Journey in MMA

Elias Theodorou became a professional mixed martial artist in 2011. He quickly made a name for himself.

Becoming a TV Star: The Ultimate Fighter

In December 2013, Elias got a big chance. He was chosen to be on a TV show called The Ultimate Fighter Nations: Canada vs. Australia. This show features rising MMA fighters. Elias represented Canada in the Middleweight division.

He fought well on the show. First, he beat Zein Saliba in the Quarterfinals. Then, he won against Tyler Manawaroa in the semifinals. After the semifinals, he traveled to Phuket Province, Thailand. He trained there at Tiger Muay Thai with coach Patrick Côté.

Fighting in the UFC

Elias won the Middleweight tournament at The Ultimate Fighter Nations Finale. He defeated Sheldon Westcott in the second round. This win earned him a contract with the UFC. The UFC is the biggest MMA organization in the world.

He had many exciting fights in the UFC:

• On October 4, 2014, Elias faced Bruno Santos. He won this fight by a unanimous decision. This means all judges agreed he won.
• At UFC 185 on March 14, 2015, he fought Roger Narvaez. Elias won by TKO (Technical Knockout) in the second round.
• He faced Thiago Santos on December 10, 2015. Elias lost this fight by unanimous decision. This was his first professional loss.
• Elias won against Sam Alvey on June 18, 2016. It was a unanimous decision win.
• On February 19, 2017, he fought Cezar Ferreira. Elias won by unanimous decision.
• He lost to Brad Tavares on July 7, 2017, by unanimous decision.
• Elias bounced back on November 19, 2017. He won against Dan Kelly by unanimous decision.
• On May 27, 2018, he defeated Trevor Smith. This was another unanimous decision win.
• He was set to fight Antônio Carlos Júnior twice. But Júnior had to pull out both times due to injury. Elias then fought Eryk Anders on December 8, 2018, at UFC 231. He won by a split decision. This means some judges thought he won, and others thought his opponent won.
• His last UFC fight was on May 4, 2019, against Derek Brunson. Elias lost this fight by unanimous decision.

Soon after, on May 26, 2019, Elias was released from the UFC.

After the UFC

Even after leaving the UFC, Elias continued to fight. He showed great skill in other promotions:

• On December 6, 2019, he fought Hernani Perpetuo. Elias won by TKO in the third round.
• He faced fellow UFC veteran Matt Dwyer on March 13, 2021. Elias won this fight by TKO in the third round.
• His final professional fight was on December 18, 2021. He fought Bryan Baker and won by unanimous decision.

Life Outside the Ring

Elias Theodorou was not just an MMA fighter. He also explored other interests.

• He appeared on the TV show The Amazing Race Canada. He competed with his ex-girlfriend, Max Altamuro. They were the first team eliminated in their season.
• Elias also worked as a "ring boy" for Invicta Fighting Championships. This is an MMA organization for female fighters.
• He was involved in a film project called Last Hit. In the movie, he was set to play an MMA fighter. This character would retire from fighting and then start playing e-sports.

His Legacy

Elias Theodorou sadly passed away on September 11, 2022, at the age of 34. He had been battling colon cancer. His fight against the disease was kept private until his passing. Elias is remembered as a talented fighter and a kind person who inspired many.

Championships and Awards

Elias Theodorou achieved several important titles and awards during his career:

• Extreme Cage Combat
  • ECC Middleweight Championship (One time)
• North American Allied Fight Series
  • NAAFS Middleweight Championship (One time)
• Ultimate Fighting Championship
  • The Ultimate Fighter Nations Middleweight Tournament Winner

Filmography