UFC middleweight Josh Samman dead at 28

A sad day for the mixed martial arts (MMA) community.

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight Josh Samman passed away this week, several days after he was found unconscious alongside his roommate, Troy Kirkingburg, inside their South Florida apartment.

Kirkingburg, who worked as an MMA ring announcer, was pronounced dead shortly after their discovery. While initial reports pointed to a drug overdose, Samman’s mother issued a statement on Monday (read it) suggesting otherwise.

MMA Fighting has more:

Samman's cause of death is not currently known, pending an autopsy, per Broward County Medical Examiner and Trauma Services chief medical examiner Craig Mallak. The Medical Examiner's office will not administer a toxicology report because Samman survived for days after being found and "there are no suitable specimens to test," Mallak said. Mallak added there might not be a definitive cause of death found.

Samman, 28, rose to prominence as a contest on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF). After blasting his way through his first three fights inside the TUF house — all finishes — “Anqa” was upended by eventual winner Kelvin Gastelum in the FOX Sports 1 semifinals.

His performances during the show were enough to warrant a call back, and Samman would make the most of his opportunity, jumping out to a 3-0 start with all two knockouts and one submission.

Unfortunately the Floridian would experience some turbulence in his next two fights. After Tamdan McCrory submitted him at UFC on FOX 17, Samman succumbed to strikes in his 185-pound bangfest opposite Tim Boetsch at UFC Fight Night 91 last July.

Funeral services are pending.