“That’s what I’m working towards, and if I drop dead at the end of it, I’ll die a happy man,” Ozzy Osbourne said in a 2023 Rolling Stone interview, reflecting on his physical struggles. Two years later, ‘The Prince of Darkness’ has said goodbye to the world. But not before putting on one final show for nearly 40,000 Black Sabbath fans in Birmingham. As the world mourns the loss of a heavy metal icon, tributes from the MMA community have also been pouring in.

Conor McGregor’s teammate and training partner, Dillon Danis, was one of the first from the MMA world to react to Ozzy Osbourne’s passing on X. “Ozzy Osbourne. The voice, the energy, the chaos. There will never be another like him,” Danis wrote, reflecting on the rock legend’s larger-than-life presence. Speaking about Ozzy’s lasting impact as one of THE pioneers of heavy metal, he added to his post, “He changed music forever and gave a generation something to believe in. Thank you for everything, legend. You’ll never be forgotten.” However, it’s not only him. 

The reigning middleweight champion, Dricus du Plessis, also took to his Instagram story and wrote, “Absolute legend. What a run it was,” signifying Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne’s contribution to music since 1968. To add, Joe Rogan also shared his thoughts on ‘The Prince of Darkness’ and praised his grit to go out as a rockstar—even while dealing with physical issues like Parkinson’s disease in his final days.

Speaking at Joe Rogan Experience episode #2353 with Joe DeRosa, Rogan said, “I think people just decide, it’s enough. He was struggling for a long time. So, if you get a debilitating disease like Parkinson’s, it just slowly robs you of your ability to move, your wit, everything. It slowly takes it all away from you.” 

It’s true that Ozzy Osbourne’s final days as a musician were rough, especially when it came to performing live. Battling Parkinson’s disease made it incredibly difficult for him to put on a show. In fact, during his last concert, he performed while sitting on a throne. But that raises the question—what exactly is Parkinson’s disease, and how did it affect Ozzy? Well, his wife Sharon has shed light on that. 

Ozzy Osbourne’s struggles with Parkinson’s disease 

It’s tough to break down how Parkinson’s disease truly develops in the human body without diving into deep medical expertise. However, according to UVA Health’s blog, Parkinson’s is linked to a mutation in the PRKN2 gene, which is responsible for producing a protein called Parkin. When this gene mutates, it disrupts the function of Parkin and can lead to neurodegenerative disorders by allowing cells to gradually die off. 

Ozzy’s wife, Sharon Osbourne, also spoke about the PRKN 2 gene during a Good Morning America interview back in January 2020. She said, “It’s PRKN 2. There are so many different types of Parkinson’s; it’s not a death sentence by any stretch of the imagination, but it does affect certain nerves in your body. And it’s—it’s like you have a good day, a good day, and then a really bad day.”

It’s truly sad to see one of the most iconic voices in music struggle with a disease as serious as Parkinson’s. But through it all, Ozzy Osbourne remained an inspiration. And his legacy, along with Black Sabbath’s timeless music, will continue to inspire generations to come. That said, are you an Ozzy fan too? If so, what’s your favorite moment of his career?