A fighter in New England can use Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son” for his walkouts. But the song may never carry the same energy it did when young Eric Huynh used it for his entrances. The 23-year-old amateur fighter of Vietnamese heritage will no longer entertain fans with his skills and antics that made him a popular figure in the region’s MMA community.
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“The New England MMA community is mourning the loss of Eric Huynh, an amateur fighter out of @b2basics_jiujitsu, who passed away on Nov 6, 2026,” read the message from MMA Island and Cage Titans. “In a sport where everyone seems to take themselves so seriously, Eric Huynh brought a breath of fresh air.
“Known for his goofy, down-to-earth personality and dancing between rounds, Eric never shied away from being himself.”
A Northeastern University student and the son of Vietnamese refugees, Huynh was steadily making a name for himself on the regional amateur circuit.
He made his MMA debut on January 20, 2024. After initial setbacks that saw him suffer back-to-back losses, Huynh bounced back and was on a three-fight winning streak when Mike Jolicoeur stopped him on September 12, 2025. Huynh responded with back-to-back victories, demonstrating his ability to recover from setbacks.
On February 21, 2026, he faced Blaize Nichols on a Cage Titans card, losing the bout by unanimous decision. The fight marked his final appearance inside the cage. Reports indicate a September 2026 matchup against Ryan Woodside, but the fight never came together.
For much of his amateur career, Huynh trained at Back to Basics Martial Arts & Fitness, a Boston-based gym. Run by USMC veteran and BJJ black belt Jeff Perez, the gym is known for offering training across platforms, including MMA, fitness, and basic self-defense.
The gym also paid tribute to Huynh, remembering him as a cherished member of its community.
“On Friday night we lost one of our family,” their Instagram tribute read. “Eric Huynh was the best of us and deserves to be remembered as such. Everything we do from here on out as a team will be for him, as we will always carry him with us. We love you, Eric. See you, space cowboy.”
Huynh’s appeal, however, extended well beyond his performances inside the cage.
Eric Huynh: Remembering a life bigger than the sport
His personality and distinctive fight-night rituals made him a memorable presence in the New England MMA scene.
“Inspired to pursue martial arts by the anime Kengan Ashura,” MMA Island’s message added, “he brought that same larger-than-life energy into the real world. He understood that fighting was serious business, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t have some fun along the way.
“When the cage door closed, Eric knew how to put on a show. When you saw his iconic Vietnamese rice hat and heard his walkout song, “Fortunate Son,” you knew you were in for a fight.”
Inside the cage, Huynh was an aggressive competitor who welcomed striking exchanges.
His accomplishments include three successive knockout victories, a memorable Cage Titans amateur featherweight title contest that earned a 2025 Fight of the Year nomination, and a climb to seventh in the promotion’s amateur pound-for-pound rankings.
As of this writing, no verified information regarding the cause of Huynh’s death was available.