In MMA, fighters often step into the cage carrying more than gloves. They bring with them pain, scars, and memories that fuel every strike. For Florida’s Ramon Taveras, that weight is heavier than most. His career isn’t just about victories; it’s about legacy and keeping a brother’s name alive.

The rising UFC star has spoken openly about how tragedy shaped him. In 2019, his brother Gabriel was m–dered in a shooting incident. Years later, the case remains unsolved, but the grief continues to drive Ramon forward. And as fate would have it, danger nearly came knocking again when he himself survived a shooting at his mother’s house in 2024.

Ramon Taveras loses his brother to gun violence

On Instagram, Taveras once poured his heart out about the moment that changed his life forever. “November 9th 5 years ago I made my professional MMA debut. My brother was there and actually got to see me make that transition. Unfortunately a few weeks later he was m**dered which is still unsolved,” he shared. The post marked five years since Gabriel’s tragic demise. Taveras recalled how he dreamed of making the UFC and how his brother believed in him too. “Fast forward 5 years later I accomplished a dream he knew I will make come true in being a UFC fighter. I am an elite level athlete, I’ve took fighting to the highest level you can take it in this sport.” But the message was about more than fighting.

Ramon Taveras vowed to use his career to honor Gabriel’s memory and seek justice as he further wrote, “Whoever did this to my brother you created a monster, I’ve could have went about this in so many ways. But I will continue to to win, I will continue to keep my brothers name alive, and I will do everything in my being to bring light to this situation”

He ended the post with the dates, 09/03/96-12/6/19 and added, “Gabe will always live through me” At the time of writing, no further details are available about what happened to his brother other than reports which indicate that he was shot along with their friend and lost their lives in December 2019 in an apartment complex located just off Atlantic Boulevard. As mentioned earlier, the case still remains unsolved.

Ramon Taveras almost loses his life in a similar incident

Tragedy nearly repeated itself in 2024. As per reports, on July 29, Ramon Taveras was leaving his mother’s house in Jacksonville to grab diapers from his car when shots rang out.

Doorbell footage captured the chaos as bullets ripped through the night, as the UFC fighter confessed, “That’s when I heard the first shot go off, and I ducked. To be honest, man, as soon as that happened, I thought I was dead. I thought I was going to die.”

The fighter reportedly returned fire. He later reflected on how it could have been worse, as he stated, “God chose me to walk out of the house that day. You know, it could have been my little brother. It could have been my wife and my kids. Could have been my mom.”

But the harrowing incident also brought to light the pain of his brother’s tragic passing, as he further shared, “I want them to pay for what they did. Especially if it has something to do with my brother. We’ve been waiting for some type of closure, and that has not happened yet and that will bring a lot of peace to me and my family.”

Police reports confirmed they were reviewing surveillance and evidence but offered no answers. With danger so close to home, Taveras also shared that he moved out of Jacksonville to train privately and was looking for some “help” from the UFC to leave the state behind entirely.

Yet, Ramon Taveras hasn’t let tragedy derail his career. If anything, it has sharpened his resolve. Known for his aggressive style, the Floridian has quickly made waves since joining the UFC. His action-heavy approach makes him a fan favorite and a tough assignment for any opponent.

Now, on September 28, he faces Jack Jenkins at UFC Perth. For Jenkins, it’s another step in building his UFC resume. For Taveras, it’s another chance to fight for more than himself.