The deceased UFC veteran Ryan Jimmo had an iconic debut that was brought to the newer fans via ESPN MMA. The 19-5 fighter had a stand-out victory celebration that saw him do the ‘Robot’ dance following his KO win. The jig was reminiscent of the era that Jimmo came up in and is remembered fondly by MMA fans.

‘The Big Deal’ experienced mixed success during his tenure in the promotion that saw him go 3-4. During his stint in the promotion, which began in 2012, Jimmo endeared himself to fans. Not to mention his fun-loving antics as displayed above, speak to the kind of upbeat talent that the light heavyweight was.

Ryan Jimmo: An ebb and flow

The fateful incident occurred back in June 2016 and was a stark reminder of the fleeting nature of life. A driver from Edmonton was found guilty in the death of Jimmo in a case of manslaughter. The man in question was sentenced to six years in prison followed by two more for absconding the scene.

The judge presiding over the case expressed his disappointment over the needless nature of the tragedy. At the time of the verdict, he made a brief statement about the incident:

“The case before me this morning is a complete tragedy. A young man died for nothing. Absolutely nothing.”

The entire MMA community mourned the loss of Ryan Jimmo who was seen as a promising prospect at the time. He had fought elite competitors in the weight class such as Ovince Saint Preux, Sean O’Connell, and Jimi Manuwa. Although his performances inside the cage were not consistent, Jimmo was revered for his fan-friendly fighting style.

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The sport of MMA has evolved significantly with each passing year, as new talent within the division keeps emerging.

Additionally, fan-friendly fighters like ‘The Big Deal’ have seen a steady decline considering the raised stakes. Moving up within the sport has become more challenging than ever before, largely due to a shark-tank of elite competitors.