UFC veteran Benji Radach dies at 45

Benji Radach died at the age of 45.

Radach’s family initially posted the news of the mixed martial arts (MMA) veteran’s death on Facebook before it was confirmed by MMA Fighting. The cause of death is currently unknown.

The Castle Rock, Washington native quickly became one of the top middleweights after beginning his career in March 2001. Radach began his career 15-1 (1 No Contest), with his only loss coming to future Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight Champion, Sean Sherk. The fight was Radach’s third and final fight in the promotion, the result was 1:1 (1, no contest).

Before Radach joined the UFC in May 2002, he participated in the second World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) event, where he Royden Demotta by a 61-second technical knockout. After his time in UFC, he eventually enjoyed a stint in the IFL, achieving a 6-1 record under their banner.

Radach finished his 29-fight career with appearances in Elite XC, Strikeforce, and finally his final fight at Bellator 137 in May 2015. Radach competed at welterweight and light heavyweight, in addition to his first fight in the 185-pound division. When he retired, he had a record of 21-7 (1 no contest).