Coroner: Coach Robert Follis' Death Ruled a Suicide

Famed MMA coach Robert Follis died this past weekend and the Clark County coroner in Nevada has ruled his death as a suicide.

Representatives from the coroner’s office confirmed the news on Monday following an initial report from MMAFighting.com.

According to the coroner’s office, Follis, 48, was found on Nevada State Route 160 with a single gunshot wound to the head.

Follis was one of the most beloved and respected coaches in all of mixed martial arts getting his start as one of the founding members of Team Quest in Oregon where he worked alongside UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture as well as Dan Henderson, Matt Lindland, Chris Leben and Nate Quarry for numerous years.

A split in the team led to Follis leaving coaching but then returning in 2013 when he became the new head instructor at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas.

It was there where Follis coached a new crop of top fighters including work with Miesha Tate as she eventually become UFC women’s bantamweight champion while also working closely with UFC lightweight contender Kevin Lee.

Following news of his death, dozens of fighters, managers and other people from around the sport of mixed martial arts paid tribute to Follis through social media.

As one of the founding members of Team Quest and Xtreme Couture MMA it is with great sorrow that we say good bye to Robert Follis. Robert was a friend, coach, mentor, and philosopher of martial arts to many of us. It is with a very heavy heart that I write this tribute to a man that touched so many. Death is like the sun. There is no escaping it. It infuses every part of our lives, but it doesn’t make sense to stare at it too long. That becomes a real challenge when someone you know, love, and respect ends their life. This is where Robert has been since his brothers passing a couple years ago and where we are left now. It is very easy to get caught up in the urgency that comes from the limited span of our lives. It can push us to obsess over life’s meaning in the time we have. But obsessing over it, and staring directly at it too long can blind us to the possibilities of living. Robert was a Hero to many. Heroes have the whole earth as their tomb . . . There is, enshrined in the chest of every person he touched, a record unwritten with no tablet to preserve it. It’s that which he imprinted on our hearts. What lives on is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what he has woven into the lives of others. Those who have lived with us become a part of us. We honor the dead by living their values. Through our efforts, we ensure that the good things they stood for continue to stand even when they are gone. Robert stood for many good things. Let’s let Our actions become a living memorial to Robert Follis. R

A post shared by Randy Couture (@xcnatch) on Dec 17, 2017 at 3:34pm PST

Robert was a coach, a friend, a mentor and so much more. He touched SO many lives and was instrumental in mine. He was in my corner for the last 8 fights of my career and I could never thank him enough for all he did for me during those years. He nourished my courage and he was always a shoulder to lean on for me. He could always make me laugh even when I didn’t want to. Robert you had such an amazing ability to brighten the world around you. I don’t want to cry over losing you because I’d rather cherish your life throughout the rest of mine. If there’s anything I’ve learned from all of this it’s that you deserve our love and happiness. I want to celebrate you for the great man you were and for the amazing things you did. I will forever hold this moment where we won the UFC gold together close to my heart. A picture truly is worth a thousand words. My only wish now is that you have found the peace you were searching for. Love you forever and always coach ?

A post shared by Miesha Tate (@mieshatate) on Dec 18, 2017 at 7:06pm PST

You don’t realize how much of an impact you had on my life. A good coach is so much more than someone to teach techniques. Through the darkest moments in my career and life you’ve helped me see the light and keep pushing. I thank you for everything and apologize for everything more. The next gold belt is for you.

A post shared by MTP (@motownphenom) on Dec 17, 2017 at 9:57am PST