On Monday, the Hollywood Police Department in Florida issued a statement confirming what had been whispered about for a few days: That UFC middleweight fighter Josh Samman was hospitalized Friday when found unresponsive when police answered “the call of a possible drug overdose.” Samman, who was open about his issues with drug abuse in his book, “The Housekeeper,” was found alongside Troy Jeffery Kirkingburg, the ring announcer for Combat Night, his MMA promotion. From the statement:
Officers arrived to discover a white male deceased inside the residence. The victim was identified as Troy Jeffrey Kirkingburg, who lived at this location. Upon arrival, officers also discovered another man, later identified as Josh Samman of Tallahassee, inside the home. Samman was breathing, and had a pulse, but was unresponsive.
The two men were found by a friend, Hunter Sundberg, who immediately called 911 and began CPR until officers arrived.
There were not any signs of foul play. Detectives are investigating. No more information is available at this time.
Christopher J. Rotenstein, a friend of Samman’s, added on Facebook that the fighter “is in the hospital fighting for his life,in intensive care,in a coma, on a respirator.” Samman’s mother issued a statement to Fox Sports specifically debunking the rumors that her son’s condition was the result of heroin use:
Josh is still in a coma, and more tests are being done. That is the latest update on my son’s condition. And in spite of speculation, there was no heroin found in Josh’s system whatsoever. No matter what people are posting on social media.
The reason I am making this statement is, because Josh touched so many lives, and loved inspiring others, especially young people. I don’t want them to lose faith in him, and whatever he brought out in them, because of the lies. He would want them to “never give up.”
In addition, Kirkingburg’s fiancé, local TV news anchor Charlene Cristobal, gave these comments to the Tallahassee Democrat newspaper:
I am extremely heartbroken over the loss of the man who will always be the love of my life. I thank everyone for their support, but ask for privacy for his family and me as we mourn our loss.
