The MMA community has been mourning the sudden passing of 38-year-old welterweight fighter Guilherme Vasconcelos, known as ‘Bomba.’ He showcased his skills in some of the world’s biggest mixed martial arts promotions, including the UFC, where he held a decent professional MMA record of 10-6-0. The Brazilian fighter’s death was first reported by his uncle and mother, though the cause of death remains undisclosed by his family.

Recently, Bellator fighter Joe Schilling, a close friend of Guilherme Vasconcelos, released a statement to pay tribute to him. Schilling’s friendship with Vasconcelos began after the latter’s UFC stint, following a loss in his debut against Luke Zachrich. After parting ways with the UFC, Vasconcelos spent some time in regional promotions before joining Bellator, where he and Schilling first connected. In his heartfelt tribute, Joe Schilling wrote:

“I love you, Brother. I miss your energy and I miss your positivity! I miss your terrible English and I miss your ridiculous laugh! I miss your heart of gold. It absolutely breaks my heart that you are gone. You are one of a kind, my friend.”

‘Bomba’, a prominent figure in the fight community, also garnered attention in the entertainment world due to his past relationship with Grammy-nominated singer Demi Lovato. However, their relationship didn’t last long, and they parted ways after a year. Despite this, Lovato didn’t hesitate to offer her heartfelt condolences upon hearing of his unexpected passing. In a comment on a mutual friend’s post featuring Bomba, Lovato wrote, “Very, very sad, darling. I send you love.”

 

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Guilherme Vasconcelos may not have reached the pinnacle of success in the fight world, but when it came to friendship, he was truly unparalleled. No one could defeat Vasconcelos in his loyalty to his friends. He will always be remembered as someone who was endlessly devoted to them. He once even waited a long time just to fight on the same card as his friend.

For which friend did Guilherme Vasconcelos once delay his fight?

After spending a decade in the promotion, fighter-turned-analyst Chael Sonnen decided to part ways with the UFC and pursue other ventures, eventually joining Bellator. Guilherme Vasconcelos, who formed a close friendship with Sonnen during their time on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) as part of Team Sonnen, carried their bond beyond the UFC. Vasconcelos even delayed his next fight in Bellator out of respect for Sonnen.

Following his first fight in Bellator, ‘Bomba’ waited around seven months to make his next appearance at Bellator 170, just so he could fight on the undercard of Chael Sonnen’s debut against Tito Ortiz. While speaking to MMA Fighting in 2017 about the delay in his fight, Vasconcelos explained, “I asked to fight on this card, to be on the same night as Chael’s fight. That was one of the reasons why I didn’t fight in November or December because it would have been too close to this card. Chael is one of the toughest guys I’ve ever trained with in my life.”

Claiming it was an important night for him and his friend Sonnen, only Vasconcelos managed to win his fight at Bellator 170, while Sonnen was submitted by Ortiz. What are your thoughts on Guilherme Vasconcelos’ journey in the MMA world? Do you have a favorite moment from his fights that stands out to you? Share your comments below.