UFC pioneer Paul Varelans has died at the age of 51 following a battle with COVID-19.
“The Polar Bear” had been on a ventilator and receiving dialysis treatments before he was eventually placed into a medically induced coma. Sadly, Varelans never recovered, and he passed away this past weekend in Atlanta.
In mid-December, Varelans had posted on social media that he contracted the coronavirus, adding “I feel like hell.” Later, he wrote, “best way I can compare the feel of COVID-19 in my experience is it’s like fighting a guy who specializes in kidney punches.