It has been a tough week for deaths in sports. Fighters from the mixed martial arts (MMA) community have offered up their reactions to one of the greatest athletes of all time, Pele, passing away at 82-years-old this week. Pele passed away Thursday after a long battle with colon cancer.
Edson Arantes do Nascimento was better known as “Pele,” which means, “The King.” As a professional soccer player, Pele scored 1,281 goals and helped lead Brazil to three FIFA World Cup titles between the years 1958 and 1970. That is an accomplishment that no other player has been able to replicate since. He is considered by many to be the greatest player the sport has ever seen, and was even voted the Athlete of the Century” by the International Olympic Committee.
Fighters React To Passing Of Pele
Several notable fighters within the mixed martial arts (MMA) community took to Twitter and Instagram to mourn the loss of Pele. Names such as Jose Aldo, Charles Oliveria, Vitor Belfort, Shogun Rua, and more offered their condolences.
Check them all out here below:
Descanse em paz! 🙏🏽 #reipelé
— Jose Aldo Junior (@josealdojunior) December 29, 2022
Descanse em paz Rei @Pele
RIP KING Pelé
— Charles 'DoBronxs' Oliveira (@CharlesDoBronxs) December 29, 2022
⚽️😢
— Edson Barboza (@EdsonBarbozaJR) December 29, 2022
🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/R3cBpf0xTO
— Thiago “Marreta” Santos (@TMarretaMMA) December 29, 2022
Athlete of the century @Pele #RIP 🇧🇷 https://t.co/53m0BMZNm3
— Ariane Lipski Da Silva (@Ariane_lipski) December 29, 2022
😇⚽️😇 #RIPPele pic.twitter.com/Oi3ObExVGD
— . (@patrick_cote) December 29, 2022
Descance em paz, Rei Pelé!
🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾— Herbert Burns (@HerbertBurnsMMA) December 29, 2022
Descanse em paz, rei. 🙏⚽https://t.co/GIgCYTymdC
— Luiz Besouro (@BesouroRFT) December 29, 2022
RIP o maior de todos.
Que Deus o tenha. https://t.co/EpKSLiwwkg— Igor Araujo (@igoraraujojj) December 29, 2022
Simplesmente o Rei! 👑 Simply the King!👑 https://t.co/M896U6JrUE
— Royler Gracie (@RoylerGracie) December 29, 2022
World Champion at 17 yo in 58, then again in 62 and 70 #andstill the record holder for goals scored in professional matches. Some people talk, others do. Few can inspire. Rip #Pelé https://t.co/n1obZAGM1A
— ROBERT DRYSDALE (@robertdrysdale) December 29, 2022
Não vi o Rei Pelé jogar, assitir uns vídeos dele no YouTube, o cara é simplesmente o rei do futebol.
Hoje o Brasil estará de luto.
Deus conforte o corações de todos os familiares ,amigos e fãs.
Obrigado The King por tudo que vc fez pelo nosso futebol.
Nunca haverá outro Pelé— Esquiva Falcao (@esquivafalcao) December 29, 2022
R.I.P pic.twitter.com/kXCA6TNjzI
— Vitor Belfort (@vitorbelfort) December 29, 2022
