The Clark County coroner's office has ruled the death a suicide.
Robert FollisBefore coming to Nevada, Follis was one of the founders of Team Quest, which was training base for a number of MMA superstars, including former UFC champions Couture, Henderson and Lindland. He coached at the Gresham, Oregon facility for nearly a decade.
Words like "renowned," "legendary" and "iconic" were used by sports and MMA websites to describe Follis.
Follis brought a jiu-jitsu background to his MMA training. He came to the sport as a former bouncer in a bar who realized he might need to learn skills to deal with rowdy patrons.
Follis' girlfriend, Myrna Fukuno, who confirmed Follis' passing Sunday, called him "my best friend, my therapist and the absolute love of my life." She went on to describe Follis as "an incredible teacher, who opened our minds and created a space where we knew learning was possible."
"The son of a preacher, Follis has long taken after his father in order to get the full potential out of his students," according to a 2013 article at the Xtreme Couture website. "Analogies are a big part of how Follis coaches, and says the use of them makes it easier for his students to correlate what he tries to bestow upon them in the MMA world. 'At one point, tying our shoes was extremely confusing,' he said. 'The more you practiced it though, the easier it became. That's exactly how jiu-jitsu is.'"
Randy Couture, a three-time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler at Oklahoma State before launching a storied MMA career that culminated with his induction into the UFC Hall of Fame, said Follis had no ego and was constantly trying to better himself -- and his students -- in every facet of MMA.
"I think that's what made him special," Couture told MMAFighting.com. "Robert had this positivity about him. He just had this persona that people were attracted to, that people wanted to be around."
"We just had a ton of fun learning, beating the hell out of each other, but getting better," Couture added. "Robert was a big part of that."
"A guy that's as intelligent and warm and giving as Robert was, sometimes you never really know what's going on, on the inside with somebody," Couture said. "It's rough, it's gonna be rough for a little while. But I think we'll do our best to keep moving forward and honor and respect Robert for all the things he accomplished that were so positive."
Matt Lindland, a national junior college wrestling champ and 2000 U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman team member, posted a heartfelt tribute to Follis on his own Facebook page, addressed to the coach's family and friends.
"Wishing you hope and comfort in the midst of sorrow and pain. I am shocked and sorry to hear the news about our friend and brother, Robert Follis, who took his own life.
"What a truly depressing situation. It is difficult to know how to respond at time like this. More than anything, I want Robert's students, friends, and family to realize how much others cared loved and cared for him. He had an impact on everyone he came in contact with. Naturally, words seem inadequate to express the sadness I feel…"
"I personally know so many people, too many to count, who have fond memories of training with and learning from Robert. He not only taught martial arts, he taught life lessons and was a mentor to anyone who desired his companionship..."
"Robert was always willing to take time for others on the mats or off, even if that meant just talking to a friend over a lunch. Robert invested in others; he gave his time, his knowledge, and his love."
Plans are being made to honor Robert Follis with a memorial service at a date to be announced.
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