MMA fighter who died twice: Revisiting the horrifying story from UFC star Terrance McKinney's past

UFC lightweight athlete Terrance McKinney is praised by many for his high-octane fighting style and fan-friendly persona. Besides, 'T Wrecks' has notably overcome considerable substance abuse issues as well.

Speaking to the UFC a few years ago, McKinney suggested that a drug overdose caused his heartbeat to stop on two separate occasions. The American MMA stalwart revealed that in the immediate aftermath of the drug overdose incident in the summer of 2015, he was legally dead not once but twice.

The OD incident was reportedly an amalgamation of his consuming alcohol and a concoction of other substances, such as LSD and psilocybin mushrooms. Apparently, his friends called the police and left the party after he OD'd.

Upon arrival, the police discovered McKinney was seemingly delirious and covered in blood after cutting his neck with glass. It was in the ambulance that his heartbeat stopped twice. Thankfully, medical personnel and the police were able to save him, as he was successfully resuscitated.

In his interview with the UFC, the wrestler and KO artist recalled that college was "a little bit too fun" for him. He admitted that he'd developed a habit of excessive partying and would consume "three to four different drugs" almost every weekend at every party.

Regardless, the 29-year-old explained that the drug OD and resultant near-death incident in 2015 changed him forever. 'T Wrecks' expounded upon how it motivated him to change his life and become a professional fighter. McKinney stated:

"I had a huge opportunity at school and they offered me a full ride to division II [wrestling] and I was like, 'All right, I am just gonna do drugs one more time before I head out for school.' Then, it ended up being one of the worst nights of my life... I had taken a valium of acid and like, overnight the shrooms. I ended up seeing demons. I was acting crazy..."

"That changed the game for me forever. I wasn't gonna let this event define who I was. I made a devotion to myself that I was going to have a complete 360 and that's where I chose fighting."

Watch McKinney's assessment below:

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What's next for UFC lightweight Terrance McKinney?

Up-and-coming lightweight Terrance McKinney first made waves in 2019 when he featured on a DWCS (Dana White's Contender Series) event. While many expected the young fighter to make a mark at the UFC-related reality show event, he lost via second-round KO to Sean Woodson.

Terrance McKinney then lost to Darrick Minner at MCF 18 but later secured multiple victories on the regional circuit. 'T Wrecks' made his UFC main roster debut with a first-round KO win against Matt Frevola in June 2021.

Terrance McKinney's professional MMA record stands at 14 victories and 6 defeats. His UFC main roster run has witnessed him secure 4 wins, besides losing on 3 occasions. McKinney is scheduled to face Brendon Marotte in a lightweight bout at UFC Fight Night 230 on October 14, 2023.