‘Athlete of the century’: Fighters react to Pele’s death at 82

Pelé passed away on Thursday at age 82 after a long battle with colon cancer, his family announced, and the MMA community mourned the soccer legend’s death.

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as “Pelé” or simply “The King,” scored a record 1,281 goals as a professional player and led Brazil to three FIFA World Cup championships between 1958 and 1970 — a feat no one else has ever matched.

Pelé is arguably the greatest soccer player of all-time and was named “Athlete of the Century” by the International Olympic Committee. He still holds several records in the sport, such as the most hat-tricks and most World Cup assists, among others. Pelé was also the youngest man to play, score, and win a World Cup final (17 years and 249 days).

Check out MMA community’s reaction to Pelé’s death.