A motorcycle accident in Pinellas County over the weekend claimed the life of Geane Herrera, a former UFC fighter.
A few days before his 34th birthday, Herrera was killed.
According to troopers, Herrera was on the Gandy Bridge at 10:45 p.m. on Saturday, speeding eastward. When he attempted to pass a St. Petersburg man, 48 years old, driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee, he slammed into the rear of the car near Gandy Bridge, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
According to troopers, after the collision, the motorbike veered off the road, hit a concrete barrier, and was then diverted back into the street. This time, both the motorbike and Herrera slid for a few hundred feet before finally coming to a halt and catching fire.
At the scene, Herrera was pronounced dead. The Jeep Cherokee’s driver escaped unharmed.
Herrera, who was born in the United States to Colombian parents, was interested in boxing early on. Before signing with the UFC, he had a series of bouts in 2011 as his mixed martial arts debut. After leaving the UFC, he competed for the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), but an injury forced him to retire.
Herrera’s first fight took place at UFC Fight Night 73 in August 2015, and the native Californian lost by unanimous decision. His second fight was against Joby Sanchez in November, and he won by technical knockout. In 2018, he made the switch to Absolute Championship Berkut after losing his last two bouts.
He earned a win in his BKFC debut via technical knockout in July 2021 against Abdiel Velazquez.
With two knockouts and six submission victories under his belt, the flyweight boxer compiled a 10-3 record. One of his fights in 2021 was a BKFC victory.
Herrera’s family set up a GoFundMe page to solicit donations for the benefit of his parents, siblings, and 16-year-old son, as well as for his current girlfriend, who is allegedly three months along in her pregnancy. The goal is $50,000.
