UFC commentator Jon Anik was preparing to call the year’s biggest fight—Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford, promoted by Dana White. To sharpen his perspective, he turned to someone he deeply respected: UFC’s Editorial Director, Thomas Gerbasi. A Staten Island native, Gerbasi built his career across both MMA and boxing, contributing to numerous publications while also authoring several acclaimed works, including the UFC Encyclopedia and, most recently, Boxing: The 100 Greatest Fighters.
In fact, ahead of fight night, Gerbasi even sent Anik a copy of his latest book to help him prepare. Although Anik delivered a stellar performance on the mic that night, just days later, tragedy struck the combat sports community. Tuesday saw Thomas Gerbasi suddenly and surprisingly pass away at the age of 57 from a heart attack, leaving colleagues and fans in shock. “I think a lot of us were trying to figure out how best to pay tribute,” Anik told Bruce Buffer and TJ De Santis on Buffer’s YouTube podcast.
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Dana White showed his support from the shadows
“I started writing something, typing on my phone, and I just didn’t feel like that was righteous. So, I posted a little video on Instagram, but my gosh… almost every word that anyone who’s gone to a UFC live event has heard me utter in the arena was at least in some part written by this man,” Anik confessed. He held up Gerbasi’s newly published book, sent to him by the man himself, taking some comfort in the realization that he and the fans can support Gerbasi and the latter’s family in some way during this trying time.
He recalled his conversations with Gerbasi in the lead-up to Canelo-Crawford, adding, “It just hits particularly hard because of that, because maybe there would be times where we would go a year or so without verbal interaction, and that was obviously not the case leading up to his unexpected passing.” Later during the podcast, he revealed how UFC CEO Dana White showed his support. “I heard that Dana White bought a hundred of these books, and it’s fantastic. What better way to honor Thomas Gerbasi than to… buy this book and throw it on your coffee table,” Anik said during the podcast.
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He speculated that the proceeds from the book’s sale would go to Gerbasi’s family. Regardless, Anik or White weren’t the only ones who would feel the hole Gerbasi left behind.
Lou DiBella remembers speaking to Thomas Gerbasi on Saturday
“I am crushed right now,” were the first words from DiBella after he learned about the passing of the man who last year received the 2024 Nat Fleischer Award for excellence in boxing journalism from the Boxing Writers Association of America. Expressing his sorrow, DiBella branded Gerbasi “a trusted friend and someone I’ve admired.” He recalled their over an hour-long conversation last Saturday.
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“He was great, and we were talking about life being good … and now he is gone,” DiBella wrote, coming to terms with his death. Meanwhile, DiBella told Ring Magazine, “He had a great sense of humor. And he was talented. And he cared about people. He was just a salt-of-the-earth type of dude. This just really sucks.” Gerbasi leaves behind a legacy across combat sports, as he is survived by his wife of 31 years, Sonia Rodriguez-Gerbasi, his daughter, Jordan Gerbasi-Fanticola, and two granddaughters.
The UFC website will no longer show work from Thomas Gerbasi, but his work over the years has made it what it is today. While he might not be among the living anymore, his work will continue to inspire. What do you think about Dana White’s secret support?