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The MMA community lost a talented coach with the death of Robert Follis. Fighters like UFC lightweight Kevin Lee, however, lost more than that in last month’s tragedy.

As it had been the case for almost all of his UFC outings, Lee (16-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) had Follis in his corner when he met fellow interim title challenger Tony Ferguson at UFC 216 in October. That week, the coach spoke glowingly of his pupil, whom he’d dubbed “one of the top athletes” he’d ever worked with in his long career.

That was the last time Lee was be able to count on the coach’s guidance; two months later, Follis committed suicide.

Follis, who’d recently departed Las Vegas’ Xtreme Couture, was an almost unanimously admired presence in the sport and helped the careers of countless fighters. But for some of them, including Lee, Follis’ influence extended beyond his technical knowledge.

“It’s been very, very tough,” Lee told MMAjunkie Radio. “And I think it’s been tougher than people realize. Rob meant a little more to me than just a coach. A lot of people look at my confidence and think it was always just like that. He did have a large part to play in that.

“When Rob talked, I just listened. I listened to him, and it just made me feel better about myself. Whenever I was down, he was always a person I could go to.”

Lee wasn’t the only fighter who was personally impacted by the tragedy. People such as now-retired ex-champion Miesha Tate, whose own UFC title push was propelled by Follis, and ex-title-challenger Tim Elliot publicly talked about how deeply their careers and lives were impacted by the late coach.

“(Follis) was the reason I was (in Las Vegas),” Elliott told MMAjunkie before a victorious UFC 219 affair on Saturday. “All the Xtreme guys are awesome, but the fact of the matter is, I moved here to be near him. So I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

Lee’s exemplary rise through the 155-pound division is certainly a testament to Follis’ work. The only time the coach wasn’t in his corner, Lee said, was a UFC 194 meeting with fellow lightweight Leonardo Santos in Brazil. Lee, who’d never been finished in a pro MMA bout before, was shockingly knocked out in the first round.

“I called him the very next day, and I was like, ‘I made a huge mistake,” Lee said. “I’m never doing that again. I’m never fighting without you in my corner again.’”

That, we now know, unfortunately will not be the case. But, with Follis in his corner, Lee went on to win his five subsequent bouts – finishing all but one of them – before the meeting with Ferguson.

If Lee credits Follis with helping build the self-confidence he’s become known for, Follis’ words on Lee before the failed title bid show the coach knew that it was always in there.

“I’ve got to say it,” Follis said. “You know. I don’t know how you put your finger on that. Some people have that it. They’ve got the charisma, they’ve got the confidence, and they have that self-belief.

“Man, if I could make that happen – and I could control that – every guy would have it. Every woman would have that. But not everybody gets it, and not everybody can ever have it. It’s a special gift, and it’s part of what makes a champion. I saw that in Kevin from the beginning, and it’s only shined brighter as time has gone on.”

Surely, the emotional aftermath of such an impactful loss is not something that’s easily dealt with. But Lee was able to get at least some measure of closure after sitting down for a long conversation with Follis’ girlfriend and brothers.

Lee has yet to set a date to return to the octagon. But he’ll be back, eventually. And he’s taking Follis’ memory with him.

“Now, its about doing it for him,” Lee said. “And, I think his life is going to be even bigger now. It’s hard to say that, but it really is. He’s touched so many people, especially in MMA, and he’s changed so many people’s lives.

“That I feel like if I keep going and I really show him that it meant even bigger to me, then it’s going to be even bigger for him.”

To hear more from Lee on Follis, check out the video above.

And for more on the UFC’s schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

MMAjunkie Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT) live from Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino’s Race & Sports Book. The show is hosted by “Gorgeous” George Garcia, Brian “Goze” Garcia and Dan Tom. For more information or to download past episodes, go to www.mmajunkie.com/radio.

Filed under: News, Radio Highlight, UFC, Videos