Former Bellator bantamweight reportedly killed himself while playing Russian roulette

Mixed martial artist Ivan 'J.P' Cole, real name Ivan Robert-Earnest Cole, has been found dead at a residence in Dallas, Texas.

Police arrived at the 13700 block of Montfort Drive in Dallas after reports of a shooting early on Saturday morning. The body of Cole, a 25-year-old fighter who had competed under the Bellator and Legacy FC promotional banners, was found at the scene with a gunshot wound. A CBS Facebook page claims that Cole killed himself while playing Russian roulette, the death-dealing game whereby competitors load a bullet into a chamber of a revolver, spin the cylinder and pull the trigger in the hope that they will have done so on an empty chamber. Police have not confirmed the reports of Russian roulette being the cause of death and an investigation is ongoing. Cole compiled a 2-3 professional record in MMA, having made a successful debut in 2012, and his final fight was a submission defeat to Geo Pacurariu at Bellator 135 last year.