Blatnick died on October 24, 2012, as a result of complications from heart surgery. His death sent shock waves through both MMA and wrestling, and resulted in massive outpouring from fans and media in remembrance of Blatnick's life. At the time of his death, Blatnick was a varsity wrestling coach at Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School, and also worked as a motivational speaker. He lived with his wife Lori, son Ian, and daughter Niki in Clifton Park, New York.
