Many people struggle with alcohol and drug addiction.

Ian McCall is one of the most talented flyweights in mixed martial arts, but his hard-partying lifestyle caught up to him four years ago when he hit rock bottom.

“I had an overdose,” McCall said. “I died.”

McCall had taken a cocktail of oxycodone, GHB and Xanax while partying and his breathing and heart stopped. He was later told he received three epinephrine shots to the heart when he awoke in a hospital two days later.

“I had been sober for a while,” McCall said. “I decided one time to get high and I died. It’s pretty simple, you go down that path and eventually you’re going to die. Luckily, I was able to snap out of it. Three EpiPens in my chest helped. They said they hit me with three EpiPens. I didn’t know that was humanly possible.”

Revived and recovered within a matter of weeks and with the backing of his teammates at Team Oyama MMA & Fitness in Irvine, McCall, a former standout wrestler at Dana Hills High in Orange County, threw himself into his training. He reeled off victories over Jeff Willingham, Jussier Formiga, Dustin Ortiz and Darrell Montague to establish himself as the top-ranked 125-pounder in the world.

When the UFC decided to form a flyweight division, McCall was one of the key signings. He was thrown into a four-man tournament to crown the organization’s first UFC 125-pound champion. McCall and Demetrious Johnson went the distance in a memorable scrap at UFC on FX 2 in March 2012. The bout was declared a draw, and both received fight of the night bonuses.

“I don’t think most people deal with the same kind of stuff I deal with outside the ring because I’m an idiot,” McCall said. “Apparently, I was getting a divorce the night before my first fight in the UFC. Literally, the night before, after weigh-ins, we’re getting dinner and that’s when I find out. … It’s just stupid (stuff) like that. I got in it with the wrong person, a horrible person, that’s just out to destroy my life. People do go through a lot. It’s the mental stuff. This game is 90 percent mental.”

McCall continued to deal with marital problems as he lost decisions to Johnson in a rematch and to Joseph Benavidez. Johnson went on to be crowned the first UFC flyweight champion.

McCall received sole custody of his 19-month-old daughter, London, after the divorce. His wife is currently in O.C. jail. He gets help from his mother and roommate/teammate Shane Del Rosario, a promising UFC heavyweight, in raising London. McCall said it’s like something out of the 1980s movie “Three Men and a Baby.”

“This helped even more to get my head on straight because one of us has to do it. She can’t have two loser parents,” McCall said. “I love being a dad. Being a dad is the coolest thing. I’ve done a lot of cool (stuff) and this is by far the most fun. She’s a good kid. I can’t complain. She’s smart and just full of energy.”

McCall has been working tirelessly in the gym to prepare for his next fight against Iliarde Santos at UFC 163 on Aug. 3 in Rio de Janeiro. McCall said he knows the stakes. He can’t afford another loss if he wants to continue his career in the UFC. He said he uses that as fuel and motivation.

“This is definitely my moment to prove that I belong,” McCall said. “I don’t feel a sense of belonging. I gotta cement that in. I gotta push for that and get my confidence back.”

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NOTES

Earlier this week, the Boston Herald reported that the UFC on Fox Sports 1: Shogun vs. Sonnen card Aug. 17 in Boston, which is to serve as the featured programming for the launch of Fox’s new nationwide sports channel, was in danger of being canceled. The issue being raised was MMA competitors in Massachusetts are required to have a valid Social Security number, even foreign-born participants. The report noted the UFC was seeking an exemption from the law. Tickets for the event went on pre-sale Tuesday.

“There were some questions that surfaced regarding licensing requirements for mixed martial artists and boxers to have social security numbers in order to compete in the state of Massachusetts,” the UFC said in a statement Tuesday. “Last week, these requirements were brought to UFC’s attention and we immediately began working to ensure that all athletes affected by this are in full compliance. We are continuing to work on this and anticipate a positive outcome. We look forward to bringing another successful event to Boston during an incredible week for sports fans in the city.” …

Chael Sonnen failed in both his attempts to dethrone UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, but he believes Chris Weidman can succeed where he failed when he takes on Silva at UFC 162 on July 6 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

“You don’t have to look too far to realize Chris Weidman has the exact skill set to beat Anderson Silva,” Sonnen said on Tuesday’s edition of “UFC Tonight” on Fuel TV. “And he’s also got it upstairs. He’s been in tough matches. He has a better top game, at least submission-wise, than I do, and I was able to have some success for several minutes with Anderson from that position.” …

Former Bellator middleweight champion Hector Lombard, who is 1-2 in the UFC, told “UFC Tonight” he plans to drop down to 170 pounds, and he has his sights set on Nate Marquardt. There has been no word yet as to when Lombard will make his welterweight debut or if the UFC will match him against Marquardt. …

Bellator MMA’s new reality series “Fight Master” debuted Wednesday night on Spike TV. “Fight Master” airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on Spike TV this summer.