Man dies after MMA debut

MrStuffins

Mixed-martial-arts competitor Michael Kirkham died this morning as a result of injuries sustained from a professional mixed-martial-arts bout this past Saturday at the USC Aiken Convocation Center in South Carolina.

WRDW News in Augusta, S.C., first reported the news.

Kirkham, 30, suffered repeated blows to the head during an MMA event dubbed "Confrontation at Convocation Center" and collapsed afterward.

He was taken unconscious to the Aiken Regional Medical Center, where he died from brain hemorrhaging, a representative of the Aiken County Coroner's office today confirmed with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

An autopsy on the fighter is expected for Tuesday morning, the ACC representative said.

According to an amateur fighter database hosted on mixedmartialarts.com, Kirkham held a 1-3 record with two losses by way of TKO. The June 26 fight marked his pro debut.

A representative for the South Carolina Athletic Commission directed MMAjunkie.com to an officer for the state's Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, who was unavailable for comment.

Kirkham is the second fighter to die as a result of injuries sustained during a professional MMA bout. Houston-based fighter Sam Vasquez lapsed into a coma and died 42 days after a TKO loss to Vince Libari at a "Renegades Extreme Fighting" event in October 2007.

Stay tuned to MMAjunkie.com for updates on this story as they arise.

Source

Oh no

Professey Chin

Just seen this.Really sucks
But also he was 6ft 9 and was fighting at 155.Theres something seriously not right there

unknown13

Just saw that. The guy was 6'9 and a LW. He was probably just skin and bones.

Professey Chin

Heres one of his amateur fights.he makes Streuve look like Roy Nelson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhKU0u3CzXY

MrStuffins

Ultimate Chin wrote: »

Just seen this.Really sucks
But also he was 6ft 9 and was fighting at 155.Theres something seriously not right there

That IS pretty ridiculous!

And Corey Hill already showed us what happens when them bones them bones don't get their calcium!

unknown13

I think the South Carolina commission needs to review its sanctioning arrangements since this guy was 1-3 and allowed to go into pro mma with two of those losses by TKO.

calex71

MrStuffins wrote: »

And Corey Hill already showed us what happens when them bones them bones don't get their calcium!

Thats me not sleeping tonight remembering that one, nasty!!!!!!!!!!!!!

6'9 and little over 10 st :eek: I'm 5'8 and that would be on the lower end of the scale for my height to weight ratio :eek: :eek: (not for fighting I should add but for us mortal folks)

unknown13

Im 6'0 and in around 155 and I am what is considered big for the weight but 6'9 is just ridiculous.

arybvtcw0eolkf

R.I.P.

mikey1

This is terrible alright, the size of the guy and cutting to 155lbs has got to have made a huge impact on his body. You would wonder, do fighters bodies really become fully hydrated correctly in just the one day following the previous days weighins after such big weight cuts?
Have a look at this study on dehydration.
http://www.sportsinjurybulletin.com/archive/dehydration-brain-damage.htm

Shazbot

What I think is sad is that it took 9 posts before someone said RIP. Everything up until then was people looking for an excuse not to blame the sport.

I can understand defending the sport we all love but show some compassion first.

R.I.P.

Chris89

Shazbot wrote: »

What I think is sad is that it took 9 posts before someone said RIP. Everything up until then was people looking for an excuse not to blame the sport.

I can understand defending the sport we all love but show some compassion first.

R.I.P.

At the risk of sounding heartless, I'm going to have to disagree with you hear. This is a forum not a book f condolences. Obviously it's sad that some lad is after dying but typing r.I.p into a message on a Internet community forum isn't going to do anything for him or his family.

Yeah it's a nice gesture, but I would wager nobody close to him will ever read it.

Anyway. Can't see the video in work but there's definitely something not right about that lads height and weight. I'm surpirsed he passed the docs checks.

I feel sorry for the lad he was fighting though.

rovert

After this and having Finney fight Cyborg all I have to say is:

BRING BACK BILL DOUGLAS

Anakin.S

It’s always sad when anyone passes away.

This highlights the importance of fighter safety in all combative sports.

Barry.Oglesby

Rather than looking for faults with sanctioning or weight cutting, how about accepting the harsh reality that MMA involves recieving blows to the head, and this can lead to death.

We can debate the extenuating circumstances, but this is sad and tragic and an unfortunate but rare example of the sport's dangers.

rovert

Barry.Oglesby wrote: »

Rather than looking for faults with sanctioning or weight cutting, how about accepting the harsh reality that MMA involves recieving blows to the head, and this can lead to death.

We can debate the extenuating circumstances, but this is sad and tragic and an unfortunate but rare example of the sport's dangers.

Thats all fine but situations like this there is usually an underlying safety breach which if enforced could have minimised or totally prevented damage. This no exception.

IFS.NI

I was speaking to Michael Last month as he was looking to come to Ireland to fight at some point in the future and train at the gyms here,this news comes heavy on my heart and my thoughts go out to michaels family and friends.

It also brings home the sobering fact that there are always risks with contact sports that some times are over looked and people perhaps get complacent on these very real facts.

I heard he took repeated blows to the back of the head but I can not confirm that as I don't know all the facts.

What I do know is that there's a family now who have lost a father, husband, caring man who loved the sport.


Rest in peace brother.

Performance Martial Arts

Very well said!! Its a big shame to hear of any fighter getting badly hurt or dying so my thoughts are with his family.

Chris89

Chris89 wrote: »

I feel sorry for the lad he was fighting though.

how will this work actually? can your man be held responsible in any way, i suppose he technically murdered him?

TechnoPool

Sad news indeed RIP

JohnMc1

Chris89 wrote: »

how will this work actually? can your man be held responsible in any way, i suppose he technically murdered him?

The guy is more than likely feel very bad about it, but legally there is no ground to stand on. MMA and all other full contact combat sports would be labeled under mutual combat.

If Michael's family is looking to blame someone it should be his trainers and coaches who told him to turn pro with a 1-2 AM record with those 2 losses coming by way of TKO.

Mellor

Chris89 wrote: »

how will this work actually? can your man be held responsible in any way, i suppose he technically murdered him?

Comments like this are ridiculous.
Technically murdered, ffs. I suggest you look up murder, manslaughter, and sure assualt while your at it.
Nothing that happens in a ring, under normal conditions, fits the bill for any of the above.

Chris89

Mellor wrote: »

Comments like this are ridiculous.
Technically murdered, ffs. I suggest you look up murder, manslaughter, and sure assualt while your at it.
Nothing that happens in a ring, under normal conditions, fits the bill for any of the above.

Eh. Well I was only asking. He was punched lots in the head and as a result, he died.

Give me a break, I'm no Horatio Kane.

Shazbot

Chris89 wrote: »

Eh. Well I was only asking. He was punched lots in the head and as a result, he died.

Yeah but it was during a sporting event, not on a street. I'd be confident in saying the contract for the fight probably included a note about the chances of death and the liability in such an event.

Fighters know the risks of fighting and this is a grim reminder.

Chris89

Shazbot wrote: »

Yeah but it was during a sporting event, not on a street. I'd be confident in saying the contract for the fight probably included a note about the chances of death and the liability in such an event.

Fighters know the risks of fighting and this is a grim reminder.

Yeah I understand that. I just wasn't sure what the contracts would include. Cheers.

Poly

Chris89 wrote: »

At the risk of sounding heartless, I'm going to have to disagree with you hear. This is a forum not a book f condolences. Obviously it's sad that some lad is after dying but typing r.I.p into a message on a Internet community forum isn't going to do anything for him or his family.

[FONT=arial,sans-serif]No man is an island, entire of itself. Every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friends or of thine own were.
Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls it tolls for thee.[/FONT]

Chris89

Poly wrote: »

[FONT=arial,sans-serif]No man is an island, entire of itself. Every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friends or of thine own were.
Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls it tolls for thee.[/FONT]

I know, right?

Barry.Oglesby

rovert wrote: »

Thats all fine but situations like this there is usually an underlying safety breach which if enforced could have minimised or totally prevented damage. This no exception.

I don't know whether you're just poor at using the English language or if you have some sort of prescience, but that's an utterly ridiculous statement.

Since there has been, by my count, 1 previous death in a sanctioned MMA bout, that would give you a data pool of what "usually" happens of 1. And how you can state that "this is no exception" without a sense of irony I just don't know.

MMA is a dangerous sport. Not as dangerous as some would have you believe, but not as safe as others. Ask anyone who has taken a severe blow to the head in the ring or cage and they will tell you exactly how dangerous it is. Perhaps if people allowed experts (medical professionals) to speak on these matters without jumping to their own clouded keyboard conclusions then situations like this would be clearer.

rovert

Barry.Oglesby wrote: »

I don't know whether you're just poor at using the English language or if you have some sort of prescience, but that's an utterly ridiculous statement.

What is wrong with what I said?

Barry.Oglesby wrote: »

Since there has been, by my count, 1 previous death in a sanctioned MMA bout, that would give you a data pool of what "usually" happens of 1. And how you can state that "this is no exception" without a sense of irony I just don't know.

You realise that Sam Vasquez also had a pre-existing medical condition which would been picked up but wasnt due to Texas's incompetence? Right?

Barry.Oglesby wrote: »

MMA is a dangerous sport. Not as dangerous as some would have you believe, but not as safe as others. Ask anyone who has taken a severe blow to the head in the ring or cage and they will tell you exactly how dangerous it is. Perhaps if people allowed experts (medical professionals) to speak on these matters without jumping to their own clouded keyboard conclusions then situations like this would be clearer.

Your post makes no sense and is just a bunch of angry rambling.

I dont know why you have such a chip on his shoulder. If the Athletic Commission did their job properly this fight would likely not have happened simple as. No need to go on your never been in the ring high horse. Im only relaying the facts of the matter.

Show me a fighter who was allowed fight under Bill Douglas's regime that had Kirkham's record?