Two days after suffering a TKO loss at an MMA event, Portuguese fighter, Joao Carvalho, has passed away due to injuries sustained from the fight.
The welterweight fight, which took place Saturday night in Dublin, featured Irish fighter Charlie Ward and Joao Carvalho. Carvalho was knocked out in the third round and although he appeared to be walking and talking after the loss, the medical staff on site saw that he was in bad shape. His injuries were so severe that the doctors determined that he needed to be taken to the hospital immediately. He was transported to a local hospital where doctors performed emergency brain surgery on him and he remained in critical condition for 48 hours following the procedure. On Monday night, his team released a statement announcing that the 28-year-old fighter had passed away.
A number of fellow fighters, including UFC champion Conor McGregor, sent their condolences to Carvalho’s family and friends. McGregor also expressed that he thought the fight should have been stopped sooner by the referee.
As dangerous as the sport may seem, deaths in MMA fighting are in actuality rare. Carvalho is the fifth MMA fighter to die in a sanctioned contest in the history of the sport.
