Alberta RCMP are investigating the death of a fighter following a charity mixed martial arts event outside Edmonton on Saturday.
The 33-year-old Edmonton man died after participating in the combative sports event at a community centre in Enoch, Alta., on Edmonton’s western outskirts, RCMP said.
Police said they were informed Monday morning that the fighter had died sometime after his Saturday evening bout.
RCMP Cpl. Troy Savinkoff said investigators are reviewing the circumstances of the death. Details are limited as the investigation is in its early stages, he said Tuesday.
The death followed the release of a fatality inquiry report earlier this month into the death of fighter Tim Hague, who died following a match in Edmonton in 2017. The judge’s report called for sweeping changes to the way combative sports are regulated in Alberta.
According to online ads for Saturday’s event and competitors who took part, the amateur fight, organized by Ultra MMA, featured around 36 novice fighters.
The U.K.-based company encourages new fighters to participate in the sport. Its website offers novice competitors the opportunity to fight in a “glamorous black-tie event” following two months of free training with a local gym.
The training involves two sessions a week, and competitors must participate in at least half of the sessions to be allowed into the cage, the company says on its website. It promises fighters access to the same medical care and regulation they would have at professional events.
In a statement to CBC, company officials offered condolences to the fighter’s family. According to the statement, the event was sanctioned by a municipal combative sports commission from central Alberta.
“Ultra Events Canada will, of course, offer his family and friends any support we can at this very sad time,” the statement said.
“With investigations now underway into the cause of our participant’s death, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.”
Other fighters have questions
Fighters who signed on to compete in Saturday’s event have questions about how the fight was regulated and organized, and the level of medical supervision afforded to the man who died.
Most professional fights are supervised by a regulatory body to guarantee the safety of fighters. Supervising authorities set rules and oversee medical care for competitors. Alberta is the only province that puts combative sports commissions under municipal jurisdiction.
Charles Proulx, who competed in a handful of MMA matches as a teen, was supposed to compete on Saturday. But the event was called off after the fighter who later died was carried out of the ring, he said.
Proulx said he trained alongside the man and described him as a friendly, energetic person who was eager to compete. They often sparred together and Proulx said he was a “good vibes” person who motivated others.
Proulx, like the other fighters on the card, had signed on for the two months of free training sessions. He had been dieting, training and cutting weight. Proulx had only competed in a handful of MMA matches as a teen but felt excited to fight again.
‘Bad condition’
Proulx said he came into the arena partway through the match and saw that his new friend was in “bad condition.”
“I thought it was just because of bad cardio,” he said. “It’s hard to carry that much muscle.
“I thought he was gassing out normally like any big guy would but at the third round, it really went bad. He was not answering many of the punches.”
He said at one point the man was put in an armbar hold by his opponent but the fight continued.
“His energy level was dropping rapidly but he didn’t tap out,” Proulx recalled. “In the end, he asked to sit down and was carried out of the ring.
“Not too long after that, the commissioner told us there will be no other fights tonight.”
Proulx said he wants the fight investigated. He has questions about how the event was sanctioned and how the safety of fighters was maintained.
“I just want to make sure that this type of incident doesn’t happen ever again,” he said.
Calls for further investigation
Natalija Rajkovic also trained to compete on Saturday. It would have been her first MMA bout.
Rajkovic said she met the fighter who died through their shared training sessions. She described him as a family man who was full of energy and always smiling.
She said most of the competitors were first-time fighters. She said she felt the training they were offered was insufficient preparation for people entering the cage.
“Everything seemed fine at the beginning for training,” she said. “We were just doing a charity event, so no one expects it to be super crazy.
“But then when you get to the event, things just started to not make sense.”
She said she had concerns about medical supervision and how the matches were regulated to ensure a “fair fight.”
She said the public and the man’s family deserve clarity on how the fight was sanctioned and what may have gone wrong.
“I knew what I was getting into when I signed up. I knew that it could be dangerous as well. But with that being said, there should never be a result like this.”
