# Fighter Michael Kirkham dies following fight in South Carolina



## MatParker116 (Feb 21, 2009)

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2010/6/28/1541802/rookie-fighter-michael-kirkham#comments

My thoughts are with his family but what strikes me about this is the fact he was 6"9 and fighting at 155.


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## Budhisten (Apr 11, 2010)

MatParker116 said:


> the fact he was 6"9 and fighting at 155.


Now that ain't right...

But my condolences to his loved ones of course :/ sad day


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## HexRei (Apr 27, 2007)

i am 100% sure it is a mistake, and he was actually fighting at LHW. That's still impressive though, perhaps a tough cut is part of the reason he died.


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## Life B Ez (Jan 23, 2010)

A prime example of the dangers of cutting far too much weight without a proper program to rehydrate or to cut properly.


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## JimmyJames (Dec 29, 2009)

HexRei said:


> i am 100% sure it is a mistake, and he was actually fighting at LHW. That's still impressive though, perhaps a tough cut is part of the reason he died.


I've seen his picture at another site. He is a LW and looks like a freak. 

Sad news, but I wonder if he was cutting weight and his body/brain probably couldnt handle it.......


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## M.C (Jul 5, 2008)

Sad news.

The cut more than likely didn't help. It's just another reason to show why MMA isn't as safe as us MMA fans try to believe (not that it's anymore dangerous than football, boxing, or any other physical sport out there).


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## JimmyJames (Dec 29, 2009)




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## HexRei (Apr 27, 2007)

wow, holy shiiiiiiiiieeeeettttt. that's just... wow. 

he has to be cutting like forty+ pounds even being that skinny. no wonder he died. skinny neck doesn't help either when you're taking punches on the feet.


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## oldfan (Mar 14, 2010)

My condolences to his family and respect to him for fighting but, I hope they are very cautious and thorough before the blame gets put on mma.

As a kid I had a friend we called "stepladder". Full grown, step was 6-8 and weighed around 160. He had health and glandular problems his entire life and died of a brain aneurysm when he was 32. His death was sudden and unexpected, his health as good as it had ever been.

I just can't imagine a doctor ever clearing stepladder to participate in any contact sport.

I wonder how this kids opponent is holding up.


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## Hiro (Mar 9, 2010)

Very sad news.

It's the reality of what is possible when the brain experiences trauma.

Does it make anyone else question their love for this sport? It's different to football etc because the aim is to hurt the other guy, and that makes me slightly uncomfortable knowing someone has just died.


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## Toxic (Mar 1, 2007)

I hate to be the voice of reason and don't want to try to sound cold but come on now it had to happen eventually. Its a contact sport were getting hit in the head is the norm. Stuff like this happens in bar fights, people die from shit that shouldn't have killed them all the time. In all honesty I am shocked the sport went this long.


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## HexRei (Apr 27, 2007)

Toxic said:


> I hate to be the voice of reason and don't want to try to sound cold but come on now it had to happen eventually. Its a contact sport were getting hit in the head is the norm. Stuff like this happens in bar fights, people die from shit that shouldn't have killed them all the time. In all honesty I am shocked the sport went this long.


technically, it didn't. this is the second in america (one happened in texas a couple of years ago) and i know of one in russia a few years back as well.


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## Life B Ez (Jan 23, 2010)

HexRei said:


> technically, it didn't. this is the second in america (one happened in texas a couple of years ago) and i know of one in russia a few years back as well.


Weren't those two due to preexisting medical conditions though?


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## UrbanBounca (Sep 13, 2009)

HexRei said:


> technically, it didn't. this is the second in america (one happened in texas a couple of years ago) and i know of one in russia a few years back as well.


Douglas Dedge died in Russia back in '98. He was not allowed to fight in American due to heart trouble, and he decided he'd fight in Russia, and it ended up killing him.

On a side note, Michael Kirkham was oddly shaped, but my condolences go out to his family. His nickname was "Tree".










There is a video from his fight Saturday night, too.


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## Life B Ez (Jan 23, 2010)

UrbanBounca said:


> There is a video from his fight Saturday night, too.


Is that the fight?


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## UrbanBounca (Sep 13, 2009)

Life B Ez said:


> Is that the fight?


That's what I was told.


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## Life B Ez (Jan 23, 2010)

UrbanBounca said:


> That's what I was told.


If it is then he must of had some kind of previous medical condition because he didn't hardly take anything really serious. Yes he took some shots, but from what I seen it didn't look like he ever got really hit hard.


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## HexRei (Apr 27, 2007)

UrbanBounca said:


> That's what I was told.


The date on that video is in April, Kirkham's fight was just a couple of days ago.


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## oldfan (Mar 14, 2010)

The thread starters link says this is an amateur fight and he died from his first pro fight.


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## UrbanBounca (Sep 13, 2009)

HexRei said:


> The date on that video is in April, Kirkham's fight was just a couple of days ago.


You're right, I misread the article that was originally attached.


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

*Article*

Considering how many deaths are in boxing annually and that this is only the second death in MMA in the 17 year history of he sport, could be alot worse!


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## mma_official (Feb 6, 2009)

It is not the second death it is the 5th. The 2nd in a state sanctioned event. Texas, now SC. Very sad day for the sport. My condolences to the family.


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## LiteGladiator (Jun 22, 2010)

Bad news, my condolences to the family.


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## HitOrGetHit (Jun 29, 2009)

This is definitely sad and especially for his first pro fight. Hopefulyl his family and friends are doing alright.



Hiro said:


> Very sad news.
> 
> It's the reality of what is possible when the brain experiences trauma.
> 
> Does it make anyone else question their love for this sport? It's different to football etc because the aim is to hurt the other guy, and that makes me slightly uncomfortable knowing someone has just died.


I dont know that it makes me question my love. I mean, I understand that the object is to hurt your opponent, but there are no intentions of killing your opponent or even leaving them with a permanent or long lasting injury. I still love this sport, but this is definitely a tragedy in the world of MMA. If this started to become a regular occurence, then I would more than likely question the sport. But as it stands right now, fighter safety has been maintained very well in my opinion.


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## The505Butcher (Jul 30, 2009)

Sad. Hope the family is doing ok.


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

*Family*

Yeah I hope this doesn't hinder the progress of MMA!


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## mma_official (Feb 6, 2009)

Think about this the next time you complain about an early stoppage. The margin between life and death can be a single punch.


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## HexRei (Apr 27, 2007)

mma_official said:


> Think about this the next time you complain about an early stoppage. The margin between life and death can be a single punch.


This is a truism and not necessarily related to this case imo.


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## mma_official (Feb 6, 2009)

H


HexRei said:


> This is a truism and not necessarily related to this case imo.


Yes. Thank you for making the clarification on my behalf. I did not wish to suggest that in any way.


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

*Clarification*

On what exactly?


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## HexRei (Apr 27, 2007)

^^^That this was not necessarily the result of a late stoppage, an after the fact punch, or a referee's failure to act.

MMA Official was making a general point, not specific to this case (or at least not necessarily- I haven't seen the fight).


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

*Witness*

Well if someone would actually produce footage of the fight I think it would be easier to find out what happened!


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## mma_official (Feb 6, 2009)

kantowrestler said:


> Well if someone would actually produce footage of the fight I think it would be easier to find out what happened!


It's best that they don't for now. The last thing that family needs is to see pictures of him dying posted everywhere. There will be a time review this in a more clinical setting.


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

*Clinical Setting*

But footage does exist right?


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## mma_official (Feb 6, 2009)

I


kantowrestler said:


> But footage does exist right?


I would certainly imagine so.


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

*Imagine So*

Officials are probably just keeping things under wraps!


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## Wookie (Jul 20, 2008)

Being that it was a SCAC sanctioned match I think that it probably was taped at least. It seems to me like any promoter would have some kind of way of recording and re-showing fights later. The fact that the guy was fighting way outside of his weightclass doesn't seem right though. Maybe it's because I'm naturally 5'8" and 155lbs and everyone always tells me I'm scrawny. Sucks for his family and mma.


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## North (Mar 29, 2010)

Hiro said:


> Does it make anyone else question their love for this sport? It's different to football etc because the aim is to hurt the other guy, and that makes me slightly uncomfortable knowing someone has just died.


It doesn't make me question my love of the sport at all. I knew this could happen, as should have anyone with a head on their shoulders. It was my opinion before this happened, and remains my opinion after, that anyone who doesn't realize such things could happen in a COMBAT sport, is a damn idiot. 

In regards to his weight vs height, I've got no problem with people trying to fight like that, so long as they realize what they're doing to themselves, and the risks that come with that. 

Nothing can change the fact that it's a shame, though. Sincerest condolences to his family. 

Hopefully these tragedies will stay few and far between.


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## G_Land (Aug 11, 2009)

A really good friend of mine just died in the cage (during practice) He had heart problems before but was cleared by the doc them boom heart attach....He was 26... He live in Texas ...This was about a month ago


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## Life B Ez (Jan 23, 2010)

G_Land said:


> A really good friend of mine just died in the cage (during practice) He had heart problems before but was cleared by the doc them boom heart attach....He was 26... He live in Texas ...This was about a month ago


Jesus....sorry to hear that man. Wasn't that other ring related death in Texas too?


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## G_Land (Aug 11, 2009)

Life B Ez said:


> Jesus....sorry to hear that man. Wasn't that other ring related death in Texas too?


 
Yes it was...But my friend Dustin died before there was any blows thrown....I think they were about to spar...He climbed over the cage (he always entered like that) landed on his feet in the cage and fell out.


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## Life B Ez (Jan 23, 2010)

G_Land said:


> Yes it was...But my friend Dustin died before there was any blows thrown....I think they were about to spar...He climbed over the cage (he always entered like that) landed on his feet in the cage and fell out.


That's crazy man, really sad to hear.


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## G_Land (Aug 11, 2009)

Yeah it was a kick in the pants I went to Iraq with him. We kinda fell out of touch after he and I got out but it still stings


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

*Iraq*

What does that have to do with anything?


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## Chileandude (Jan 17, 2008)

kantowrestler said:


> What does that have to do with anything?


As far as i recall they went to Iraq together, fell out of touch and then he died....


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

*Out of Touch*

Interesting story!


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## G_Land (Aug 11, 2009)

kantowrestler said:


> Interesting story!


 
Just giving a back story.


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

*Backstory*

I don't think going that far back is necessary!


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## HexRei (Apr 27, 2007)

kantowrestler said:


> I don't think going that far back is necessary!


whats unnecessary is your telling him its unnecessary. There's nothing wrong with explaining what kind of history they had, especially when its a tour of duty which probably gets people a little closer than working at the local burger king together.


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

*Oops*

Ok my bad, I meant no offense, I come from a military family as well!


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