COLUMBIA, S.C. — A 6-foot-9 mixed martial arts fighter named Michael Kirkham, 30, has died from brain injuries suffered in his professional MMA debut.
The 30-year-old Kirkham died from bleeding in the brain, according to the Aiken County coroner’s office. Coroner Tim Carlton said Michael Kirkham collapsed after Saturday night’s fight and was rushed to Aiken Regional Medical Center where he never regained consciousness, an autopsy will be done on Tuesday.
This was Michael Kirkham’s first pro MMA fighter, but not his first fight, he had six amateur MMA bouts before turning professional.
South Carolina law had previously outlawed organized Mixed Martial Arts competition until last summer.
Kirkham is the second pro MMA fighter to die from injuries suffered in a regulated professional U.S. MMA fight. The first fatality on U.S. soil was in 2007 when MMA fighter Sam Vasquez suffered a brain injury during a fight and died in Houston, Texas after being in a 42 day coma.
Below is a YouTube video of one of Michael Kirkham’s Amateur MMA fights (Michael Kirkham vs. D’Juan Owens from April 24, 2010)
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