Husband, father, and MMA Fighter Sam Vasquez passed away on November 30th 2007, after being hospitalized since an October 20th fight at a Renegades Extreme Fighting event.
It was widely speculated that Sammy had sustained a massive brain injury that occurred during the fight, and according to Steve Sievert at the Houston Chronicle, it has now been confirmed that Sam Vasquez is the [...]
Written by admin on April 9th, 2008 with comments disabled.
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It’s not mixed martial arts, but still in the realm of “combat sports”, I just saw this posted from the Texarkana Gazette:
Toughman contestant dies
By: Lori Dunn - Texarkana Gazette - Published: 02/15/2008
A man who was hospitalized after competing in a local Toughman Contest last weekend has died.
Brandon Twitchell, 23, of Elkhart, Texas, died Thursday at CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System in Texarkana, hospital spokesman Francine Francis said.
Twitchell fought Friday night and Saturday night in the annual Toughman Contest at the Four States Fairgrounds. His family said they believe he sustained brain injuries during the competition.
After the fights on Saturday, Twitchell was taken from the fairgrounds by LifeNet ambulance to the hospital, where it was discovered he had brain injuries.
Twitchell’s parents said he had been in critical condition and on life support since being hospitalized.
“He died today around 11 a.m. on his own without the assistance of machines,” Brandon’s father, Mike Twitchell, said Thursday.
Hundreds of contestants sign up for the Toughman fights every year in 44 states and abroad. The fighters are separated into several weight classes and by experience, according to www.toughmancontest.com.
All fighters must be 18 and in good physical condition, according to the Website.
Also, fighters submit to drug testing and Breathalyzer testing prior to the fights.
In a previous interview, Lydia Robertson, spokesman for the Toughman Contest, said the dangers of boxing are explained to contestants in detail and they must sign a release from responsibility with the understanding they are participating in a dangerous event.
Mike Twitchell said funeral arrangements for his son were pending.
“He will be buried … in his hometown of Elkhart,” he said.
Written by admin on February 15th, 2008 with comments disabled.
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Gracie Jiu-Jitsu black belt and veteran PrideFC fighter, Ryan Gracie has long had troubles with the law. It seems as if those troubles are over now, as he was found dead in his jail cell according to GracieMag.com.
Ryan Gracie was grandson to Carlos Gracie, one of the original founders of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. When Ryan Gracie fought for PrideFC in Japan, he was billed as the “bad boy of the Gracie family” because of his reputation for getting into trouble.
MMA-Extreme.com
Supposedly, Ryan has been arrested before for various troubles, and was recently arrested for stealing an automobile (carjacking) and injuring a 77 year old man. He was later found dead in his prison cell.
From the GracieMag website:
News to make the fighting world tremble. According to news carried by Globo TV, the black belt Ryan Gracie was found dead in the cell where he was being held at a police station in Sao Paulo after having been accused of car theft yesterday in the city of Sao Paulo. According to the Sao Paulo State Secretariat of Public Security, Ryan was alone in the cell.
GRACIEMAG.com sympathizes with the Gracie family and should be back shortly with further information as to Ryan’s death.
10:24
According to the G1 news website:
“Ryan was sent to the 91st PD, after having toxicology exams done at the central IML at around 2:30 am. He arrived at the police station in Vila Leopoldina at 3 am. According to the officer on call of the 15th Police District police officer Daniella Ranna, where the athlete’s case was registered for having tried to steal a motorcycle, he was sent to the 91st DP because it is a traffic station. From there, he would have been seen to the “most recommendable” location.
According to the Secretariat, at around 7am, when policemen at the station were checking the cells with their detainees, they found the fighter fallen in a corner. They entered and confirmed that he was dead. At around 10 am, coroners were already at the location to do the necessary exams and send the body to the institute.
Written by admin on December 15th, 2007 with comments disabled.
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It seems as though the sport of Mixed Martial Arts has had it’s first death from a sanctioned fight in the United States. I’m sure you’ve already read about Sammy Vasquez being comatose and battling for his life since an October 20th MMA fight with Vince Libardi during a Renegades Extreme Fighting show in Houston, Texas.
Vasques took a number of punches from Libardi before collapsing in the ring and the fight was stopped at 2:50 of the third round. Medics tried to revive Vasquez in the ring for several minutes before he was taken St. Joseph Medical Center, where he remained until being transferred hospice care, where he died on November 30th.
Sammy Vasquez lived in Houston, Texas, and he left behind a wife (Sandra) and child (Ronin Rickson). A memorial fund has been set up by TEXAS MMA Fight Shop. Donations can be sent to:
TEXAS MMA FIGHT SHOP
c/o Sandra Vasquez
5720 Mobud
San Antonio, Texas 78238
Written by admin on December 5th, 2007 with comments disabled.
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from http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-usbenoit0626,0,3311723,print.story?coll=ny-top-headlines
WWE wrestler Chris Benoit and family found dead
BY ALFONSO A. CASTILLO
alfonso.castillo@newsday.com
June 25, 2007, 8:58 PM EDT
Renowned pro wrestler Chris Benoit, his wife and their 7-year-old-son, were found dead Monday afternoon in their Fayetville, Ga. home, Atlanta police said.
Police would not give any details on how Benoit, 40, his wife Nancy, and son Daniel died, other than to say they were not shot to death, the Atlanta-Journal Constitution reported Monday. Authorities are investigating the deaths.
The news came just a day after Benoit mysteriously pulled out of a World Wrestling Entertainment pay per view event, during which he was expected to be crowned Extreme Championship Wrestling world champion. Various pro wrestling news sources reported that Benoit was unable to appear at the event due to a family emergency.
“There are no further details at this time, other than the Benoit family residence is currently being investigated by local authorities,” the WWE said in a statement on its Web site.
Benoit was a 22-year ring veteran and perennial favorite of wrestling purists, who praised his high-intensity style and technical acumen. His aggressive wrestling technique earned him the nicknames “The Crippler” and “The Rabid Wolverine.” In 2000 and 2004, he was named Oustanding Wrestler of the Year by the Wrestling Observer newsletter and in 2004 he was named Wrestler of the Year by Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazine.
The Edmonton, Canada native trained to become a wrestler in Calgary, and honed his skills in Japan before becoming a regular on U.S. national promotions in the mid-1990s. Benoit’s career highlight took place in New York, when he won his first World Wrestling Entertainment world heavyweight championship in Madison Square Garden in the main event of WrestleMania XX.
Benoit cried as he celebrated in the ring with his wife and son, as well as best friend, wrestler Eddie Guerrero, who died in 2005.
“Wrestling has consumed my life,” Benoit said in a 2004 WWE career retrospective video. “Wrestling is my mistress. It’s my passion. It defines who I am as a person.”
WWE last night canceled its scheduled live 3-hour “Monday Night RAW” program, which coincidentally was originally billed as a “memorial service” for WWE chairman Vince McMahon, whose character was recently killed off in a controversial scripted storyline.
McMahon opened the show from center ring in an empty arena and clarified that Benoit and his family had died “in reality.” McMahon called Benoit “one of the greatest WWE superstars of all-time.”
Written by admin on June 25th, 2007 with comments disabled.
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