UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor released a statement on Tuesday regarding the death of Joao Carvalho, who died on Monday following a welterweight bout with Charlie Ward in Dublin on Saturday.
The Notorious took to Facebook to express his condolences, as well as highlight what a bitter loss this is for MMA fans and fighters across the globe:
Carvalho was taken to the hospital after he suffered a third-round TKO loss against Ward, with McGregor sitting ringside to watch his Irish team-mate. After the fight, he told MMA Connect TV (via BJPenn.com) he believed the bout should have been stopped sooner, before the extent of Carvalho’s injuries became clear.
Per MMAjunkie, citing a Total Extreme Fighting statement, medical personnel checked on Carvalho between each round, but even after three rounds of devastating combat, he said he didn’t feel any pain or have a headache, although he did feel tired.
The Portuguese welterweight had emergency brain surgery on Saturday, per MMAjunkie, before dying on Monday.
A host of other MMA fighters and personalities have also expressed their condolences, including John Kavanagh, who trains both Ward and McGregor at Straight Blast Gym:
Ward’s father also extended his sympathies and told Joe Duffy on RTE’s Liveline (h/t the Irish Mirror‘s Claire Healy) his son was devastated.
While McGregor pointed at the positive impact the sport has had on millions in his statement, Carvalho’s death will undoubtedly lead to renewed discussions about the dangers of MMA.
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