Russian mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Alexander Pisarev was found dead in his apartment earlier this week and his wife is currently hospitalized after eating a poison watermelon, according to a report from Daily Mail.
Pisarev was just 33 years old.
“Alexander Pisarev died in his sleep and did not have any chronic health problems,” a teammate told Russian news agency TASS. “According to preliminary data, his death was the result of food poisoning.”
A salmonella outbreak in Norway was linked to watermelon last August.
Moscow Region Investigative Committee insists a forensic examination is underway. Pisarev last competed for Russian Cagefighting Championship (RCC) in early 2020, falling to bantamweight bruiser Maxim Usoyan by way of first-round submission.
“My brother, my friend, my student! Words cannot express the extent of the loss,” his teammate wrote on social media. “Alexander Pisarev is the standard of friendship, decency and courage of a Russian person. I and we will miss you!!! Rest in peace our brother.”