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[Ubermensch]

Houston fighter dies from injuries suffered in bout

By STEVE SIEVERT
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle


Houston mixed martial artist Sam Vasquez died Friday, more than five weeks after he was critically injured in a bout.

He was 35.

Vasquez is the first mixed martial arts fighter to die after suffering injuries in a sanctioned bout. American Doug Dedge died in 1998 after being knocked out in an unregulated fight in the Ukraine.

Vasquez was hospitalized after being knocked out in the third round of a fight against Vince Libardi of San Antonio at the Renegades Extreme Fighting show Oct. 20 at Toyota Center. He lost consciousness and suffered a seizure immediately following the knockout. Vasquez had been in intensive care at St. Joseph Medical Center in Houston before being transferred to a local hospice last Monday.

The Harris County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed Vasquez's death. The cause of death is still to be determined.

"It's a terrible thing; a rare thing," said Lewis Wood, who assisted with preparations for the fight but was not Vasquez's primary trainer. "Obviously, injuries are common, but no one ever expects anything like this to happen. He was the nicest guy in the world. This is a hard one for everyone who knew him."

While hospitalized, Vasquez suffered a massive stroke. According to comments posted by Vasquez's wife, Sandra, to a forum on www.txmma.com, Vasquez was in a medically induced coma and had undergone two surgeries to remove blood clots in his brain. As with all combat-sports bouts sanctioned by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, Vasquez was required to be medically cleared to fight.

Renegades promoter Saul Soliz has been staging professional and amateur shows in Texas since 2000. He had the necessary license from the TDLR to stage the event. Calls to Soliz were not returned.

Vasquez is survived by his wife and a son.

Well This isn't good

[notrightn0w]

Great, a non-MMA source covering it. Get ready for the backlash.


What makes tis is even worse is something similar happened to Sean Salmon a few weeks ago to, and he actually fought in the UFC at one point, so that's worse.

[Gurry]

at a point where i feel like public interest is slowly decreasing, something like this wont help mma.

However, that being said, i think everybody needs to stop these comments and think about how the vasquez family feels. RIP sammy vasquez, i hope his family, freinds and training partners have the strength to deal with this. Also i wish his opponent has the power to overcome this and not be afraid to pull punches in his next fight.

[Dork8503]

Vasquez's doctor said this occurrence is rare. Also, notably, the first clot was not a result of the initial injury Vasquez suffered, said his wife, Sandra.

That right there to me means his death was not caused by the fight. It was just tragic this happen after the fight because people are going to assume that the fight killed him. An from the sounds of it, the fight was not the cause

[Noise Chopped]

So unfortunate. I read the title, and for sure had thought...I had missed something. Because I'd read that he'd been released from the hospital a couple of days earlier, but wondered why he hadn't...Made a statement or something? About his recovery; but now it's pretty clear.

Very tragic, and unfortunate. Thoughts go out to his friends and family.

[speranman]

Entire article with video at:
http://blogs.chron.com/fighting/2007...respond_1.html

Both the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, which regulates combat sports in the state, and Renegades Extreme Fighting owner Saul Soliz, who promoted the event, have responded.

Following the fight, the TDLR conducted a comprehensive review of the management of the event, including pre-fight requirements, activity during the bout, as well as the response of emergency medical personnel after Vasquez was knocked out in the bout's third and final round. The evaluation also included a review of the fight video and interviews with TDLR on-site staff, the referee, and attending medical staff.

"From the pre-fight review conducted by the referee, to the actions of the physician on duty and the emergency medical technicians, everyone involved with the October 20 card conducted themselves accordingly and adhered to all procedures," said Bill Kuntz, TDLR executive director.

Some in attendance at the event questioned the time it took for emergency medical personnel to come to Vasquez's aid. However, Soliz, who has staged more than 40 mixed martial arts events and 400 matches in and around Texas with no previous serious injuries, disputes reports that the medical response was inadequate or that EMTs took up to eight minutes to administer care.

"The doctor (Jorge Guerrero) was on top of the situation immediately," Soliz told Brawl Sports. "He is one of the most experienced, best doctors in the country and has been the ringside doctor for hundreds of fights. The EMTs responded immediately ... eight minutes is longer than it took them to respond."

Soliz - a longtime mixed martial arts trainer, advisor and owner of Houston's Metro Fight Club - added that, to his knowledge, there were "no issues" with Vasquez's health prior to the fight and that Guerrero conducted Vasquez's pre-fight medical exam and pronounced him fit to compete.

"This is an anomaly, a very tragic anomaly," said Soliz, who trained Vasquez for three years and was at the family's side throughout the fighter's battle for life. "There are inherent risks in every sport, and MMA is no different. Deaths happen in every sport and it's a tragedy whenever they happen. Sam was a great guy, a great competitor and a great person."

Soliz plans to - in his words - "take a step back" and take a break from training fighters - partly out of respect for the Vasquez family, partly to recover emotionally from what has certainly been the most trying time of his affiliation with the sport.

"It's time to let Sam's family heal," he said. "My prayers are with them."

Soliz plans to start a foundation for the Vasquez family, which would also benefit other injured fighters.

[Gmunit]

RIP