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[gezushe77]

Thursday, February 21, 2008
by Andy Cotterill (acotterill@sherdog.com)

A young Canadian mixed martial artist died after a light sparring session Tuesday evening in Stratford, Prince Edward Island.

20, a member of Team Bueno based out of the Largo Fitness Centre, was preparing for his second MMA fight, scheduled for Extreme Cage Combat in Halifax on March 15.

Team Bueno spokesman Mike Gallant told Sherdog.com that Ayangma was doing light sparring with hands only, no kicking or groundwork, when at the end of a round he went down on one knee. Four to five seconds later he fell forward unconscious and not breathing.

At first teammates thought Ayangma was joking, but then they rushed to him when he fell. Gallant said a teammate certified in CPR immediately began first aid and an ambulance was called.

The ambulance arrived within minutes, and Ayangma was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after.

Prince Edward Island's chief coroner is investigating the death. An autopsy was scheduled for Wednesday, and Gallant said that they hope to have preliminary results in the next day or so.

In addition to being a professional mixed martial artist, Ayangma was also a biology student at the University of Prince Edward Island. He was considering going to medical school to become a doctor of sports medicine.

Sherdog.com photographer Graham Driscoll trained with Ayangma as recently as last Saturday. Driscoll said Ayangma would sometimes run 10 kilometers to the gym to train, then run home afterward. He described the fighter as in amazing physical condition. Gallant agreed with the assessment.

For several years Ayangma also played on the UPEI Panthers soccer team. He had a complete physical just prior to his MMA debut on Dec. 15.

Gallant said he doesn't believe for a moment that Ayangma was taking any kind of performance-enhancing drug. The spokesman noted that Team Bueno trainer Manny Bueno is vehemently against not only steroids but also sports supplements and even energy drinks.

This sucks!! Rene Ayangma RIP

[Gurry]

wow, i really feel bad for this kid, he seems like he had the world ahead of him and it really sux man, this is sad

Rip Rene Ayangma, and i hope his freinds, coaches, family and training partners have the strength to deal with this.

[baba]

Very sad. I'm baffled how a 20 year old kid in phenomonal shape, who doesn't mess with performance enhancing drugs, just suddenly dies.

And no .... I'm not insinuating anything, I mean I really am baffled.

[cpac77]

Wow, I am sad to hear. My best thoughts and prayers go out to him and his loved ones. This is yet another reminder that when our time comes, no matter how great of shape we are in or how good of people we are, it just comes. Enjoy the time you have here, you never really know when it's time to move on to the next plane.

[maxp84z]

This is just a freak occurence... we can all die just like that.... remember this kiddos... life is precious.

[Paytheplayer]

This really sucks man. I heard about it on the news the other day. Bad week for Canadian sports. The captain of my hometown Windsor Spitfires died this week at 19, same type of deal. Young athelete dies and nobody has a clue why. RIP Rene Ayangma and Mickey Renaud

[atj-lucko]

Probably had a heart problem like that Celtic player years back, this happens all the time every year you hear of some high school or college student dying while working out..

[perc10]

My buddy died like that,just said I dont feel good and dropped,it was a blood clot in the heart,maybe that happened here

[Bigshanks666]

R.I.P.

[CJRockstar]

They will find out for sure after the autopsy. I hope it ends up being something unrelated to his training because somebody who knows nothing about MMA (state senator or something) is going to call it an outrage and blame it all on MMA.

It's sad to see people barely having lived yet go down unsuspectingly.

R I P my condolences to the family and friends of Rene.