04/10/08

By Justin Bolduc

Vasquez’ Death Confirmed – Result of MMA Competition

On October 20, 2007 Samuel Vasquez fought on a Renegades Extreme Fighting card against Vince Libardi. Over a month later, on November 30 Vasquez passed away – at the age of 35.

Outside of a fatality in an unsanctioned bout ten years ago, Vasquez is the first death in the history of regulated MMA.

As reported by the Houston Chronicle, Vasquez’ death was classified as accidental, and the cause of death was stated as “complications of blunt trauma to the head with subdural hemorrhage,” by the Harris County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Until further investigation is done it is unknown whether a single blow could have been enough, or if it may have resulted from a series of blows.

Following his admission to the hospital following the fight, Vasquez soon suffered a stroke which required several emergency surgeries to relieve pressure and ease problems. Despite efforts Vasquez succumbed to his injuries and passed away, survived by his wife and son.

In the case of Douglas Dedge, who died in an unregulated fight in Ukraine in 1998, circumstances may have led to the fatality. Unsubstantiated reports state that Dedge entered the fight with a heart condition, while others which cite friends and training partners hint at a possible pre-existing head injury, including a skull fracture. With unknown elements it is hard to say whether Dedge should not have competed, or if his death was a result of similar circumstances to Vasquez’, but it shows just how important regulation is.

Fatalities in Sports:

*Between 1931 and 2006 the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research listed 1,002 deaths in organized American football (professional, college, high school, etc) as a direct result of the sport, while 674 fatalities occurred indirectly. The deaths directly attributable to organized American football average 13.36 per year for the 75 year span covered. However it is notable that the trend has fallen, with only one direct death accounted for in all of 2006. Injuries in football are common and include concussions, fractured bones, ligament and tendon damage, and in extreme circumstances paralysis.

*While brain injuries in boxing through repeated blunt force trauma are a risk and a real problem, injuries in the sport of hand-to-hand combat also include concussions and facial fractures (including the nose, jaw, and cheekbones). Since 1980 well over 200 amateur (including “Toughman” fighters) and professional boxers have died as a result of injuries sustained while training or competing. Over a 28-year span that averages more than seven boxing-related deaths per year (including training).

*In mixed martial arts only two fatalities are known, with Dedge’s death in March of 1998 and Vasquez’ death in November 2007. Only taking the nine-years between each fighter’s death, the two only average at 0.22 deaths per year as a result of mixed martial arts. This does not include known deaths in training (which, additionally were not a result combat). Injuries in mixed martial arts are common however, including fractures (including, but not limited to fractured hands, noses, jaws, cheekbones, and feet), tendon and ligament damage, concussions, and lacerations.

*In Formula One racing, between the years of 1954 and 1994, 27 drivers had died following a crash during a race, private practice, or qualifying session. The average death per year for a Formula One racer is 0.54. In Nascar’s Winston Cup, Nextel Cup, and Sprint Cup series a total of 13 drivers have died since 1971, averaging 0.46 deaths per year. The fatalities occurred during private practices, races, and qualifying sessions. Injuries as a result of a crash can include paralysis, concussions, fractures, ligament and tendon damage, as well as coma.

Above is just a small amount of information showing the dangers athletes face. In Americanized football, players are constantly colliding with each other with impacts equivalent to crashing a car into a brick wall, or falling 35 feet onto the pavement. Race car drivers, driving at speeds of 200 MPH, are in serious danger when they collide with a barricade, such as a concrete wall. Then in combat sports, where the purpose is to defeat your opponent in battle, serious injury and death are a constant concern. While mixed martial arts is blessed with a fairly clean record it is still not immune to dangers, such as brain trauma.

All in all, however, with the vast amount of competitors and the low rate of serious, life threatening, and fatal injuries in mixed martial arts, the sport is relatively safe. Injuries such as MCL tears and concussions are even more common in sports such as hockey and American football, but even in those realms with more athletes the numbers aren’t too bad. While some may claim that Vasquez’ death is proof that MMA should be outlawed, it is truly just a case of the inevitable becoming reality, unfortunately.