People are still wrapping their heads around what a gigantic mess the Kimbo Slice vs. Dada 5000 fight was this past weekend at Bellator 149. It was obvious that neither fighter was prepared for things to go three rounds, and in the end Dada5000 staggered into the corner of the cage and collapsed, not from strikes, but due to exhaustion. He was stretchered out and taken to the hospital, where renal failure and heart stoppage almost killed him.
Yes, he almost died. A statement from his family said it was due to heightened potassium in his blood due to an obviously botched weight cut down to the 265-pound heavyweight limit. This should not be happening in North American mixed martial arts. And Joe Rogan agrees. Here he is talking about it on his latest Fight Companion podcast (via MMA Fighting):
“Yea, his heart stopped. It was filled with cheeseburgers and fried chicken and orange soda. He didn’t train. There was no way he trained. I mean, he might have trained for a couple of days. You should have lost 40 pounds before. It’s not like you didn’t know you were going to do this.”
…
“How about Kimbo? What the f**k was going on with him? That wasn’t even amateur hour. Really? If it was an amateur fight you’d be champing at the bit to fight those guys. ‘I hope they’re in my bracket.’
…
“I don’t think [Bellator] thought that was going to be as bad as it was,” Rogan said of the bout. “I don’t think anybody would have anticipated those guys would have gassed like that. That was the worst gassing in the history of gassing. Dada just didn’t have enough gas. I kind of get that he wants to fight legitimately and he’s got to take that paycheck, but I just wish he had a real strength and conditioning coach or trainer. But we’re here talking about him. He got that. He made some money.”
He also almost died. And unless he had some really good insurance that doesn’t consider cagefighting outside the scope of coverage, all that money is probably going to the hospital that kept him alive.
These are harsh words, but Joe ain’t wrong. Bellator can’t keep doing these kinds of fights, especially after seeing one of their freakshow fighters almost die. If there is anything that should wake people up to the idea that MMA isn’t a venue for internet celebrities to settle disputes, it’s this fight.
