A British female MMA fighter has died after suffering a fatal brain injury during a fight last weekend, according to press reports.
Saeideh – known as Sai – Aletaha, 26, collapsed during the bout at Central Hall in the Southern British port of Southampton on Saturday night and was taken to the hospital in a life-threatening condition but died the next day.
Hampshire Police said inquiries into exactly what happened are ongoing, while tributes to Sai, a British-Iranian university student, have been paid online.
A post on the Facebook page for Southampton’s Lookborai gym – where Sai was a member – said: ‘Following the show Saturday we regret to announce that one of our teammates unfortunately suffered an injury leaving her in a critical condition that she tragically will not recover from.
The lightweight MMA fighter, described by friends as a ‘beautiful soul’, was taking part in the Fast & Furious Fight series organised by Lookborai and Exile Gym, which had doctors and paramedics at ringside.
A post on the Fast and Furious Fight event’s Facebook page said: ‘All competitors get in prepared that they may be injured and this is something not expected to happen 99.9% of the time.
