MMA Fighter Dies in South Carolina

by Zak Woods

Horrible news:


Michael Kirkham died early Monday following his professional MMA debut this past Saturday on a pro and amateur card in Aiken, S.C.

Kirkham, a lightweight nicknamed "Tree" for towering at 6-feet-9, was 30.


Kirkham competed on a Dash Entertainment and King MMA co-promoted "Confrontation at the Convocation Center" event at the USC Aiken Convocation Center, a card regulated by the South Carolina Athletic Commission.


"Obviously our thoughts and prayers are with his family, other than that I have no comment," Sam King, a promoter of Saturday's card, told MMAFighting.com.


WRDW in Augusta first reported that Kirkham was transported to Aiken Regional Medical Center from the venue following the fight and was pronounced dead of a brain hemorrhage Monday morning.


An autopsy is scheduled for today.


This is the second time a fighter has died in the U.S. following a state sanctioned MMA bout.


For those looking at cold hearted politics, the death came at an inopportune moment as it will provide rhetorical ammunition for opponents of MMA regulation in New York and give pause to less dedicated proponents.


Mike Russell points out that this shouldn't be used as an excuse to deregulate:


So then, how can this terrible tragedy help bolster the case for sanctioning?


There are two ways:



1. Both UFC president Dana White and vice president of regulatory affairs, Marc Ratner have stated on several occasions, that besides having a universal set of rules used worldwide to govern the sport of MMA, their goal has always been to help implement across-the-board pre-fight medical testing requirements like the ones enforced by governing bodies like the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) and the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board. Better requisite testing procedures would greatly lessen the chances of a fighter with a pre-existing condition slipping through the cracks.



2. By not sanctioning the sport, the respective jurisdictions that are against regulation would effectively wash its hands of responsibility, pushing the sport in those states and provinces to the underground or native reservations where an incident like Kirkham's will undoubtedly rear its ugly head again.



South Carolina doesn't require pre-fight CAT scans or MRI's for professional fighters like most commissions.



Obviously, we here at WKR agree with Russel but it's necessary to point out that societies often don't regulate activities when they see no benefit and only harm. Prohibition's on drugs is a classic example.