Douglas Dedge
Encyclopedia
Douglas Dedge was an American
mixed martial artist
who was the first known American competitor to be fatally injured in an MMA fight and the first death in the modern era of professional MMA.
, Ukraine on March 16, 1998 against Yevgeni Zolotarev. Dedge attempted a takedown but was mounted
and took over 15 punches to the head before tapping out. He stood up after the fight but almost immediately collapsed and died two days later from severe brain injuries at the Kiev Institute of Neurosurgery. Friends later said they witnessed Dedge black out during training for the fight.
The limited-rules event was billed as a "Ukraine Against the World" contest and drew about 4,000 spectators. To field the opposition, labeled the "World Team," promoters circulated invitations on the Internet that guaranteed potential competitors travel and stay expenses, as well as $2,000 for fighting and an additional $3,000 to win. Dedge was one of three American fighters on the show.
In the immediate aftermath of Dedge's death, Ultimate Fighting Championship
co-founder Art Davie
, who had been fired by the organization at the end of 1997, wrote a letter to UFC owner Bob Meyrowitz (also sent to MMA opponent Senator John McCain
) asking him to "reconsider" the promotion of MMA in light of the Dedge incident. Davie had just become affiliated with kickboxing promotion K-1
and became vice-president of K-1 USA. Dave Meltzer
in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter commented that Davie's motives for writing the letter "can and will be questioned greatly." Meyrowitz, speaking for the UFC, said the death was "an example of why we have been asking for regulation of this sport by athletic commissions in the U.S. as well as internationally."
The german industrial project KiEw
used samples from a report about his death in their song Blutrausch zum Feierabend (bloodlust at leisure-time).
, and had founded an MMA school in Enterprise, Alabama
. He was married and had five children.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
mixed martial artist
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
who was the first known American competitor to be fatally injured in an MMA fight and the first death in the modern era of professional MMA.
Death
The fatal bout occurred at the International Super Challenge in KievKiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, Ukraine on March 16, 1998 against Yevgeni Zolotarev. Dedge attempted a takedown but was mounted
Mount (grappling)
The mount, or mounted position, is a dominant ground grappling position, where one combatant sits on the other combatants torso with the face pointing towards the opponent's head. This is very favourable for the top combatant in several ways...
and took over 15 punches to the head before tapping out. He stood up after the fight but almost immediately collapsed and died two days later from severe brain injuries at the Kiev Institute of Neurosurgery. Friends later said they witnessed Dedge black out during training for the fight.
The limited-rules event was billed as a "Ukraine Against the World" contest and drew about 4,000 spectators. To field the opposition, labeled the "World Team," promoters circulated invitations on the Internet that guaranteed potential competitors travel and stay expenses, as well as $2,000 for fighting and an additional $3,000 to win. Dedge was one of three American fighters on the show.
In the immediate aftermath of Dedge's death, Ultimate Fighting Championship
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
co-founder Art Davie
Art Davie
Art Davie is a business executive and entrepreneur formerly active in Southern California advertising circles. In 1993, he created and co-produced the tournament which became the televised Ultimate Fighting Championship. In 1998, Davie, as vice-president of K-1 USA, brought the successful K-1...
, who had been fired by the organization at the end of 1997, wrote a letter to UFC owner Bob Meyrowitz (also sent to MMA opponent Senator John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
) asking him to "reconsider" the promotion of MMA in light of the Dedge incident. Davie had just become affiliated with kickboxing promotion K-1
K-1
K-1 is a defunct world-wide kickboxing promotion based in Tokyo, Japan founded by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a formerKyokushin karate practitioner. K-1 combines stand up techniques from Muay Thai, Karate, Taekwondo, Savate, San Shou, kickboxing, western-style boxing, and other martial arts...
and became vice-president of K-1 USA. Dave Meltzer
Dave Meltzer
David A. Meltzer is the editor of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter . Sports Illustrated senior writer Frank Deford has praised Meltzer's work, saying that "Meltzer, I believe, is the most accomplished reporter in sports journalism." Meltzer has written for the Oakland Tribune, the Los Angeles...
in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter commented that Davie's motives for writing the letter "can and will be questioned greatly." Meyrowitz, speaking for the UFC, said the death was "an example of why we have been asking for regulation of this sport by athletic commissions in the U.S. as well as internationally."
The german industrial project KiEw
KiEw (band)
KiEw is a German electro-industrial project from Lüneburg in Lower Saxony/Germany founded in late 1990 by Andreas "Thedi" Thedens in order to make music inspired by Thedis lyrics, that made him a local hero of Lüneburg underground culture.- History :...
used samples from a report about his death in their song Blutrausch zum Feierabend (bloodlust at leisure-time).
Personal life
Dedge was from Chipley, FloridaChipley, Florida
Chipley is a city in Washington County, Florida, United States. Its population was 3,592 at the time of the 2000 U.S. Census. According to the United States Census Bureau estimates of 2005, the city had a population of about 3,682...
, and had founded an MMA school in Enterprise, Alabama
Enterprise, Alabama
Enterprise is a city in the southeastern part of Coffee and Dale Counties in the southeastern part of Alabama in the Southern United States. The population was estimated to be 25,909 in the year 2009....
. He was married and had five children.
See also
- Sam VasquezSam VasquezMixed martial arts in the United States was sanctioned under Unified Rules in the states of New Jersey and Nevada in 2001. By 2011, 45 US states had sanctioned the sport....
, the first MMA fighter to die from injuries sustained in a sanctioned bout in North America (2007)