How many people have died in Mixed Martial Arts after Joao Carvalho death in Dublin?
17:05, 12 APR 2016 UPDATED 18:19, 12 APR 2016
BY COLIN BRENNAN
Carvalho, nicknamed 'The Mongrel', tragically passed away after injuries sustained during his loss to Charlie Ward
Facebook/Nóbrega team Joao Carvalho before his fight in Dublin
Mixed Martial Arts is undoubtedly a violent sport and has drawn much criticism in recent years as its popularity has grown.
Its defenders have claimed that the sport itself isn't dangerous, but in the wake of Joao Carvalho's shocking death last night, we decided to look at the figures.
At least 13 martial arts fighters and kickboxers have died either competing in MMA fights or getting ready for them since 2007.
April 2016: Joao Carvalho, nicknamed 'The Mongrel', has become the sport's latest fatality after he tragically passed away following injuries sustained during his loss to Charlie Ward on Saturday.
The Portuguese fighter complained that he was feeling ill after losing by TKO at the National Stadium in Dublin and was taken to Beaumont Hospital, where he passed away on Monday night.
Speaking before Carvalho's passing, Ward's stable-mate McGregor hinted that he felt the fight should have been ended sooner.
"My teammate Charlie had a good win just there. Hell of a fight," the Irishman said.
"Your man took some big shots. Thought it could have been stopped a little earlier.
McGregor says the Carvalho bout 'could have been stopped earlier'
"I feel these referees need to be on the ball a little bit."
McGregor did, however, pay tribute to the medical staff at the scene: “To see the way it’s all progressed, the regulations and everything, all the medical staff and everything. It’s proper now. To see this is great.”
YouTube/IPC MMA Joao Carvalho
March 2014: Dennis Munson Jr. collapsed and died after his first kickboxing fight at the Eagles Club in Milwaukee.
His autopsy revealed his brain was damaged which led to organ failure.
March 2014: Mixed martial arts fighter Booto Guylain died in South Africa.
It came after complications which occurred after a head injury inflicted during the fight.
September 2013: Brazilian Leandro Souza of Brazil died just before a weigh-in.
He died in a sauna as he tried to cut 33 pounds in a week.
April 2013: Felix Elochukwu Nchikwo died in Port Huron, Michigan, in an unregulated bout.
Nchikwo had a cardiac arrhythmic disorder which resulted in his sudden death.
August 2012: Tyrone Mimms died after a regulated fight in South Carolina.
His autopsy results were inconclusive.
May 2012: Dustin Jenson died after a fight in South Dakota. He watched the fights after his own before getting a seizure.
He died of a hemorrhage resulting from trauma to the head, related to an injury he got a week before.
April 2012: Mike Mittelmeier died in Bolivia in a fight.
December 2011: Salvador Flamenco died in Vancouver, Washington from head injuries that he got while training there.
August 2011: British Mark Fowler died in Sydney, Australia.
Mark collapsed after five rounds and didn't regain consciousness before dying of head injuries.
July 2010: Kickboxer Adrienne Simmons died after she was knocked out in a three-round fight in Orlando, Florida.
June 2010: Michael Kirkham died after an MMA fight in South Carolina.
The cause of death was hemorrhage of the brain.
October 2007: Mixed martial arts fighter Sam Vasquez was knocked out in the third round of his fight in Heuston, America.
He later died of a hemorrhage due to blunt trauma of the head.