Kimbo Slice Dead At 42: Did MMA Fighter Have A Heart Attack?
Kimbo Slice has died. The 42-year-old MMA fighter’s cause of death is believed to be a heart attack.
In a recent report by Hollywood Life, the publication called upon Dr. Nina Radcliff to speculate what could have led to the demise of the fighter at such a young age. To start, Dr. Radcliff explains that heart failure is “when the muscles of the heart are damaged.” She said that there is a multitude of factors that can cause a heart attack, including chemotherapy, cocaine, and high blood pressure, which are generally the three major culprits.
BREAKING: MMA fighter Kimbo Slice has died at age 42. Slice was hospitalized today for undisclosed reasons. pic.twitter.com/fvOLWibJLs
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 7, 2016
Kimbo Slice’s death, which was reportedly caused by heart failure, isn’t necessarily a new phenomenon in the world of MMA. Fighter Kevin Randleman, who was a former UFC Champion, died of heart failure at the age of 44 several months ago.
Kimbo Slice, whose real name is Kevin Ferguson, was rushed to the hospital on June 6 from his home in Coral Springs, Florida. The MMA fighter was briefly hospitalized on Monday in Margate, Florida, before his death was announced early Tuesday morning, explained ESPN. Shortly after his passing, Kimbo Slice’s trainer, Tyler Cook, wrote in a series of Facebook posts that the MMA fighter’s “heart quit” on him suddenly.
The death of Kimbo Slice is a tragic loss. The fighter was planning on making a comeback; his final fight took place in February at Bellator 149, in which he defeated his opponent, Dada 5000. Kimbo Slice sent Dada 5000 straight to the hospital after knocking him out. Shortly after, the win was overturned when it was discovered that Slice tested positive for using a banned steroid.
Despite Kimbo Slice’s previous use of steroids, the deceased MMA fighter will not receive autopsy testing for potential steroids and drug use, the medical examiner’s office told TMZ. The medical examiner chief also told the online publication that they felt that “no medicolegal investigation, including toxicology” was necessary in the case of Kimbo Slice’s death.
Kimbo Slice’s death still has many unanswered questions. Although the coroner has chosen not to conduct an autopsy, it doesn’t mean his family cannot investigate the cause of death on their own. The MMA fighter’s relatives have the choice of paying for a private examination if they decide to take that route. According to TMZ, it still remains unclear whether or not the family will request an autopsy of the beloved MMA fighter.
Although Kimbo Slice has passed away, he had a long and fulfilling career. Originally, the MMA fighter was a bodyguard for porn stars and had a reputation for getting into brawls, according to Yahoo Sports. Kimbo Slice rose to fame in the YouTube age, gaining exposure for his street fights against opponents such as AstroPuff, Big Mac, and Dreads. He acquired his last name as a fighter after punching his opponent in a street fight and causing them to have their eye sliced open.
The MMA fighter continued to take the world by storm, setting records in his sport. Kimbo Slice appeared in the first ever main MMA fight to be broadcasted on network television. He fought and defeated James Thompson on May 31, 2008, on the CBS broadcast, reported Yahoo Sports.
Eight years ago, Kimbo Slice graced the cover of ESPN the Magazine. pic.twitter.com/yJTIXMV69e
— ESPN (@espn) June 7, 2016
Kimbo Slice’s death struck a personal chord for many. Despite his rough and tough demeanor on television, Slice was known to be an outgoing and friendly person by the MMA community and his relatives. Friend and fighter Colby Covington said Kimbo Slice was “a true warrior and a really nice guy,” according to Hollywood Life.
Kimbo Slice is survived by his long-time girlfriend and six children.
[Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images]
