MMA fighter Isaac Johnson, 31, tragically died after collapsing during his match against Mario Aleksandrovski at the Matador Fighter Challenge at Cicero Stadium in Chicago on Friday, November 21.
Johnson suffered an injury in the third and final round of the Thai boxing match—his first ever—before collapsing. An ambulance was called at 8:38 p.m. local time to take the injured fighter to the hospital.
He was pronounced dead at 12:01 a.m. at the Loyola University Medical Center, as reported by NBC 5 Chicago and Fox 5 Washington, D.C.
An autopsy has been scheduled by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office (CCMEO) to determine the cause and manner of death, People reported.
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Joe Goytia, through the Matador Fighter Challenge, promoted the event.
The website for the challenge described it as an “action-packed showdown” that “brings you the ultimate MMA and Thai event, where local warriors will battle it out in high-stakes, high-intensity matches.”
Goytia told Fox 5 Washington, D.C. that Johnson had passed the physical examination required by the state before his match.
The promoter also told The Athletic, “I’m still processing this. I just don’t know. I never in a thousand years (thought) this would have happened.”
Goytia described the fight as a “slugfest,” noting that although both fighters landed many powerful blows, most failed to connect. The promoter also mentioned that both men appeared visibly fatigued at points, even falling simultaneously earlier in the match. Other than this, Goytia did not observe anything out of the ordinary.
“I really didn’t see them land anything that would have been like ‘Wow, that’s what did it,’” Goytia said.
Doctors immediately entered the cage to treat Johnson after he collapsed during the third round. According to Goytia, he was still alive when paramedics transported him from the arena. The remaining fights were paused for 30 minutes, but the event continued following Johnson’s departure.
“In the back of your mind, you know this is a tough sport, you know injuries do happen in sports. But you never think this would happen,” Goytia remarked. “I know all the protocols were followed correctly, but in this case, it didn’t work.”
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Goytia wrote on Facebook after Johnson’s death, “This is a post I hoped to never make. Last night, one of the fighters in our event, Isaac Johnson, collapsed towards the end of his fight. Medical attention was given by medical staff on hand and he was transported to hospital. I was then informed at around 1:30 a.m. this morning that he didn’t make it.”
“I don’t have the words to express how I feel right now, all I can say is my deepest condolences to his family, friends, and teammates. We will know more as the medical report is released,” he added.
The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulations (IDFPR) is currently investigating the incident.
A spokesperson for the agency conveyed their sympathy in a statement, saying, “The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation offers their sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of Mr. Johnson.”
The spokesperson added that the agency “is aware of the events and will be thoroughly reviewing the circumstances surrounding Mr. Johnson’s passing after his amateur Muay Thai bout at Cicero Stadium.”
Johnson was a married man with a young daughter, as reported by Fox 5 Washington, D.C.
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