# Fighter dies in apparent weight-cutting incident.



## AlanS (Mar 18, 2009)

From MMAMania:












> Tragedy has struck mixed martial arts (MMA) in Brazil.
> 
> Nova Uniao fighter Leandro Souza, who was booked to compete in tonight's (Sept. 27, 2013) Shooto 43 event in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, died just prior to weighing in for his flyweight bout against Gabriel Brasil.
> 
> ...


and updated news:



> Earlier today, it was reported that Brazilian flyweight Leandro Souza passed out exiting a sauna on Thursday (Sept. 26, 2013) prior to stepping onto the scale for the Shooto 43 weigh ins in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
> 
> He was taken to a nearby hospital where he was eventually pronounced dead.
> 
> ...


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## AlanS (Mar 18, 2009)

Further developments from BloodyElbow:



> We posted previously on Leandro "Feijao" Souza, the 26-year-old Brazilian fighter who died from a stroke hours before weighing in for his Shooto Brazil 43 bout. Now MMA Fighting's Guilherme Cruz has more:
> 
> ...the fighter's aunt, Elma Caetano, revealed he used Lasix, a diuretic pill, to help him make weight for the flyweight bout against Gabriel Brasil (1-1).
> 
> ...


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## SanshouMatt (Jul 1, 2008)

Apparently he died of a stroke. No idea if the weight cut contributed but it probably did. Lets face it weight cuts have been killing bodybuilders for years.


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## chubbman (Feb 10, 2013)

this is a terrible shame. im not a fan of weight cutting at all. I can understand cutting 5lbs if you walk around at 160 to make lightweight but the likes of healy, maynard and tibau are taking the piss. its clearly dangerous and tbh if you feel you need to cut 15-20lbs in order to have a size advantage then your a pussy. cutting a large amount of weight is the same as roiding in my opinion.


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## bonecrusher (Aug 28, 2007)

Sad news and I don't think anyone in reality should be losing more than a stone for a fight. It does my head in when people kill themselves to make a weight them come in mAssive for the fight. It's wrong. Unfair etc


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## Natasha (May 21, 2013)

It's a shame that this was allowed to happen. I personally don't like the idea of weight cutting, yeah cut a bit of weight because you're not going to be walking around at your fighting weight but to cut 33 pounds is ridiculous.


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## SanshouMatt (Jul 1, 2008)

In wrestling in the USA they have banned losing more than I think 5lbs for a fight, they weigh competitors weeks out and keep weighing them to make sure they are consistent at weight.

the whole weight cut thing is crazy, what he was on Lasix, is completely crazy, you piss like a racehorse & sweat like a rapist. From what i heard he essentially overdosed on Lasix and his body couldnt retain fluid which ultimately ****s with your respiratory system.. Nova Uniao have had a pretty crappy response to this and have just said "he took too much" and that is pretty awful. They don't really seem to care that a guy under their charge died (and lets face it under their advice) probably thinking that with Barao and Penn traiing there that this is a small story for them.

But hey, it's not a new story, Lasix, Edecrine, Demedex have all been killing bodybuilders who are trying to look dry for years and nothign has been done and no, you can't find these things by using drug tests so the only way you stamp it out is follow wrestling's lead.


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## Natasha (May 21, 2013)

That sounds a much better system for weighing guys, it will definately stop a lot of people causing themself serious harm.


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## AlanS (Mar 18, 2009)

Another hazard of accepting late-notice fights, for the love of god make sure you can *safely* make the weight or don't accept the fight.


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## SanshouMatt (Jul 1, 2008)

Being at a stable weight is the only answer, even BJJ tourneys are pretty good at weighing guys well in advance, it's not usually official but they like to know that amateurs are not trying stupid things to make weight classes for stupid reasons.

Lasix is no joke, I have no idea how people who take it in bodybuilding do not have serious lasting kidney damage.


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## AlanS (Mar 18, 2009)

It doesn't help when fighters hear of other fighters dropping ridiculous weight in a short time, then are able to pile it on for fight night. Tibau drops 30lbs in weight during fight week, then adds adds 25lbs on by fight night, Johnny Hendricks drops from 205 to 170, Jake Shields dropped 20lbs in 24hrs for his fight with Martin Kampmann.

It's not a good message, it's not a safe message for sure.

The Mike Dolce's of the MMA world aren't helping matters either with such big promises of good results.


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## SanshouMatt (Jul 1, 2008)

Dolce is full of it, the Dolce diet, yeah, works fine if you are willing to take a crapload of horrible things to get your weight down on fight day. He's one of the worst offenders in the sport (allegedly). You ever hear Mike Kogan talk about Dolce? Not a fan...


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