João_Carvalho_(fighter)
João Carvalho (1988 – 11 April 2016) was a Portuguese mixed martial arts fighter under the Total Extreme Fighting promotion.[1] He represented Portuguese club Team Nobrega as a welterweight fighter.
Shortly after being beaten by technical knockout in a fight on 9 April 2016 against Charlie Ward (who went on to fight in the UFC following the fight), Carvalho began to feel ill. He was taken to Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, where he underwent emergency brain surgery. He died in the hospital's intensive care unit on 11 April 2016.[2]
The death of Carvalho aroused rage and an explosion of debate and criticism. Ward's father and the MMA community shared the sentiment that the fight should have been stopped much earlier.[3] The referee who was in charge of the fight, Mariusz Domasat, defended his decision and said "If you watch the fight you see clearly there was no reason to stop the fight earlier. I stopped the fight when there was a reason to stop the fight, when the fighter wasn't willing to fight anymore, that's it. Everyone who has any idea about MMA knows the fight was stopped at the exact proper time. I am an experienced referee and part of the Irish Amateur Pankration Association[4][5]... and I know what I am doing."[6][7] Subsequently, Ireland Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Michael Ring, spoke of his long concern for the safety aspect of the sport. He had written to 17 MMA promoters in Ireland that he expected MMA should adhere to the same safety standards that apply in other sports.[8]
| 3 matches | 1 win | 2 losses |
| By knockout | 1 | 2 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1–2 | Charlie Ward | TKO (punches) | Total Extreme Fighting 1 | 9 April 2016 | 3 | N/A | Dublin, Ireland | |
| Win | 1–1 | Hugo Peixoto | TKO (punches) | International Pro Combat 8 | 16 November 2015 | 1 | 4:59 | Lisbon, Portugal | |
| Loss | 0–1 | Arlindo Prates | TKO (doctor stoppage) | International Pro Combat 7 | 27 April 2015 | 1 | 5:00 | Lisbon, Portugal |
- Mewis, Joe (12 April 2016). "Joao Carvalho dead: MMA fighter passes away after sustaining injuries in Dublin bout". mirror.co.uk. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
- "MMA fighter Joao Carvalho dies from head injuries". CNN. 12 April 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
- Blaustein, Michael (13 April 2016). "Don't blame by [sic] son for death of MMA opponent". Retrieved 27 January 2018.
- "IMMAF Welcomes the Irish Amateur Pankration Association". International Mixed Martial Arts Federation. 2 April 2015. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
- Kelly, Daniel (14 April 2016). "What is the Irish Amateur Pankration Association?". Newstalk Ltd. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
- "'I stopped the fight at the proper time' - Referee from tragic Joao Carvalho MMA bout - Independent.ie". Independent.ie. 13 April 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
- Jones, Matt (13 April 2016). "Referee Mariusz Domasat Comments on Joao Carvalho vs. Charlie Ward Fight". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
- Lane, Daniel (14 April 2016). "Joao Carvalho death: Charlie Ward pulled his punches in MMA cage fight in Dublin". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 January 2018.