Dustin Jenson, Amateur MMA Fighter, Dies After Unregulated South Dakota Event

[VCURamFan]

From MMAFighting.com:

May 30, 2012 - Dustin Jenson, an MMA fighter, died in an unregulated event in South Dakota on May 18th, according to the Rapid City Journal.
The report states Jenson, 26, participated in Ring Wars 74 on May 18th at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center in Rapid City, South Dakota. In his bout with Hayden Hensrud, Jenson eventually tapped from a triangle choke. His mother-in-law, Violet Schieman, said Jensen was normal after his fight and even watched the following two fights on the card.

Jenson then returned to the locker room area to stretch when he moaned and reportedly suffered a seizure. An EMT was called to the scene and Jenson was eventually transported him to Rapid City Regional Hospital.

Schieman told the Rapid City Journal Jenson was placed in a medically induced coma to relieve pressure on his brain. Subsequent surgery to relieve the swelling was performed, but Jenson eventually died on May 24th.

"He did not wake up after the surgery and was declared brain dead at 10:23 a.m.," Schieman told the Rapid City Journal. "He remained on life support until his organs were donated."

The report states Jenson was participating in his fifth fight in less than a year. South Dakota does not have an athletic commission to regulate either professional or amateur mixed martial arts.

Jenson's friends have set up a website that accepts donations to help defray medical and funeral expenses.

Jenson becomes the third MMA fighter to die in the United States from injuries related to MMA competition. Michael Kirkham, who was 30 years of age at the time of his death, died after his professional debut in South Carolina in 2010. Sam Vasquez died at the age of 35 after suffering a subdural hemorrhage in his third professional fight in Texas.

Video of Jenson's fight from May 18th is below (another angle of the fight can be seen here):
http://youtu.be/d2-oKPB_vQo

[J.B.]

This sucks. Prayers go out to his family and friends.

[rockdawg21]

Sad. It doesn't appear to me from the video the "unregulated" has anything to do with it. The fighter, opponent, and ref were all on top of the action.

[Bonnie]

They say he had surgery to relieve the swelling on his brain, but they don't mention what caused the swelling, etc...(?). Maybe there was some ticking timebomb already there in his head and the choke ended up setting it off, but it didn't show immediately.

So sad...

[Spiritwalker]

Originally Posted by rockdawg21

Sad. It doesn't appear to me from the video the "unregulated" has anything to do with it. The fighter, opponent, and ref were all on top of the action.

No governing body in SD..

"Dustin Jenson, 26, tapped to a triangle choke in a losing effort at "RingWars" back on May 18, 2012 from the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center in Rapid City, South Dakota. He later became ill and was rushed to the hospital for emergency brain surgery."

The Rapid City Journal has details from Jenson's mother in law, Violet Schieman:

"He did not wake up after the surgery and was declared brain dead at 10:23 a.m.," she said. "He remained on life support until his organs were donated."

Schieman, who was not at the fight, said her daughter, Jenson’s wife Rebecca Jenson, and several others told her the violence in the fight was "nothing out of the ordinary."

"Doctors have watched the video and said it shouldn't have happened," Schieman said. "They said the fight may have triggered a brain aneurysm, but it was not overly violent."

Jenson was taken off life support on May 24 and his organs were donated.

South Dakota currently does not have a regulatory body to govern or sanction MMA events, and it is unclear at this time if Jenson was required to participate in pre-fight medicals prior to lacing up the gloves back on May 18.

Funeral services were held earlier today.

[rockdawg21]

I'm not a doctor, so perhaps Neezar or TexasRN can chime in on this, but it seems most likely this was a pre-existing condition that was just triggered by the triangle choke. It very well could have happened in practice.

[Spiritwalker]

Originally Posted by rockdawg21

I'm not a doctor, so perhaps Neezar or TexasRN can chime in on this, but it seems most likely this was a pre-existing condition that was just triggered by the triangle choke. It very well could have happened in practice.

That's my thinking.

[VCURamFan]

Originally Posted by rockdawg21

I'm not a doctor, so perhaps Neezar or TexasRN can chime in on this, but it seems most likely this was a pre-existing condition that was just triggered by the triangle choke. It very well could have happened in practice.

Originally Posted by Spiritwalker

That's my thinking.

Agreed.

[kevint13]

Originally Posted by rockdawg21

I'm not a doctor, so perhaps Neezar or TexasRN can chime in on this, but it seems most likely this was a pre-existing condition that was just triggered by the triangle choke. It very well could have happened in practice.

I thought the same thing. Being that it was an amateur fight I doubt they get tested as thoroughly as pros, especially UFC fighters. I wonder what all, if anything, they have to do before a fight ie. get a physical, get medical clearance, etc.

[Tyburn]

18th May