MMA fighter Joao Carvalho dies after Dublin contest

Portuguese MMA fighter Joao Carvalho has died from injuries sustained at an event in Dublin last weekend.

Carvalho suffered a technical knockout loss to Charlie “The Hospital” Ward, a member of Conor McGregor and coach John Kavanagh’s Team SBG Ireland, in their welterweight contest at Total Extreme Fighting 1 at the National Stadium.

The fighter had been in a critical condition at Beaumont hospital since Saturday night’s event, having fallen ill shortly after his fight.

On Tuesday his Nóbrega team confirmed the news that the MMA world and beyond had been dreading - the 28-year-old died at 9.35pm on Monday night despite undergoing an emergency procedure on his brain in the hospital.

Total Extreme Fighting CEO Cesar Silva said: “We extend our most sincere condolences to the family of João Carvalho’s and his teammates in Team Nobrega. Our thoughts and prayers are with them. We’d also like to thank all sports fans for their concern and support.

“We will give whatever support we can to Joao’s family. We have been in contact with his family and they have requested that we all understand their need for privacy at this difficult time.”

Minister for Tourism and Sport Michael Ring says that he expects an investigationto be carried out into the death.

“I am deeply saddened by the news of the death of Joao Carvalho following an event in the National Stadium on Saturday evening,” Mr Ring said.

“I extend my deepest sympathies to his family. I expect that there will now be an investigation and I do not propose to comment any further until the results of that investigation are known.”