Amateur female MMA fighter Saeideh Aletaha dies after suffering brain injuries in UK fight
- British-Iranian Saeideh Aletaha was left in critical condition after her bout with local promotion Fast and Furious in Southampton, England
- The 26-year-old engineer was rushed to hospital but failed to recover from her injuries
A British-Iranian amateur female MMA fighter died after suffering brain injuries from fighting in a local UK promotion on Saturday.
Saeideh “Sai” Aletaha was left in a critical condition following her bout on Fast and Furious 19 in Southampton, England, and succumbed to her injuries.
The 26-year-old engineer, who fought out of the Lookborai and Exile gyms specialising in Muay Thai and kick-boxing, lost her bout and was attended to by ringside doctors, according to the promotion.
“Following the show Saturday we regret to announce that following one of our matches … Sai Aletaha … unfortunately suffered an injury leaving her in a critical state that she tragically has not recovered from,” the Fast and Furious Series said in a Facebook post.
“All competitors get in prepared that they may be injured and this is something not expected to happen 99.9 [per cent] of the time. But, it can and in this we make the environment as safe as possible with pre- and post-medicals from a doctor, and full medical cover throughout with doctors, paramedics and ambulances on site alongside our experience team of staff with numerous first-aiders, safety is not something ever skimped on in any of our 19 shows.”
Aletaha was described by her teammates as a dedicated athlete and the Lookborai gym is hit hard by her death.
“Saeideh Aletaha was a lovely character with a beautiful soul,” the gym said in a Facebook post. “Her dedication to the sport was 110 [per cent], travelling miles every day just to train.
