MMA fighter Leandro "Feijao" Souza (1-1), a member of Nova Uniao and Delfim Cacadores, died on Thursday while cutting weight for Friday's Shoot Brazil 43 card in Rio de Janeiro. Feijao, who was slated to fight Gabriel Brasil (1-1) in flyweight action, was cutting the final pounds for the official weigh-ins when he passed out, and his death was confirmed moments later. MMAFighting.com
Nova União is a huge team that includes the likes of UFC Champions José Aldo and Renan Barão. Feijao was reportedly cutting the final three pounds to make the flyweight limit of 126-lbs. Weight-cutting is an inexact and dangerous science that has claimed the lives of athletes in the past, especially among the ranks of amateur wrestlers. The NCAA instituted rules in 1998 after five young men died, moving weigh-ins closer to the start of each competition and establishing a minimum wrestling weight based on body fat composition at the beginning of the season. Each wrestler now has 3 months to meet his competitive weight*. Currently there are no rules in place for weight cutting in MMA aside from the 24-hour weigh-ins. I don't know if Feijao was a serious cutter but a few Brazilians (Ronny Markes, Thiago Alves, Gleison Tibau) are notorious for cutting huge amounts of weight. Kidney failure is a serious concern. * http://www.eatingdisordersreview.com/nl/nl_edr_14_5_7.html
All of this should've been prefaced by saying that an autopsy hasn't been conducted so the death might not be a direct or indirect result of weight cutting, it just seems the most likely scenario at this moment.
