More details have emerged about MMA fighter Kimbo Slice’s health issues in the days prior to his death on Monday at the age of 42.
It’s emerged that Kimbo had in fact been in a medical facility in Florida since Friday after complaining of severe stomach pains, shortness of breath and nausea.
The fighter was then diagnosed with congestive heart failure and a liver mass, leading to him being placed on a ventilator in intensive care.
Unfortunately, Kimbo’s condition continued to decline in the days after, and his family were informed that he needed a heart transplant.
On Monday night at 7.30pm, Kimbo was in the process of being transported to a facility in Cleveland where he was to be put on an organ donor’s list when he passed away.
Widely known as a man who’s family came first, Kimbo is survived by his wife and six children.
Given his serious heart condition, questions are sure to be asked yet again in the coming weeks about the mandatory pre-fight medical testing that both Kimbo and ‘Dada 5000’ underwent prior to their fight at Bellator 149 less than four months ago.
In addition to Kimbo’s unexpected passing just a few months later, his 38 year-old opponent also suffered renal failure and two heart-attacks after the fight.
Before and after the event, Bellator were widely criticized for pairing up the two former backyard brawlers in the co-main event, along with a main event that put a 49 year-old Royce Gracie up against a 52 year-old Ken Shamrock.
After the event, both Kimbo and Shamrock tested positive for steroids, but despite all the bad publicity, Bellator 149 proved to be a record TV ratings success for the promotion, with almost two million people tuning in to watch on Spike TV.
Since then, the promotion had announced that Kimbo was to rematch James Thompson in the main event of Bellator 158 in a little over a months time in London, England.
