It’s no secret that big weight cuts are hard on the body and can even be dangerous, and last month, risk became reality for 26-year-old MMA fighter Rudson Caliocane.
Combate reports that Caliocane, who’s the Titan FC bantamweight champion, had to cut about 13.5lbs ahead of his Future MMA fight against Matheus Mendonca on October 19. Dehydration practices were used in getting Caliocane down to his target weight, and after he lost the fight via decision, he passed out and was taken to the hospital. Caliocane was diagnosed with a stem ischemic stroke (which involves blood clots forming in the neck’s arteries), and doctors confirmed that the cause was dehydration.
Titan FC CEO Lex McMahon started a GoFundMe to help pay for Caliocane’s medical expenses, which at the time of this post’s publication sits at $3,370 of its $10,000 goal. In a message on the fundraising page, Caliocane revealed that he has also vacated his Titan FC bantamweight title due to his current situation, which has left the left side of his body paralyzed.
In the wake of Caliocane’s hospitalization, Future MMA is considering limiting the percentage of weight that competitors will be allowed to cut before fighting.
