Fatal MMA fight near Edmonton prompts calls for tougher combat rules in Alberta
Surrounded by the black steel of a mixed martial arts cage, Trokon Dousuah was declared the victor as the arena resonated with cheers from the crowd. However, moments later, spectators groaned and gasped as he was carried out of the octagon, struggling to stand. This amateur event, featuring competitors new to mixed martial arts, would sadly be Dousuah’s final fight. The 33-year-old was taken from Saturday’s event at the community centre in Enoch, a First Nation community on Edmonton’s western outskirts, to the hospital where he later passed away. Dousuah, known as T to his friends, leaves behind a pregnant wife and two young children.
The tragic incident has raised questions about the current regulations governing combat sports in Alberta and what changes are needed to ensure fighter safety. The circumstances surrounding Dousuah’s death are currently under investigation by the RCMP and the provincial government.
Shara Vigeant, an Edmonton-based MMA trainer and former fighter, expressed her frustration at the lack of continuity in regulations governing combat sports in Alberta. She emphasized the importance of better policing and standards in a high-risk sport like MMA. Vigeant, who trained a boxer that tragically died in the ring in 2017, highlighted the need for a single regulating body for combative sports in the province to prevent such incidents from occurring.
Ryan Ford, a professional boxer and MMA champion, questioned the format of the event and whether novice competitors with limited training should have been allowed to fight. He stressed that it takes years of training before a fighter is ready to compete and criticized the lack of protective gear and experience among the competitors.
Alberta’s approach to regulating combat sports has been described as piecemeal and ineffective, with municipalities sanctioning events. Erik Magraken, a combat sports regulatory lawyer, referred to Alberta as the “wild west” for combative sports regulations and called for immediate action following Dousuah’s death.
Calls for a single sanctioning body for combat sports in Alberta have been ongoing for over a decade, with the need for improved oversight highlighted in the investigation into Tim Hague’s death in 2017. Justice Carrie Sharpe’s report on Hague’s death emphasized the gaps in the current regulating bodies that put fighter safety at risk.
The Alberta government has pledged to investigate Dousuah’s death and review the fatality inquiry report into Hague’s death. There is hope that Dousuah’s tragic passing will bring about much-needed changes in the regulation of combat sports in the province.
As the MMA community mourns the loss of Trokon Dousuah, there is a renewed sense of urgency to ensure that fighters are adequately protected and regulated in Alberta. The tragic incident serves as a stark reminder of the risks involved in combat sports and the need for stringent regulations to safeguard the lives of competitors.
