Fighter 'who reformed MMA' dies aged 48 after collapsing following training session

Reports from Brazil person reported that Andre Mussi tragically died pursuing a gym league and collapsed, with the 6ft3in combatant incapable to retrieve aft being taken to hospital

Ex-MMA combatant Andre Mussi has died aged 48 aft helium collapsed pursuing a grooming league successful his autochthonal Brazil, with tributes paid to a antheral who "reformed" the sport.

Mussi won 11 of his 16 pro bouts crossed six years arsenic an MMA fighter, competing successful fights successful the US, Mexico and crossed Europe, earlier opting to discontinue and alternatively absorption connected managing fighters.

Reports from Brazil, via the Sun, accidental that Mussi tragically died pursuing a gym league and collapsed, with the 6ft3in combatant incapable to retrieve aft being taken to hospital.

Jiu-jitsu prima and person Renato Velame hailed the interaction of Mussi connected MMA and said helium helped bring it into the forefront, saying: "Andre Mussi volition beryllium remembered arsenic 1 of the cardinal figures who helped enactment Bahia connected the nationalist and planetary MMA map.

"He was an important portion of modern MMA. He reformed the concern exemplary and helped professionalise the sport."

After finishing his vocation arsenic a fighter, Mussi remained acceptable and kept up his conditioning, focusing connected bodybuilding and concern investments.

Mussi is known for opening the Rush Academy gym for MMA stars, which helped bring done fighters similar Yuri Carlton and Edilberto Crocota.

Velame said the gym was important successful giving the adjacent procreation of fighters a dedicated spot to make their skills.

He added: "In the past, it was hard to unfastened a gym dedicated conscionable to martial arts alone. We made a beardown MMA squad there. Many radical trained there. It was the spot for this procreation of fighters to spell training."

Mussi is understood to person near down his woman Natalie and lad Joaquim, according to reports successful Brazil, with his household based successful Rio de Janeiro. The origin of decease has not been officially revealed.