Investigation launched after MMA fighter dies of ‘poisoning’ in Russia

An investigation has been launched into the death of a mixed martial arts fighter believed to have suffered poisoning from an unidentified substance in…

By: Karim Zidan | 11 months ago
Investigation launched after MMA fighter dies of ‘poisoning’ in Russia
Bloody Elbow 2.0 | Anton Tabuena

An investigation has been launched into the death of a mixed martial arts fighter believed to have suffered poisoning from an unidentified substance in Russia.

Aleksandr Pisarev, 33, and his wife were hospitalized after falling ill on October 30, according to various reports. Pisarev died shortly thereafter while his wife remains in hospital.

“Alexander Pisarev died in his sleep and did not have any chronic health problems,” a member of Pisarev’s Tomahawk team told Russian state news agency Tass.ru. “According to preliminary data, death was the result of food poisoning.”

The Tomahawk team later confirmed Pisarev’s passing without listing a cause of death.

“My brother, my friend, my student! Words cannot express the extent of the loss. Alexander Pisarev is the standard of friendship, decency and courage of a Russian person,” read the statement on VKontakte. “I and we will miss you!!! Rest in peace our brother.”

Local law enforcement in riverside city of Balashikha, which lies approximately 20km east of Moscow, have begun investigating the cause of Pisarev’s death. According to the Moscow Region Investigative Committee, “investigators, with the participation of a forensic specialist, are conducting an additional inspection of the scene, confiscating items relevant to the investigation, and planning a forensic chemical examination.”

Reports have since claimed that Pisarev suffered food poisoning from a watermelon, while others have suggested the fighter died of opioid poisoning.

Pisarev was a local Moscow champion in hand-to-hand combat, as well as a Russian Central Federal District MMA champion. He competed in various Russian fight leagues, including RCC and Fight Nights.

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About the author
Karim Zidan
Karim Zidan

Karim Zidan is a investigative reporter and feature writer focusing on the intersection of sports and politics. He has written for BloodyElbow since 2014 and has served as an associate editor since 2016. He also writes for The New York Times and The Guardian. Karim has been invited to speak about his work at numerous universities, including Princeton, and was a panelist at the South by Southwest (SXSW) film festival and the Oslo Freedom Forum. He also participated in the United Nations counter-terrorism conference in 2021. His reporting on Ramzan Kadyrov’s involvement in MMA, much of which was done for Bloody Elbow, has led to numerous award nominations, and was the basis of an award-winning HBO Real Sports documentary.

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