The Minister for Sport, Mayo-based Michael Ring, has extended sympathy to the family of the Portugese fighter, who died in Dublin on Monday night after taking place in an MMA event on Saturday night.

Joao Carvalho lost out to Dubliner Charlie Ward at a Total Extreme Fighting event in Dublin – he later passed away after spending 48 hours in a critical condition at Beaumont Hospital.

The Portuguese fighter was checked by doctors at the National Stadium in the aftermath of the fight before undergoing emergency brain surgery, but doctors were unable to save him.

Minister Michael Ring says however that Mixed Martial Arts is not funded by Sport Ireland and is not regulated in this country, and this has been a matter of concern for him…