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The family of a mixed martial arts enthusiast who died after a blow to the head in a cage fight worried that she was “not suitable” for a bigger and more muscular opponent than she was. .
Saeideh Aletaha, a 26-year-old graduate, collapsed in a bathroom in Southampton’s Central Hall after being knocked out in the third round of the competition.
During an investigation in Winchester, her family claimed her opponent, personal trainer Janie Morgan, 34, appeared taller and stronger than Aletaha.
They claimed that Aletaha appeared preoccupied with her opponent and stressed about the prospect of the contest. In a statement read during the inquest, Aletaha’s family said: “Saeideh always used to send his photo with his opponent before every game. However, for her last match, she had cut her opponent’s photo and only sent her own photo.
“It is now believed that if she had shared the photo of her opponent, Amir [her brother] reportedly commented on their physical differences and the fact that his opponent looked bigger and more muscular. The night before the game, she had mentioned to her sister that she was stressed but never mentioned the reason.
The investigation learned that the fight was close and intense, although all three judges won Morgan the second round. Aletaha was knocked out on the third floor and after collapsing she was rushed to Southampton General Hospital and died on November 17, 2019.
Her family said Aletaha was born in Iran but moved to the UK to study at university and stayed to work. She was living in Salisbury when she died and was working as a product engineer.
Her family said part of her motivation to fight was to prove that a Muslim woman wearing a hijab could participate in extreme sports.
In a statement, Morgan told the inquest that she “let go” of Aletaha with a right hook. She said they hugged and chatted after the fight and was shocked and upset when she learned that her opponent had passed away.
Morgan said: “The fight itself was a good fight, she gave as much as she got and it was tied… Sae was a lovely and humble young woman.”
Dean Kendal, who was in the corner of Aletaha during the fight, said: “She started the third round well. Sae took a hit to the head, it wasn’t a hard hit but she took it badly in her legs and bent over.
“We gave her oxygen for about a minute, then she wanted to get up and go because she was upset, but we made her wait until she was a little more lucid. Paramedics took her from her back on a stretcher.
Kendal visited Aletaha in the hospital after learning she couldn’t be saved.
Event promoter Richard Harding said the two women were similar in weight and height although Aletaha had a bit more experience. Harding said Aletaha relies on speed while Morgan relies more on power and looks to hit his opponent hard.
Amir Aletaha asked Harding about Morgan’s physique, suggesting: “It’s very clear that [Ms Morgan] is much stronger. He also asked why Morgan asked them to fight without shin guards, claiming that an attack on that part of the body by Morgan could have affected one of his sister’s key weapons, her speed.
Harding replied that Morgan was “top heavy” while Aletaha’s body weight was much more evenly distributed. He said he didn’t believe that fighting without shin guards would put Aletaha in greater danger.
The promoter said the event, which was part of the Fast and Furious fight series, followed strict safety guidelines and the matchmaking process took months. “I was convinced they were tied,” he said.
Harding said in the investigation that contestants participate for the sake of the sport rather than making money and that no profit is made from presenting the shows.
He added: “Losing someone like this is difficult for everyone. We put them on to put on a show and it’s the worst thing that can happen, but I’m fully convinced that we’ve done everything we can. “
The investigation is continuing.
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