Australian mixed martial arts fighter Jake Sendler has died aged 21 from a rare muscle condition linked to excessive exercise.
The Melbourne-based athlete was rushed to hospital after his bout on March 3, where witnesses reported he was behaving erratically.
Sendler was suffering from rhabdomyolysis, a condition where muscles break down due to overexertion.
Despite medical intervention, he passed away on Wednesday.
Australian mixed martial arts fighter Jake Sendler has died aged 21 from a rare muscle condition linked to excessive exercise
The young fighter's death has sent shockwaves through the Australian MMA community.
Doctors placed Sendler in an induced coma following his hospitalisation.
He underwent multiple surgeries and blood transfusions as medical staff fought to save his life.
His condition was reportedly the most severe case of rhabdomyolysis his doctors had ever encountered.
Jake Sendler pictured after winning a MMA fight
A fight industry insider claimed Sendler had been forced to drop a dangerous amount of weight before the bout.
The young fighter reportedly needed to lose 5-6 kilograms in just 48 hours before stepping into the ring.
Rhabdomyolysis occurs when disintegrated muscle fibres and toxins enter the bloodstream, potentially causing kidney failure.
"He told people he trained with on the Friday before the fight, approximately 48 hours before stepping into the ring, that he still had five to six kilos to drop," an insider told News Corp.
"Given that he typically weighs around 75kg, that means he was attempting to lose nearly seven per cent of his total body weight in two days."
This extreme weight cutting may have contributed to his condition.
Sendler's Instagram showed his dedication to his sport, with one post celebrating a knockout victory captioned "Train hard, fight easy".
Another post featured him having his hand raised in victory with the words, "Thank you to my coaches and teammates for always pushing me past my limits."
The 21-year-old had aspirations to become a PE teacher.
He leaves behind an older brother, younger sister, and his partner Angela.
"Jake was an absolute warrior, such a good man," his devastated mother Sharone said.
Sharone revealed her son had experienced warning signs before the fight.
MMA fighter Jake Sendler had aspirations to become a PE teacher
"Jake had muscle pain in the lead-up to the fight and his urine was a dark colour," she said, noting these are symptoms of rhabdomyolysis.
"Jake, because he works so hard, he put those things down to him training so much."
She explained that his kidneys were already functioning at just 40 per cent when he fought.
"Our message is to listen to your bodies, but keep being great and follow your dreams," she urged other athletes.
