Teenager Dies Training for Martial Arts Fight, Weight Cutting Possibly to Blame

Weight cutting is a dangerous and sometimes deadly practice.

Unfortunately, the combat sports world has been given a fresh reminder of that.

According to a report from 9 News Perth in Australia, amateur kickboxer Jessica Lindsay died while cutting weight for a bout. She was 18 years old.

Per the report, a day ahead of the November 11 fight, Lindsay was out for a run as part of her cut and collapsed along the way due to severe dehydration. She was taken to the hospital but died four days later.

Lindsay had posted twice on her Instagram account in the lead to the contest, stating she felt "fit and healthy" but more recently saying "yeah nah cutting weight is sick hey."

"There is a point of no return; it is quite extreme and it's beyond dehydration," Dr. Joe Kosterich told 9 News Perth. Her death is being investigated by a coroner. A friend of hers has created a GoFundMe page.

Cutting weight is a common practice in many forms of combat sports. Competitors will lose tens of pounds through dieting and dehydration before weighing in, seeking a size advantage over their opponents.

Despite being common at all levels of sports like wrestling and mixed martial arts, a number of fighters die each year, with many suffering various complications during or immediately after contests.

Given how long extreme weight cutting has been a part of combat sports despite its risks, it's unlikely that change will come about without intervention from regulating bodies.