MMA Star Gabi Garcia Says She Almost Died Cutting Weight for Fight in Japan

Gabi Garcia said she stopped trying to lose weight for her scheduled MMA fight against Shinobu Kandori last month in Japan because she feared serious health consequences. 

On Thursday, TMZ Sports passed along comments about the fight cancellation from Garcia, who said she missed the weight cutoff by 17 pounds—not 27.

"I decide not cut weight because I feeling like I almost died," she said.

The 32-year-old Brazilian owns a 4-0 MMA record with one no-contest and was expected to face off with Kandori in the second round of the 2017 Rizin World Grand Prix, which would have been her Japanese opponent's first MMA bout since 2000.

Kandori, 53, who serves in Japan's House of Councillors, yelled at Garcia after the weigh-in results and then stormed off the stage.

The gold-medal winning grappler told TMZ Sports she learned from her mistakes and will handle future weight cuts differently.

"I accept this fight," she said. "It's my fault."

A previous bout between the pair scheduled for December 2016 was also cancelled after Kandori suffered a rib injury leading up to the clash.