Fighter Dies: Opponent Responds

 MMA2DAY Reports:

Adrienne Simmons, a fighter has passed away after fighting this past weekend in Florida. Adrienne was competing in the IKF Kickboxing Tournament in Florida this weekend and was in the Championship Bout for her weight class. She was knocked out and unresponsive. She was then rushed to the hospital and had surgery for brain bleeding and swelling and went into a coma.

Her opponent Lindsay Scheer responds via her Facebook page where she wrote, “I have waited to make my statement about the terrible tragedy that has occurred this past weekend at IKFs because I wanted there to be time for all involved especially those closest to Adrienne to have a chance to tell their friends and hav...e their time to process this horrific event, but I feel there are some things that I need to say.

What I was hoping would be a wonderful day turned out to be the absolute worst day of my entire life. I had anticipated a great weekend of being around and getting to participate in what I love – Muay thai. I could never have imagined that the weekend would end with me being called into a room by a sheriff to inform me that I am being interviewed for a homicide investigation. I have literally been inconsolable since that moment. I did not know what it really felt like to cry. I was and am broken.

I returned home to be greeted by my amazing parents who drove to my house in Louisville to be with me and tell me in person that they love me and that they are behind me. They also drove down to tell me that my grandmother had died this morning as well. I do not add these details to evoke pity or draw attention to me. In fact, I am done talking about my hurt and my pain because it is only self-serving and would evoke pity and condolences from people that I just don’t want or feel like I deserve. Any energy or thought in this matter must go to Adrienne and Chike.

 I mention these details because they have helped to bring me to what I am about to say:

A piece of me died in the ring yesterday with Adrienne. I will never get it back…not even in time – it will not heal this, period. However, my initial visceral reaction when I was told by the police officers was a hysterical fit that I will never fight again.

To be honest, I am terrified to step into the ring and I don’t know how I will be able to…but again, this is not about me. My grandmother was one of the strongest people I have had the privilege of knowing and Adrienne was one of the bravest. I know that my grandmother would tell me I am being weak and wasteful and I truly believe that Adrienne would want me to continue to fight because if this situation was reversed, I would have wanted her to do the same.

We both love this sport, it is more than what we do, it is a part of who we are and if I spend the rest of my life avoiding Muay Thai, then we both die. I say this because long before the IKF tournament, I had accepted a rematch bout with a very tough Dutch girl I had fought last year. This was the toughest fight I have ever had. It is scheduled for Aug 29th in Suriname. I think I have to go through with it. I have to find some way to make myself train and prepare for this match because I feel it needs to be done to commemorate Adrienne. She deserves nothing less. In fact, she deserves more than a bout in her memory, she deserves change. I cannot let her death be in vain.

The Kickboxing community needs to make something positive from this tragedy and I’ll do whatever I can to facilitate it. I do not expect everyone to agree with me or even to understand where I am coming from. All that I ask is that you do not judge me. I of course will not proceed with the fight unless I have the support of Chike and those closest to Adrienne because I wish to do nothing that those who knew her best would deem disrespectful. So please…no responses to this post unless it is a way we can begin to make things better."

A little bit later she posted, "Words cannot describe my gratitude for all of the support that everyone has given me. I am overwhelmed by everyone's compassion even more so by the kindness and concern I have been given by those who knew and loved Adrienne. Your strength to reach out to me in a time when it would have been so easy to do otherwise has and will continue to help me through this dark time. I am truly touched."