In an eighteen page document found on the City of Edmonton’s website, investigators reveal that the death of UFC veteran heavyweight Tim Hague could have been avoided, had the governing body followed their own rules.
Tim Hague, died after being knocked out in an Edmonton City during sanctioned boxing match. His family is currently suing the city for the fighter’s death.
Now, in a new report, MMA Fighting breaks down the dark reality that cost the fighter his life.
The ECSC suspended Hague on at least two occasions fewer days than should have been required by policy, because the commission deferred to the medical suspensions issued by ringside physicians following post-fight examinations, per the report. Those doctors had no access to Hague’s fighting history.
Hague fought on an ACB MMA card in July 2016, which was held in Russia. He was knocked out in that contest. Per ECSC rule, he should have been automatically suspended 90 days for competing in an unsanctioned event. Had that suspension been issued, Hague would not have been able to fight in a boxing match Sept. 9, 2016 in Edmonton. He lost that bout by unanimous decision.
Hague, who was 34 years old at the time of his death, fought again Dec. 2 in a boxing match in Edmonton. He lost by TKO and at that point should have been suspended 180 days based on the ECSC rule that two KO/TKOs from blows to the head in the span of six months lands to that length of suspension. The report stated that records did not show if Hague had lost the bout by TKO from blows to the head.
Had Hague been suspended 180 days, he would not have been able to compete in a hybrid boxing/MMA bout April 7 in Lethbridge, Alberta. He lost by TKO in that bout and once again the records were unclear if the finish came from blows to the head.
If those two suspensions were implemented, it’s unclear if Hague would have been in the ring June 16. At the least, he would have had two less competitions and less accumulation of head trauma.
Hague was knocked out by Adam Braidwood in the second round of that bout after being knocked down several times. Braidwood was 7-1 with six knockouts going into that boxing match, while Hague was 1-2 as a boxer. Hague died two days after the fight.
