MMA fighter Justin Thornton has passed away at 38, one month removed from losing a bare knuckle boxing match by knockout. At BKFC 20 on Aug. 20 in Mississippi, Thornton was matched with Dillon Cleckler but was knocked unconscious in nineteen seconds. The BKFC 20 defeat marked Thornton’s six loss in a row, all of which came by knockout or submission. Following the knockout, Thornton was laid out on the canvas for several minutes after the finishing blow. Nearly a month later, on Sept. 23, a post was made on Thornton’s Facebook which indicated that the fighter was paralyzed, required assistance breathing, and also suffered an infection in his lungs and spinal cord. Amber, his long-time partner, said even in his last moments, he was cracking jokes and smiling.
The UFC's Dana White was asked at a press conference if he had heard about what happened to Thorton, and his thoughts on what happened. UFC fighters obviously used padded gloves and White explains why bare knuckle fighting is just so much more dangerous and the precautions and safety protocols his company follows.
RIP Justin.