PIC: Coach John Kavanagh pays his respects to deceased MMA fighter Joao Carvalho

Incredibly sad news.

Coach John Kavanagh has expressed his condolences to the friends and family of Joao Carvalho, who passed away this morning as a result of injuries sustained at an MMA event in Dublin on Saturday night.

Carvalho was rushed to hospital after complaining of feeling unwell following a defeat to Charlie Ward at the Total Extreme Fighting Event at the National Stadium on Saturday night.

Carvalho subsequently underwent brain surgery at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin and his passing was confirmed in a statement by his representatives, The Nobrega Team, this morning.

This afternoon, Coach John Kavanagh paid his respects to Carvalho in a statement published on his Facebook page, where he expressed his condolences to Carvalho’s family and friends and asked that their privacy be respected at this difficult time.