Professional MMA can be unforgiving at times, and it has proved that once again. Japanese fighter Sho Sekihara’s latest fight ended in unfortunate circumstances that have left him in critical condition. As such, he is now fighting for his life in the hospital.

The harrowing incident took place at Rizin 55 on November 7, 2026, in Chiba, Japan. In the second bout of the night, Sekihara faced Takumi Hamada in a flyweight bout where the situation turned concerning. The fight was an exhilarating showdown, with both fighters exchanging shots. However, Hamada delivered a brutal slam in the third round that knocked Sekihara out of consciousness as he absorbed some extra shots.

The fight ended in a TKO victory for Hamada. But Sekihara was carried out on a stretcher while still unresponsive and rushed to the hospital. 

Initially, Rizin officials reportedly stated that the Shibuya-based fighter was out of any immediate danger. A later report, however, revealed he was suffering from a case of subdural hematoma, which is bleeding between the brain and its protective outer membrane.

Sekihara underwent emergency surgery to treat the subdural hematoma right after his fight ended. However, his condition deteriorated the next day, and he went for another operation. Rizin officials updated the MMA fighter’s situation four days later, confirming he was still struggling for his life.

“On Nov. 8, 2026, at LaLa Arena Tokyo Bay during ‘RIZIN.55,’ Sekihara Sho—who competed in the second bout—was rushed out after the fight,” Rizin’s official statement read. “He lost consciousness from an acute subdural hematoma and underwent emergency surgery at the Chiba Prefectural General Emergency Medical Center near the arena…The surgery was completed, and he narrowly survived. But the next morning his condition suddenly worsened, and he underwent a second operation.

“He remains in a serious condition with an uncertain prognosis. All we can do now is pray for his speedy recovery, but if his symptoms stabilize and there is progress, we will report further details.”

Rizin concluded its statement by urging everyone to pray for the MMA fighter, with a request not to spread unverified information. The promotion confirmed that Sekihara was still struggling and that his condition was not stable. As of writing, Sekihara has yet to regain consciousness.

However, what makes Sekihara’s situation even more distressing is that it is not the first time he has suffered a case of subdural hematoma. 

According to Nikkan Sports, the 35-year-old faced the same medical issue following a fight at DEEP in May 2022. His condition was critical back then, too, though it was unclear what caused his prior subdural hematoma. 

Still, Sekihara miraculously made a comeback after two years out of competition and impressively won three fights before suffering a critical condition once again.

When it comes to fighters losing consciousness from a slam, Raoni Barcelos lost consciousness near the 1:38 mark of the fifth round following a clinch and slam against the cage by Raul Rosas Jr. at UFC Vegas 121 in late September.

The Brazilian was stretchered out of the arena and transported to a Level 1 trauma center for CT scans and medical monitoring. Later, his mentor and teammate Glover Teixeira revealed that he possibly suffered a head injury that caused him to lose consciousness, though whether a subdural hematoma was involved was not revealed.

As Sho Sekihara fights for his life, his father has spoken publicly about the incident, sharing his gratitude with the fans.   

Japanese MMA fighter’s father shares statement

After the harrowing incident, Sho Sekihara’s father, Masamichi Sekihara, shared his statement through Rizin.

“We have received warm support and encouragement from many people,” he said. “Through that, I have truly realized how much my son was loved. My son is still fighting even though the match is over. I keep telling him, ‘You are a man who doesn’t give up.’

“Please, everyone, pray that my son regains consciousness as soon as possible.”

While the MMA fighter’s father urged fans to send their thoughts and prayers for his son, he also expressed gratitude toward Rizin, the promotion Sekihara served so dedicatedly.

“I would appreciate it if you could send your thoughts to the sport my son loved and to RIZIN, which my son always wanted to fight for no matter what,” Masamichi added.

While the Saitama native remains in the hospital, there will be some serious questions about his MMA career. He has been hospitalized for the second time in his career, with a critical condition both times. Though he recovered and made a comeback, risking that fate another time would invite any number of future incidents. So, it is not hard to imagine that Sekihara would hang up the gloves.

But when it comes to his career, the first priority is the MMA fighter’s recovery, and then comes the weighty decision around his professional life.