Career

The fatal bout occurred at the International Super Challenge in Kiev, Ukraine on March 16, 1998 against Yevgeni Zolotarev. Dedge attempted a takedown but was mounted and took 14 punches to the head before tapping out. He stood up after the fight but almost immediately collapsed and died two days later from severe brain injuries at the Kiev Institute of Neurosurgery.

Friends later said they witnessed Dedge black out during training for the fight.

The limited-rules event was billed as a "Ukraine Against the World" contest and drew about 4,000 spectators. Dedge was one of three American fighters on the show.

Davie had just become affiliated with kickboxing promotion K-1 and became vice-president of K-1 United States of America. Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter commented that Davie"s motives for writing the letter "can and will be questioned greatly." Meyrowitz, speaking for the UFC, said the death was "an example of why we have been asking for regulation of this sport by athletic commissions in the United States. as well as internationally."

The German industrial project KiEw used samples from a report about Dedge"s death in their song Blutrausch zum Feierabend (blood-frenzy at happy hour).

Achievements

• To field the opposition, labeled the "World Team," promoters circulated invitations on the Internet that guaranteed potential competitors travel and stay expenses, as well as $2,000 for fighting and an additional $3,000 to win. In the immediate aftermath of Dedge"s death, Ultimate Fighting Championship co-founder Art Davie, who had been fired by the organization at the end of 1997, wrote a letter to UFC owner Bob Meyrowitz (also sent to Mobile Marketing Association opponent Senator John McCain) asking him to "reconsider" the promotion of Mobile Marketing Association in light of the Dedge incident.