After Bellator 149 loss, Dada 5000 hospitalized due to 'renal failure'

Dhafir “Dada 5000”Harris was seen getting oxygen following his grueling fight against Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson on Friday at Bellator 149. As it turns out, his troubles only worsened from there.

According to a statement sent by Bellator and attributed to Harris’ family, the fighter is in the hospital after suffering severe dehydration and renal failure following his Bellator 149 co-headliner at Houston’s Toyota Center.

“The doctors have now informed us that Dada had accumulated extremely high levels of potassium in his blood which led to severe dehydration, fatigue and renal failure,” the statement reads. “The high potassium levels were likely caused by his 40(-pound) weight loss in preparation for the fight.”

Bellator spokesperson Danny Brener and Bellator President Scott Coker did not address a tweet from Bleacher Report’s Jeremy Botter claiming Harris’ was in critical condition and was placed on a ventilator after going into cardiac arrest. An email to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, which oversees the state’s boxing commission, was not immediately returned.

The statement said Harris is now “recovering nicely” and requested privacy for the fighter, who suffered a third-round TKO loss in his third professional MMA fight.

Billed as showdown of rival street-fighting legends, Slice (6-2 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) and 5000 (2-1 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) tired quickly after less than one round in the cage and spent the remainder of the Spike-televised bout on the brink of exhaustion. A series of punches from Slice, a more experienced MMA competitor with multiple headlining events to his credit, connected on 5000, who collapsed at the 1:32 mark of the final frame.

Fighters are required to submit medical documentation that proves they are medically fit to compete; 5000 hadn’t fought professionally in five years when he stepped into the cage against Slice.

Here is the statement in full:

“The Harris Family would like to inform Dada’s friends and fans that Dada is ok and resting comfortably in a Houston area Hospital under the care of an incredible staff of doctors and nurses.

“The doctors have now informed us that Dada had accumulated extremely high levels of potassium in his blood which led to severe dehydration, fatigue and renal failure. The high potassium levels were likely caused by his 40lbs weight loss in preparation for the fight.

“Thanks to the EMTs and doctors, Dada is now recovering nicely.

“Dada showed the heart of a lion in the cage – not backing down throughout. He worked extremely hard preparing for the fight and stepped forward for 3 rounds against a tough veteran. He kept digging through the adversity- leaving it all in the cage for his fans and supporters. You can never take that away from him.

“We’d like to thank all those who have supported Dada as well as express our sincere appreciation to Scott Coker, and the good people at BELLATOR and Spike who have been on-site to visit Dada and support the family.

“We ask for the public and media to respect Dada’s privacy as he recovers.”

For more on Bellator 149, check out the MMA Events section of the site.

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