Dana 5000’s Body was Shutting Down as Kimbo Fight Played Out

The Bellator 149 fight between Kimbo Slice and Dada 5000 (real name Dhafir Harris) went nothing like anyone expected, as it turned into a three-round battle against fatigue instead the slugfest expected between fighters with backyard brawler backgrounds.

As it turned out, it wasn’t simply a couple of guys that didn’t want to fight or simply gassed, as Dada 5000, unbeknonwnst to those watching the fight, was in the midst of a medical emergency as the fight wore on. The day after he was carted out of the cage on a stretcher and taken to the hospital, Dada 5000’s family issued a statement revealing that the fighter had renal failure.

RELATED > Dada 5000 Hospitalized with Renal Failure Following Loss to Kimbo Slice

Dada 5000 has been filming the second part of a documentary called “Dawg Fight” with director Billy Corben, who confirmed the fighter’s condition and near-death experience on Tuesday’s edition of the Zaslow Show radio program, as first noted by MMAFighting.com.

“He was better prepared than he appeared,” said Corben. “As it turns out, he was dying,”

Corben has been in Houston the entire time with Dada 5000 and his family to shoot footage for Dawg Fight, and has remained with them since he went to the hospital after the fight on Friday night.

“His body was shutting down during that fight, having nothing whatsoever to do with his fight training, but with his nutrition and dietary issues,” Corben added, noting that Dada 5000 was “absolutely” close to dying.

RELATED VIDEO > Bellator 149 Fight Highlights: Kimbo’s TKO-by-Exhaustion Win

“Even as his body was completely betraying him and shutting down, Dada’s fists never stopped trying to move toward Kimbo Slice. It was pretty remarkable, knowing what we know now what happened Friday night and the amount of heart and perseverance and not giving up that Dada displayed was nothing short of miraculous when you realize what he was internally going through.”

Bellator’s only update since news of Dada 5000’s renal failure was provided by company president Scott Coker on Monday, as he tweeted, “We wanted to thank everyone for their concern. Dada’s update is he’s progressing well and will be headed home soon.”