Jenson, pictured on the right (black shorts), died of a seizure after competing in an unregulated MMA event.

On May 18th, twenty-six year old Sturgis, South Dakota native Dustin Jenson competed in an unregulated Ring Wars event in South Dakota. Although Jenson was quickly submitted by a triangle choke by Hayden Hensrud, he took no significant blows to the head and remained conscious after he tapped out. However, shortly after the fight Dustin was found by another fighter having a seizure. He was rushed to Rapid City Regional Hospital, where he would eventually die on May 24th.

An autopsy has revealed that blunt force trauma suffered the week before his fight is the official cause of Dustin Jenson’s untimely demise. As The Rapid City Journal reports:

The autopsy indicated the cause of death was a subdural hemorrhage resulting from blunt force trauma to the head. A subdural hemorrhage is a collection of blood on the surface of the brain and often causes brain injury and death.

The cause was related to an injury about a week earlier, according to the autopsy. The Sheriff’s Office said there is no conclusive evidence the injury was sustained in the fight.

(Props: MMAInsidetheCageTV)

MMA: Inside the Cage’s latest episode runs down all the latest talking points in MMA, from the potential Ronda Rousey vs. Cris Cyborg superfight to the death of DREAM, and examines the tragic death of amateur fighter Dustin Jenson in South Dakota. Hosts Casey Oxendine and Cyrus Fees get a professional opinion from fight doctor Nathan Elliott, who explains the importance of pre-fight physicals and the potential danger from “second impact syndrome,” which could have put Jensen’s health in danger considering how frequently he was competing.

But hey, you didn’t come here to get bummed out, right? Brighten your day by checking out the Hit Parade segment that starts at 4:44, which features a powerbomb-KO that will join Rampage vs. Arona and Kaufman vs. Modafferi in the powerbomb-KO Hall of Fame. Plus, Casey gives advice on how to prevent injuries in training, a preview of XFC 18 (June 22nd, Nashville), and a classic scrap between Scott Holtzman and Brandon Demastes. Enjoy, and follow the MMA:ITC guys on Facebook and Twitter.

(Dustin Jenson, shown with his daughter Amora and wife Rebecca. Photo courtesy of his family’s GoFundMe page.)

A 26-year-old amateur MMA fighter named Dustin Jenson died last Thursday, after suffering a seizure following a triangle-choke loss to Hayden Hensrud at a Ring Wars event, May 18th in Rapid City, South Dakota. Jenson was participating in his fifth fight, and had begun competing in the sport less than a year ago. Funeral services were scheduled today at First Wesleyan Church in Sturgis. Rapid City Journal has more details:

Dustin Jenson, 26, was participating in full-contact fights at a RingWars event May 18 when he tapped out — a signal to end the fight. According to his mother-in-law, Violet Schieman, Jensen then watched the next two fights before going to the locker room area, where he suffered a seizure.

“He laid down to do his stretches, and another fighter heard a moan,” Schieman said. “He went over and saw Dustin having a seizure. They called an EMT, which took him to Rapid City Regional Hospital.”

Schieman said medical personnel determined that Jenson had increased pressure on his brain and put him in a medically induced coma before surgery was performed to relieve pressure. He was declared dead May 24 and was taken off life support the next day, Schieman said.

“He did not wake up after the surgery and was declared brain dead at 10:23 a.m.,” she said. “He remained on life support until his organs were donated.”