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Former MMA fighter dead after saving four girls from strong current at one of world’s deepest lakes: report
A former MMA fighter from Kyrgyzstan reportedly drowned after heroically rescuing four girls from a powerful current in one of the world's deepest lakes.
A former mixed martial artist died after playing hero, saving four girls from a strong current, according to reports.
Medet Zheenaliev, 30, spotted four girls swimming in Lake Issyk-Kul in his home country of Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday, and one of them was reportedly pulled under the current.
Zheenaliev and a friend went into the water to save the girls, but the fighter never resurfaced, according to The Sun.
Zheenaliev had four professional fights, splitting them even with two wins and two losses. His debut was a victory over Vladimir Kravchuk on Sept. 23, 2017, in Fightpro's Battle for the Belt in Moscow. Zheenaliev earned the victory with an armbar submission 2:08 into the fight.
At the Battle on Volga 3 six months later, he defeated Shamil Temirkhanov in a first-round knockout.
He did not have the same success in his final two fights, tapping out to a rear-naked choke in the second round against Akhmadkhan Bokov at the Road to M-1 on April 7, 2018.
He then took a nearly 17-month hiatus and fought Makkasharip Zaynukov at GFC 16, but doctors stopped the fight after round one and gave Zaynukov the victory.
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