Medet Zheenaliev, a 30-year-old MMA fighter out of Kyrgyzstan, has sadly passed away. Medet was spending time with friends at Lake Issyk-Kul when he spotted a group of girls getting into trouble in the water.
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One of the girls was reportedly pulled under the water by a strong current.
Both Medet and one of his friends helped the four girls return to shore. Unfortunately, Medet was also pulled under by the current and didn't resurface. Divers later found Medet's body at the bottom of the lake.
"The tragic incident happened on May 12, with divers recovering Zheenaliev's body the following day," The Sun reports. "Officials confirmed his cause of death as drowning during a rescue mission."
It's worth noting that Lake Issyk-Kul is the eighth-deepest and eleventh-largest in the world. As such, there is an inherent risk when entering the water. Medet and his friend showed incredible bravery by entering the water, which was clearly in a dangerous state, to help the group of girls.
Unfortunately, that bravery has led to a tragic circumstance. Nevertheless, Medet died a hero. His selflessness ensured the group of girls returned to the shore safely, and that is the legacy he'll leave behind.
Medet Zheenaliev Had a Two-Year Professional MMA Career
Medet competed in four professional MMA fights during a short career. All of his bouts took place in Russia. The former fighter recorded a record of 2-2. Medet got his career off to a flying start, defeating Vladimir Kravchuk via an arm-bar in the opening round.
He then secured a second win in his next bout, knocking out Shamil Temirkhanov. Unfortunately for Medet, those two wins were followed by back-to-back losses. Just a month after dispatching Temirkhanov, Medet was submitted by Akhmadkhan Bokov. The fight did make it to the second round; however, it ended up being the first blemish on his young record.
Medet's fourth and final fight also ended in defeat. He suffered a doctor's stoppage after a 16-month hiatus, in what proved to be the final fight of his career.
Currently, no details regarding Medet's funeral have been shared. That information will likely remain private for close friends and family.
