UFC heavyweight fighter ‘clings to life’ at hospital

UFC heavyweight fighter Shane del Rosario, who was admitted to Hoag Hospital on Tuesday, may suffer from a rare genetic anomaly that causes an abnormal heart rhythm, according to his manager.

Del Rosario, 30, arrived at the Newport Beach hospital in full cardiac arrest, but doctors resuscitated him and stabilized his heart rhythm and blood pressure, manager Jason House said in an email.

The fighter, who lives in Newport Beach, has not regained consciousness but “continues to cling to life,” House said Friday afternoon.

According to Del Rosario’s manager, doctors believe Long QT Syndrome, which can cause dangerously fast or erratic heartbeats, may be responsible.

A genetic mutation can cause a predisposition to the condition, which may result in sudden death, House said.

“Tragically, it strikes healthy young people and often is the first and only presentation of a heart problem,” he told Times Community News.

Del Rosario is a mixed martial arts fighter in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, or UFC, and trains at Team Oyama, a gym in Irvine.

Jeremiah Dobruck writes for Times Community news.

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