CHICAGO — A Chicago mixed martial arts fighter died after collapsing in the ring during an event in suburban Cicero Friday, according to the event’s promoter.
Isaac Johnson, 31, fought in the Matador Fighter Challenge event held Friday at Cicero Stadium, 1919 S. Laramie Ave. Johnson collapsed towards the end of his heavyweight bout and was rushed to Loyola University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead just after midnight Saturday, according to promoter Joe Goytia and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.
It is unclear what caused Johnson’s death, Goytia said in a statement to multiple media outlets. The medical examiner’s office has not yet ruled on a cause or manner of death.
“I don’t have the words to express how I feel right now, all I can say is my deepest condolences to his family, friends, and teammates,” Goytia said in a statement on Facebook. “We will know more as the medical report is released.”
The medical examiner has not confirmed Johnson’s home address, but the fighter said on his personal Facebook page that he is a West Side resident.
Isaac Johnson’s promotional materials for his first professional fight held Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, in Cicero. Credit: Facebook
Johnson’s family founded the Westside Cultural Alliance, which has organized the 1865 Fest, a yearly event in Garfield Park celebrating Juneteenth. A music producer, Johnson steered the fest’s entertainment committee and booked its acts, West Side community organizer LaCreshia Birts said in a tribute posted to Facebook.
“Issac was such a supportive and helpful son and very active father,” Birts wrote. “As a Black man from the Westside of Chicago, he took the culture seriously and he valued his heritage and people. He was a model of what a young man should be.”
Johnson spoke to WGN about his work with 1865 Fest, which also celebrates Black fathers, in a 2024 news segment.
“Father’s Day is a blessing,” Johnson said in the segment. “Best thing about this blessing is I get to spend it with my family, my community and loved ones.”
Johnson fought in his first professional martial arts match Friday, Goytia told The Athletic. He faced an opponent, Corey Newell, fighting in his second match. It was a Thai boxing match, in which the fighters must remain standing, and both fighters wore gloves, shin guards and mouth pieces, according to The Athletic.
Goytia told the outlet that nothing seemed out of the ordinary in the fight, which he described as a “slugfest.”
The town of Cicero is investigating the incident.
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