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Chicago Man Dies After Mixed Martial Arts Training

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A Chicago man is dead from injuries suffered in a fight. But it was a match he willingly engaged in with a man he met in an Internet chat room.

Salvador Flamenco's love of martial arts apparently cost him his life, CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli reports.

The 38-year-old North Sider died earlier this month after boxing. Robert Longhini, Flamenco's roommate, says his friend traveled the country to practice his love of mixed martial arts.

He'd met his opponent on the All Fighters website.

Then Flamenco flew out to Vancouver, Washington to wrestle and box. After a second day of strenuous activity, something went wrong.

"Sal started feeling nauseous and I believe he started vomiting," Longhini says.

Conditions worsened until Flamenco was unresponsive. By then, 40 minutes had passed, while flamenco's brain likely hemorrhaged the entire time.

"They essentially said that  he was brain dead on arrival at the hospital," Longhini says.

Professional mixed martial arts fighters like Rick Story say inexperience may have played a role in Flamenco's death.

But despite the risks, MMA fans often try and mimic the pros, putting themselves at risk.

Longhini suspects that the fact that there was no obvious sign of trauma likely made the two men overlook the danger.

He spoke with investigators, who said charges are not likely in the case. They told him Flamenco's death appears to be a tragic accident.

Flamenco will be cremated on Monday. His ashes will then be interred with his grandparents in California.

Ceremonies are planned next month in Chicago and California.

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