Del Rosario (photo) passed away in December 2013. Photo: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC
Robert Emerson, a former UFC athlete, made a serious accusation against flyweight Ian McCall, stating that he is indirectly responsible for the death of heavyweight Shane Del Rosario in December last year.
Del Rosario suffered a heart attack on November 26 and was found unconscious by McCall, with whom he shared his home. After a period in hospital, Del Rosario died 13 days later.
In an interview with the North American website “MMA Junkie”, Emerson, who said he was Del Rosario's best friend, fired a shot at McCall. “This is something very personal that I have against him. He is indirectly responsible for what happened to Shane. And he knows it,” he said.
Del Rosario's autopsy detected traces of cocaine, opiates and THC (the active ingredient in marijuana) in his system, although this did not contribute to his death. Doctors attributed what happened to a congenital heart disease called Long QT Syndrome, a genetic abnormality that can cause a sudden and dangerous abnormality in the heart rhythm. In the past, McCall has gone public with his past drug problems.
A bantamweight athlete, Emerson stated that he intends to drop even further in weight to face McCall. However, he doesn't believe the fight will happen. “He won’t fight me. I would end your career. I have a deep feeling, I don’t like that guy at all,” he criticized.
When asked to give his version of the facts, McCall dismissed Emerson's accusations. “I'll ignore it. I have better things to do. Right now, I'm in Hilo [Hawaii], training with B.J. Penn, focused on positive things”, he replied.
McCall and Emerson were close friends, but at the moment they are far apart. Last year, the flyweight posted on Twitter that he caught his wife cheating on him with Emerson.
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