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Iuri Lapicus, an MMA fighter with ONE Championship from Moldova, passed away on Friday after being injured in a motorcycle accident in Italy. He was 27.
"The ONE Championship team is heartbroken over the tragic passing of Iuri Lapicus," the company told ESPN in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones at this difficult time."
According to reports, Lapicus has been identified as the rider who lost control of his motorcycle and slammed into a car on Friday in Pogliano Milanese, close to Milan. A 69-year-old woman who was also involved in the collision didn't sustain any significant injuries.
According to Il Giorno, the MMA fighter went into a coma after being brought to a hospital in Milan. 3 days later, he passed away.
Lapicus competed in many promotions before ONE Championship and won his first 14 fights as a professional fighter. He was defeated by Christian Lee in the first round of a welterweight title bout in October 2020. Before getting his shot at the crown, he defeated Marat Gafurov and Shannon Wiratchai.
Since 2019, Lapicus has competed five times in ONE Championship. In 2021, he was 2-2 with a no-contest against Eddie Alvarez.