Iuri Lapicus has passed away at the young age of 27 following a devastating road accident in Italy.
The mixed martial artist apparently lost control of his motorbike and collided with a car driven by a 69-year-old lady.
Despite being transported to a hospital by helicopter, Lapicus entered a coma and could not be revived from it, according to Milano Today.
Lapicus was a rising star in the MMA world, having fought several top contenders including Eddie Alvarez and Christian Lee. His friend and teammate, Giorgio Petrosyan, was the first to break the tragic news on Instagram.
Lapicus had a respectable record of 14-2-0 (1 NC) in his MMA career, with his only losses coming against top-level opponents. He suffered a knockout loss to Zebaztian Kadestam at ONEFC event in August 2022, but had previously showcased his skills with a first-round submission win over Marat Gafurov at ONE Championship: Warrior’s Code in February 2020.
Lapicus’ most high-profile bout was his welterweight title bout against Christian Lee at ONE Championship: Inside the Matrix in October 2020. Lee snapped Lapicus’ undefeated streak with a series of punches midway through the first round.
Lapicus’ bout against Eddie Alvarez at ONE on TNT 1 in April 2021 ended controversially, with Alvarez initially disqualified for throwing punches to the back of Lapicus’ head. The decision was later overturned, leading to a no-contest ruling.
Originally from Moldova, Lapicus moved to Italy at the age of 15 and credited martial arts with helping him adjust to his new life. He became a high-level striker, complementing his earlier background in Judo, and was a natural fit in ONE Championship’s welterweight and middleweight divisions.
Lapicus’ passing is a tragic loss for the MMA community, and he will be remembered as a talented man who competed some of the best in the business. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and teammates during this difficult time.