Iuri Lapicus best known as the former ONE Championship title challenger has left for the heavenly abode. According to multiple reports, the MMA fighter tragically died after a motorcycle accident in Italy.
The Moldovan passed away at the age of 27. The sad news of his death was confirmed by ONE Championship. Keep scrolling further to know more details about the accident that resulted in the demise of Iuri Lapicus.
MMA fighter Iuri Lapicus passes away at 27
Iuri was involved in a motorcycle crash last week in Italy and he died due to the injuries he sustained in the accident. As per a report by the Italian publication Milano Today, he lost control of the vehicle and crashed into another vehicle that was traveling in northwest Milan.
Soon after the accident, Lapicus was airlifted to a hospital where he was in a coma. Not long ago, the ONE Championship issued a statement regarding the passing of the accomplished fighter.
The statement read, “The ONE Champonship team is heartbroken over the tragic passing of Iuri Lapicus…Our thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones at this difficult time. Rest in peace, Iuri.”
Who was Iuri Lapicus?
For those of you who are unversed, let us share with you, Iuri Lapicus was a renowned fighter in the ONE Championship who showed us his true potential in the last couple of years. He was born in Moldova and he resided in Italy.
Lapicus had an MMA record of 14-2-1. He was unbeaten with a 14-0 MMA record prior to 2020. At that point, he witnessed his first career loss to Christian Lee at ONE Championship – Inside the Matrix.
Post his loss, the professional MMA fighter battled Eddie Alvarez to a no contest (the fight had been first ruled a disqualification after Alvarez punched Iuri in the back of the head).
Lapicus’ final fight took place at ONE Championship last August. Then, he fought Zebaztian Kadestam. He ended up on the losing side. Zebaztian defeated him via knockout at 57 seconds of the first round.
How did the MMA fans react to the demise of Iuri Lapicus?
As soon as the news of Iuri Lapicus’ passing broke out, many MMA fans took to various social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram to offer their deepest condolences.
One user tweeted, “Devastating news from Italy. One Championship fighter Iuri Lapicus lost his life in a car accident. He was 27. Iuri’s career took off after signing with One where he fought people like Eddie Alvarez, Christian Lee, and Marat Gafurov. May he rest in peace.”
Devastating news from Italy. One Championship fighter Iuri Lapicus lost his life in a car accident. He was 27. Iuri’s career took off after signing with One where he fought people like Eddie Alvarez, Christian Lee and Marat Gafurov. May he rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/GGzbYVMlvG
— Tudor Leonte (@MrTudorLeonte) March 20, 2023
Another user penned, “Beyond tragic. Iuri burst into ONE out of nowhere, submitting a former champ in Gafurov in just his 2nd fight. Title contender in his 3rd fight. Recent record aside, his potential was endless. And now it all feels irrelevant. 27 with his whole life ahead of him. RIP Iuri Lapicus.”
Our love and prayers go out to the close friends and the entire family of the MMA fighter Iuri Lapicus during this tragic time. May his soul rest in peace. Don’t forget to stay tuned with us for the latest updates from the world of showbiz.
