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Cris Lencioni is in one of the most difficult situations life could have thrown his way. The 28-year old, whose record as a professional mixed martial artist sits at 11 wins and just three losses, was originally scheduled to take on Bellator's Irish star, James Gallagher. Unfortunately, the bout never took place.
Lencioni suffered cardiac arrest earlier this month during a training session. He was immediately hospitalized and has been under constant medical care since June 8.
The Bellator featherweight has previously struggled to respond to stimuli, but there's been a glimmer of hope from a new clip shared by his wife, Marca Lencioni.
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The depth of Cris Lencioni's medical struggles was revealed after an MRI pointed to brain damage caused by his cardiac arrest. However, a recent clip showed him smiling after being kissed by his wife, as well as him moving his hand. It's a sign of progress in what is expected to be a lengthy road to recovery.
Fans took to Twitter to express their elation over his progress and share their hopes for a full rehabilitation for 'Sunshine'.
Their comments are as follows:
It's an unfortunate situation and Bellator itself has expressed that they will be monitoring it closely.
Cris Lencioni's MMA run in Bellator
'Sunshine' was a fairly successful fighter for where he was at in his career prior to his health-related setback. Lencioni was riding the wave of a four-fight win streak, including two thrilling submissions. He secured a rare inverted triangle choke that earned him his most recent win at Bellator 294 over Blake Smith.
A matchup between him and sensational grappler James Gallagher, who some think can emulate Conor McGregor, was a clash that many were eager for. While the bout was scheduled to take place on August 8, it has since been scrapped due to Lencioni's condition.
Meanwhile, Gallagher has not set foot in the cage since suffering a third-round submission loss to Patchy Mix back in late 2021. Unfortunately, Cris Lencioni's ordeal isn't the first time that a Bellator fighter's been derailed by a health-related issue, as Rafael Lovato Jr. was forced to retire due to cerebral cavernoma.
