Bellator’s Cris Lencioni Makes Positive Progress in Recovery from Cardiac Arrest

A quick update on my brother and Bellator fighter Cris Lencioni 🙏🏾

He had a heart attack, was in a coma, relearned to walk, and now just underwent his second procedure.

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If he returns to mma it’ll be the biggest comeback story ever pic.twitter.com/D12cnxviyX

— Terrance McKinney (@twrecks155) September 18, 2023

Bellator featherweight Cris Lencioni continues to make positive progress in his recovery from cardiac arrest earlier this year.

Lencioni suffered a cardiac arrest during a jiu-jitsu session on June 8 in Spokane, Wash., while training for a Bellator 298 bout against James Gallagher that was ultimately canceled.

Though he was immediately rushed to a nearby area hospital by paramedics, the heart attack left Lencioni with brain damage. While doctors were initially doubting a complete return to normal, the 28-year-old has since showed significant progress, taking his first steps with support only a month after the incident.

In recently-released footage, Lencioni can be seen moving both his legs from the knees down after reportedly have undergone a second procedure. UFC fighter Terrance McKinney provided an update on social media.

“A quick update on my brother and Bellator fighter Cris Lencioni. He had a heart attack, was in a coma, relearned to walk, and now just underwent his second procedure,” McKinney wrote. “If he returns to [MMMA] it’ll be the biggest comeback story ever.”

As per Cris’ wife, Marca, doctors had initially suggested that the fighter be sent to a long-term acute care hospital in Idaho but changed plans after seeing his rate of recovery. Marca had previously stated that doctors planned to install an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator to prevent any future heart issues.

Doctors also suspect that Lencioni might suffer from Long QT Syndrome, a heart rhythm disorder, which went undetected before he suffered the cardiac arrest.