Cage Warriors Alum Cristian Binda Tests Positive for Coronavirus After Hospitalization

Italian MMA retired fighter Cristian Binda is in intensive care, due to the positivity to COVID-19.

Binda, a true veteran of the game (Cage Rage, Cage Warriors, Venator), told his fans that after 9 scary days he's now doing better.

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Sending all the best wishes. pic.twitter.com/Ku8BRf9nJH

— Al Zullino (@phre) March 21, 2020

Given Italy’s current health emergency, it was just a matter of time before one of the country’s MMA fighters would get infected by COVID-19.

On Saturday morning, Cage Warriors veteran Cristian Binda announced on his private Facebook page that he tested positive for coronavirus after being hospitalized in intensive care. The 42-year old fighter is feeling better now, and he shared an update on his health situation.


 “Hi guys, I'd like to reassure everyone a bit since I feel a little better now,” Binda wrote. “To summarize: after [nine] days of high fever and coughing, my breath was running out and I had to go to the hospital. The doctors found multiple foci of pneumonia, and obviously the test is positive for COVID-19. Now I will try to get back on track and come back stronger than before. Two things. There are many who are worried about me and I am grateful to you but avoid writing to me, I find it hard even to answer because I get tired immediately, I will give you news on my socials. But most importantly: IT IS NOT A JOKE! STAY AT HOME! I was in the intensive care in Como all night and it is worse than one of Dante’s circles of hell. The situation was heartbreaking! Stay at home and we'll get out of this.”


 Binda (11-10) is considered one of the MMA pioneers in Italy. He started fighting in 2006 and his path brought him to major European MMA promotions like Cage Warriors, Cage Rage and Venator Fighting Championship. “Mano di Pietra” had the chance to lock horns with MMA veterans such as Brad Pickett and Masakazu Imanari, but he lost to both of them.

In the peak of his career, the Italian fighter won the Venator FC bantamweight championship at the expense of Davide Baneschi at Venator FC 3. Binda retired shortly after due to a series of injuries. 


Italy is one of the countries with the worst outbreaks of coronavirus, with more than 50,000 documented cases and more than 4,000 deaths as of this writing.