Cris Lencioni MMA: Will the recovering fighter be able to compete again? 

Cris Lencioni is currently locked in a battle for his health. The 28-year-old is a young prospect in the world of mixed martial arts and was initially scheduled to face homegrown Bellator star James Gallagher at Bellator 298 on August 11. Unfortunately, the matchup fell through after a health-related tragedy struck.

Lencioni, popularly known as 'Sunshine' due to his friendly disposition, suffered cardiac arrest during a Brazilian jiu-jitsu training session ahead of his previously scheduled bout with James Gallagher. While cardiac arrests are harrowing ordeals on their own, Cris Lencioni's is even more terrifying.

The resulting cardiac arrest led to him sustaining brain damage, potentially due to the lack of oxygen his brain received while he was unconscious. While there's no definitive explanation yet, Cris Lencioni's wife, Marca Lencioni, says doctors believe the cardiac arrest could have been caused by Long QT syndrome.

Long QT syndrome affects the heart's ability to relax after a heartbeat, leading to dangerous irregularities in one's heartbeat. While Marca Lencioni recently posted a clip of her husband responding to stimuli by smiling and kissing him as well as moving his hand, many are left wondering if he'll ever fight again.

His wife is hopeful given the progress he's shown, like drinking water and even trying to stand under his own power. However, she did note that doctors have told her that 10% of people survive her husband's current ordeal. Nevertheless, she remains optimistic.

Cris Lencioni has continued surprising doctors and nurses alike with the ground he's making towards improvement. His family has also created a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for her husband's medical bills, with a goal of reaching $250,000.

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Is Cris Lencioni the only MMA fighter to have his career derailed by a health-related issue?

Former Bellator middleweight champion Rafael Lovato Jr. was on top of the MMA world outside of the UFC back in 2019. He was an undefeated fighter and had just defeated former UFC middleweight Gegard Mousasi to capture Bellator gold at 185 pounds.

Unfortunately, a cerebral cavernoma diagnosis forced him to vacate his title and retire from MMA. While he later returned to the sport in December last year, defeating Taiga Iwasaki via first-round submission at Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye x Ganryujima in Japan, he hasn't fought since.

Due to his prior diagnosis, athletic commissions in both Europe and the United States refuse to sanction his bouts. Legendary UFC heavyweight Frank Mir famously had his new heavyweight title run cut short in 2004 by a motorcycle accident, that left him sidelined for two years.