Iuri Lapicus

Status: Former ONE Athlete

Former lightweight MMA star Iuri Lapicus was originally from Moldova but moved to Italy at the age of 15 and put down roots there. The first martial art he trained in was judo when he was 9 years old, though he had to practice on a wooden floor due to the lack of money for proper equipment.

Lapicus called Team Petrosyan in Milan his home, where he evolved from a pure grappler into a confident and competent striker. He was the first martial artist in a family of soccer players, and he was eager to prove his skills in competition.

He made his professional mixed martial arts debut in 2014 and went on to rack up a perfect 12-0 professional record before following his training partners, Giorgio and Armen Petrosyan, into ONE Championship to test himself on the world stage. Before important bouts, he often traveled to Amsterdam to work with famed MMA World Champion Gegard Mousasi.

Lapicus was an extremely talented athlete who quickly made his mark in ONE Championship and even challenged for the ONE Lightweight MMA World Title.

In March 2023, he tragically passed away in a motorcycle accident at the age of 27. The entire organization mourns his loss.