UFC President Dana White has delivered a heartfelt message following the tragic death of 21-year-old amateur mixed martial artist Shali Leib.
An emerging prospect in the MMA scene in the Midwest, Lipp sadly passed away Sunday after a multi-vehicle accident while traveling on Interstate 94 near Morehead, Minnesota. According to reports, Lieb was in the passenger seat of a Chevy Malibu driven by her coach, Joseph Trottier, when the car collided with the Jeep Cherokee at around 11:30 am, and Lieb was the only one not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident. The other passengers in the car got away almost unscathed.
Dana White learns of Shali Leib’s death InstagramTribute to the fallen fighter in a heartbreaking message.
“She’s a 21-year-old young MMA amateur who just died in a car accident,” White shared. “She was supposed to fight May 20th and just got back from training in Thailand. Her mom found her journal and I think at the end of every entry she was writing ‘Dana White you will know my name.’ Lauren Murphy called and told Mick Maynard the story and it broke my heart.. My condolences to her family and friends “.
White also shared a post that reads, “shalielipp i know your name……..RIP“
Shali Leib was headed to the UFC
Shali Leib was scheduled to return to the cage on May 20 under the No Mercy banner in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota against Natalie Gage. No Mercy promoter Jeremy Bjornberg, like many, believed Lipp was destined to run in the UFC.
“She had a great work ethic, returning just a few days after a month of training in Thailand,” Bjornberg told MyMmanews. “At 19, she started fighting the top fighters in the Midwest. … She was someone that everyone knew was going to go somewhere and end up in the UFC.”
The memorial service will be broadcast on YouTube on Saturday, May 13. LowKick MMA sends condolences to Shalie Lipp’s family and friends.