UPDATE: Angela Magana’s coach, Gabriel Lamastus, says her condition has improved.
“I just talked to the Dr (sic) and there has been an improvement,” Lamastus said via text to MMA Junkie at 4:13 PM EST. “She is moving her hands and toes, and blinking her eyes.”
UPDATE (4/18): Magana is now awake according to Lamastus. “Angela is responding to the treatment and is waking up!!!,” Lamastus said in a text message via MMA Junkie. “We are over joyed (sic). She has been in and out of it. This started happening this morning.” Lamastus said Magana has been able to talk, as well.
Next Friday on April 26, Combate Americas will host Combate 35 live on the DAZN streaming service. Originally set to go down on that card was a strawweight clash between 24-year old prospect, Kyra Batara and the UFC veteran, Angela Magana. Unfortunately, the worst kind of news is coming in the end result of it all.
Magana withdrew from the bout earlier this week as she needed emergency surgery to take care of a herniated disk. Having gone through the surgery on Tuesday… Things took a wrong turn as Magana has yet to wake up from the procedure and is now in a coma.
“What happened to Angela, she herniated a disc while training for fight, she went for a nerve block to continue training. Nerve block caused a rare nuerological disorder, cauda equina, rushed to emergency nuero surgery and hasn’t woken since surgery this AM currently in a coma,” Magana’s team wrote on her Twitter account on Tuesday. “Angela still unresponsive I will be here in the ICU at hospital as nuero team works on this. Remember life is so short and can change in a blink of an eye!”
Wednesday, Combate Americas released a statement addressing the situation.
“We are closely following the progress of Angela Magana who is currently in a coma following complications from emergency surgery,” a Combate Americas spokesperson said in a statement provided to MMANews. “Our team is in direct contact with her coach. Angela is a true fighter, and we are staying positive that she will fight her way out of this.”
Both Batara and Magana’s last losses came to the highly touted Japanese prospect, Kanako Murata in RIZIN. The bout between the two was set to be Magana’s promotional debut in Combate Americas.
The Body Lock wishes Magana a speedy and successful recovery in this scary time.