Bellator Fighter Daniel Straus Hospitalized in Near-Fatal Motorcycle Accident

Photo courtesy Spike/Bellator MMA

An early Sunday morning motorcycle accident left Bellator MMA fighter Daniel Straus confined to a Florida hospital.

Straus' manager, Matt Aptaker of JanusSports, confirmed the news to Bleacher Report in a phone call on Tuesday night. 

Aptaker said Straus has full movement of his legs and arms and is awake and able to talk, but that the full extent of his injuries is unknown as of yet. "It's just too early to tell," Aptaker said.

Straus also has no recollection of the accident whatsoever, and Aptaker told Bleacher Report that outside of the location where Straus was picked up by emergency services, they have no other information or details.

Straus provided Bleacher Report with the following statement regarding the accident: "On early Sunday morning, I was involved in a motorcycle accident. I'm currently recovering and will hopefully be returning to the Bellator cage sometime soon. I appreciate all the well wishes and ask that people respect my family's privacy during this difficult time."

Straus, a former two-time Bellator featherweight champion, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and wrestled in high school. He was incarcerated in 2004 after an attempted robbery and was released in 2007.

He was introduced to mixed martial arts after his release by a former high school wrestling opponent, and he began training and made his debut in 2009.

Two years later, Straus made his way to the finals of the Bellator featherweight tournament, losing to Patricio "Pitbull" Freire. He entered the next featherweight tournament, this time winning in the finals over Marlon Sandro. The win earned him a title shot against Pat Curran which Straus won by decision to wrest away the championship.

He last competed in October, losing to Emmanuel Sanchez by triangle choke at Bellator 184. The loss was Straus' second in a row. It was the first time he's lost back to back fights since beginning his career.

This report will be updated with additional information once it becomes available.