(MMA Junkie) Former UFC strawweight Angela Magana is in a coma, her coach, Gabriel Lamastus, confirmed to MMA Junkie early Wednesday morning.
Magana, 35, is in a coma at University Hospital in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where she lives, following complications from emergency surgery. Early Tuesday morning, Magana posted on Facebook and Twitter that she was “about to be put in a gown and cap for surgery.”
Roughly 14 hours later, an update on Magana’s official social media pages appeared, stating:
“Message from Coaching Staff there have complications (sic) and they can not wake her up. They are trying many options we will keep you up to day. Thank you for the out pouring (sic) of concern and love #TeamLaPerla #”
Message from Coaching Staff there have complications and they can not wake her up. They are trying many options we will keep you up to date. Thank you for the out pouring of concern and love #TeamLaPerla #
— Angela Magana (@AngelaMagana1) April 16, 2019
Overnight Tuesday, a post to Magana’s Twitter account said she remains unresponsive:
Angela still unresponsive I will be here in the icu at hospital as nuero team works on this. Remeber lifs is so short and can change in a blink of an eye!
— Angela Magana (@AngelaMagana1) April 17, 2019
We Love You Magaña
Team La perla
When reached early Wednesday morning by MMA Junkie, Lamastus explained Magana had been experiencing back pain recently while preparing for a Combate Americas fight. She was injured after being taken down during training on April 7. As a result, she went in for an MRI, which revealed a herniated disc. Magana, determined to fight, was prescribed medication the next day while she continued to train, but the pain became too much, Lamastus said.
On Monday, she had a nerve block done, hoping to ease the pain, but Lamastus said she didn’t react well. That led to a diagnosis of cauda equina syndrome and the need for emergency surgery on Tuesday.
“She’s in a coma, and we’re waiting to hear some positive news,” said Lamastus, who was at the hospital with Magana. “The surgery went fine. The problem was anesthesia. It’s very rare that patients react bad to anesthesia, but it does happen, and I guess this is one of those rare cases. But I’m being positive. She’ll be fine, and she’ll wake up. She’s a fighter. I’m just staying positive.”
In a video posted on her Twitter page, Magana – whose aunt died from anesthesia, according to Lamastus – was concerned about being put to sleep prior to surgery.
“I feel like I’m gonna not wake up and die after this,” she tells someone out of frame.
Magana was scheduled to meet Kyra Batara at “Combate 35: Reinas” on April 26 in Los Angeles.
Magana was released from the UFC in December 2017 after going 0-3 with the promotion against stiff competition in Tecia Torres, Michelle Waterson and Amanda Cooper. Magana’s last MMA fight was in August 2018 at Rizin FF 12, where she lost to Kanako Murata via second-round submission.
Lamastus said Magana, who has three children, will represent Puerto Rico next year in the Olympics as a wrestler.
“She’s a hard worker. Angela is a very, very hard worker,” Lamastus said. “A lot of people only know the Angela from social media. They don’t really know the real Angela. That woman busts her tail to provide for her family.”
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