Emerging MMA Star Shalie Lipp has passed away in a horror car crash days before what was being anticipated as the biggest fight of her  career. She was 21. From what is being learnt so far, the fighter’s vehicle collided with another at the Red River Bridge, Moorhead. She wasn’t wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident on Interstate 94 in Minnesota. The shocking news comes days before her next contest which was slated on May 20 against Natalie Gage at Ignite No Mercy 11 at the Kent Freeman Arena in Detroit Lakes.

“I’m not always one that has the forethought to take pictures in the moment. I guess my reasoning has always been that taking photos also takes me out of the moment with that client, which breaks connection during pivotal growth moments. Today I carry massive regret in knowing that this is the best photo I have of Shalie,” her coach and trainer Eric Sweeney captioned a photo him along with Lipp.

“My heart is absolutely broken. You were such a wonderful human, full of promise and drive. One of the few people I’ve ever met that was truly reaching for greatness. And I will never forget you. It is beyond my minds capacity today to think that I won’t see you this week…or ever again. We were just cracking the code,” he added.

“Being your friend will change me forever. It already has. Thank you for all of the moments. All of our discussions, both personal and professional. The laughs, the tears, and every emotion in between. I will remember all of them. I am grateful for all of them,”he further wrote.

Lipp had recently returned to the US from a Thailand-based training camp where she had been working on improving her MMA and Muay Thai. Other than this sport, she also had a keen interest in Track and field and gymnastics in school.