Mixed martial arts fighter dies after hit-run
Jordan Parsons moved to Boca Raton to live out his dream of becoming a successful mixed martial arts fighter.
The 25-year-old appeared to be on the right path. He had pummeled his way to a professional record of11wins andtwo losses, and his coach said he was looking better than ever.
But early Sunday, it all came to a tragic, sudden end when the driver of a silver Range Rover slammed into Parsons as he crossed the street in Delray Beach— and kept driving.
On Wednesday, Parsons died at DelrayMedical Center as a result of his injuries.
He had been in critical condition since the crash at about12:30 a.m. Sunday.
His coach, Neil Melanson, told Sun Sentinel news partner WPEC-Ch. 12 that Parsons had undergone several surgeries, and that part of his leg had been amputated.
Police said he had been heading west in the crosswalk across Federal Highway near Lindell Boulevard when hewas hit.
Authorities, teammates of Parsons and others were pleading for help in finding the driver of the silver 2012 or 2013 Range Rover Sport that hit Parsons.
Jon Rudolph, general manager of Jaco Hybrid Training Center in Boca Raton, thegymParsons trained at, said he and Parsons’ teammates are distraught.
“Everyone is kind of not doing too well,” Rudolph said in a phone callWednesday.
“It’s just horrible that someone would do what they did to him.”
He said Parsonsmoved to Boca Raton about a year ago after joining Blackzilians, a mixed martial arts team.
Rudolph said Parsons lived in an apartment just blocks from the gym and would walk between the places daily.
He said Parsons would train for hours, several times a day, and would always be thanking coaches for every practice.
“You can’t find a more respectable guy within the sport,” Rudolph said. “I just really hope they find out who did this.”
Parsons’ coach, NeilMelanson, told Sun Sentinel news partner WPEC-Ch. 12 that Parsons was extremely committed and that he’d constantly tell Parsons to go home and sleep.
“He was looking the best he ever looked,” Melanson said.
“I don’t knowwhat itwas about Jordan. He would always be doing the extra work that no one else was doing.”
Melanson said that rather than taking a regular job, Parsons decided to focus solely on becoming a professional MMA athlete, and even though he wasn’t yet earning a lot of money, his goalwas to keep rising in the ranks.
Melanson hopes the driver of the Range Rover is found.
“I really hope that people pull together and if they recognize that vehicle or you know somebody that has that silver Range Rover and all of a sudden, they’re not driving it and it’s somehow in their garage, these are hints you need to tell the local [police] so they can find outwhodid this,” Melanson said.
Scott Coker, president of Bellator MMA, a mixed martial arts promotion company, issued this statement after Parsons death:
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of a dear member of the Bellator family, Jordan Parsons.
Jordan was an exceptional athlete and a rising star in the sport. But more importantly, he was an exceptional young man. Jordan was hard-working, dedicated, intelligent, and a pleasure to be around. He represented all the reasons we love this sport. It is a terribly tragic loss and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends, and teammates.”
In an 2015 interview with MMANuts, an online magazine for mixed martial arts fans, Parsons said he was born in North Dakota but spent most of his youth in Michigan.
He fought as a featherweight and lightweight on and off, and said he wrestled in high school.
Before coming to Florida, Parsons trained in California and Minnesota.
He said in the 2015 interview he was excited to be with Bellator and looked forward to more intense training regiments.
“My ultimate goal in the sport is to just be one of the greatest,” he said. “I don’t really care where I’m fighting. I justwant to knowthat I’m fighting the best people possible.”
Parsons was an up-andcoming mixed martial artist who had multiple televised fights.
“I know I’m relatively new in the sport and I haven’t really done too much yet,” Parsons told MMA Nuts, “but I promise you, things are coming and things are changing and one day my name will be a household name.”
According to Parsons’ website, he had a televised fight in California scheduled forMay15.
Police spokeswoman DaniMoschella said the hit and run investigation is ongoing.
“We are missing the crucial puzzle piece of finding the driver,” she said. “Right now, we don’t know exactly what happened that led to the crash. We urge the driver to contact us us his or her side story.”
Police aren’t sure who had the right-of-way at the time of the crash but said Parsons was walking in the crosswalk. He was also wearing headphones and might not have heard the SUV approaching, police said.
Police askanyonewith information on the Range Rover or crash to call Officer DanCramer at 561-243-7800 or Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County at 800-458-8477, online at www.crimestopperspbc.com or by texting tips@cspbc.com. Crime Stoppers will pay a reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest. to give of the
Staff writerKate Jacobson contributed to this report.
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