After nearly losing his MMA career and his life, Daniel Straus made his return at Bellator 219 on Friday.
Former Bellator featherweight champion Daniel Straus was fighting for the first time since 2017 on Friday at Bellator 219 in Temecula, CA. Injury, in this case, was an understatement. Straus was involved in a motorcycle crash that left him unable to walk. Having to relearn to most basic of motor skills, Straus battled back to a point where he felt fit to step into the cage.
At 70% of what he was, Straus said ahead of the fight. Welcoming him back was Shane Kruchten — would 70% be enough?
Plenty of grappling early on in the Bellator 219 co-main event, with Kruchten eventually getting control and pressing Straus into the cage while landing knees. However, Straus turned the tables shortly after, got the fight to the ground, and came close to getting to mount until Kruchten slipped free.
A big left hand later in the round stunned Kruchten, however. That sweeping left hook sent Shane Kruchten sailing. Straus followed up with blow after blow, and when Kruchten wouldn’t go out, Straus took the back. Slipping in a choke, actually more across the jaw, he forced the tap!
💪😳@DanielStraus is victorious in his return to the Bellator cage tonight at #Bellator219. pic.twitter.com/1lMoEvmIci
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) March 30, 2019
An emotional Daniel Straus celebrated with his daughter in the cage after the fight, and spoke of how hard he’d been working on coming back. On the finish, Straus said he “just wanted to get him out of here as soon as possible.”
“Just looking to build. Keep doing it, get back to that belt” Straus said when asked what comes next.
Daniel Straus def. Shane Kruchten by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 1, 3:53
