Matt Grice’s future, which was once so bleak, is looking more optimistic by the day.
A UFC featherweight veteran, Grice was hospitalized with traumatic brain injuries on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 after being involved in a devastating automobile accident. Grice underwent life-saving brain surgery that same night, then began responding to verbal cues and displaying limb movement a few weeks later.
According to UFC President Dana White, Grice’s situation has since continued to improve.
“His wife sent me a text telling me that he’s getting better,” White told MMAFighting.com on Monday.
“First they were talking about real bad things could happen. Then it was like, he might never walk again and he might never work again. Now the doctors are very positive.”
Grice (15-5) was slated to fight Jeremy Larsen at UFC 166 before his car was struck from behind at a red light in Shawnee, OK.
A donation fund set up by Grice’s family has thus far raised $22,000 of its $30,000 goal.
“The whole tone has changed,” White said. “He’s got a lot of work ahead of him, a lot of hard work ahead of him, but it’s looking like he might be able to pull through and get his life back.”