Recently deceased Jordan Parsons 1st fighter diagnosed with CTE

The shock waves from Jordan Parsons' tragic death are still being felt throughout the MMA community.

Parsons is the first fighter to be diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), according to a report disclosed to The Boston Globe by forensic pathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu on Friday.

"These findings confirm that the danger of exposure to CTE is not limited to just football, hockey, and wrestling,’" Omalu said. "Mixed martial arts is also a dangerous sport, and it's time for everyone to embrace the truth.’"

Awareness of CTE has increased over the years due to emphasis on studying the degenerative neurological condition that stems from blows to the head. Prominent cases have emerged in several sports, particularly football and hockey. Because there is no current method for detecting certain CTE indicators in living subjects, the disease can only be fully diagnosed after death.

Parsons died on May 4 after a hit-and-run left him with severe injuries. Any connection between his death and his brain condition were dismissed by Omalu, who emphasized that CTE is "a chronic disease that develops over time."

The 25-year-old featherweight most recently competed for Bellator MMA.