Lion Fight 18 Results: Kickboxing Play-by-Play & Updates

Damien Earley vs. Eddie Abasolo

Round 1

Earley opens the fight with a nasty left kick to the ribs. Using his long reach, the Tempe fighter is keeping Abasolo at bay. In a clinch, Earley digs two knees into his foe’s gut. Abasolo blocks a pair of sharp elbows as he comes in, but eats an uppercut for his effort. Earley is trying to keep a safe distance so he can pick him apart, but Abasolo is wisely bobbing and weaving and getting inside. Earley cracks him with two stinging leg kicks and then suckers him into a spinning back elbow that dazes him. Abasolo is tough and moving forward, but that elbow has a lingering effect on him. Earley tries a spinning back fist but it misses; he adds a left to the liver for good measure at the bell. 10-9 Earley.

Round 2

Abasolo charges right at his attacker and clinches. From there, they exchange a series of knees. After they separate, Abasolo pops him with a short left hook on the inside. Earley digs a left shin to the gut. Abasolo answers with a push kick but the lankier Earley catches it and sweeps him off his feet. Short one-two by Earley as Abasolo comes in. Abasolo finally gets through and connects with a three-punch combo, but his head is snapped back with a counter right hand and then a push kick. Abasolo misses with a low kick but is able to land a straight hand down the pike. They knee the heck out of each for the last ten seconds of the round, which was closer than the first. 10-9 Earley.

Round 3

Abasolo pops his foe with a low kick and then a push kick to the ribs. Earley is a bit lazy and eats a big right hand. They trade blows and then a punch rocks and Earley. Mazzagatti correctly calls the foul; an illegal punch to the back of the head. Earley takes a knee, holding the back of his head. Several in the crowd are angrily booing him, claiming he’s faking. Looped replays show the punch was illegal. Now the crowd is lustily jeering at Mazzagatti. Two minutes later and still no continuance. The fight has been stopped. It’s official: Eddie Abasolo has been disqualified because Earley couldn’t continue. The crowd is getting nasty and hollering all sorts of profanity-laced tirades at both Mazzagatti and Earley.

The Official Result

Damien Earley Def. Eddie Abasolo Disqualification (Punch to Back of Head) R3 (No Time Announced)

Brian Del Rosario vs. Chris Culley

Round 1

Del Rosario pops him with a sizzling kick to the ribs after about 25 seconds of posturing. They both are patiently sizzling each other up. Culley lands a left hand/left kick to the body. Oth men are a bit tentative of opening up at the moment. A minute in and Culley lands a left leg kick. Del Rosario paws with the jab but it’s ineffective. Del Rosario misses with a loopy overhand right and lands in a clinch. Del Rosario delivers two hard knees to the thighs of Culley, who can’t break free from the clinch. Del Rosario lands three more knees to the thighs until the bell ends the round. 10-9 Del Rosario.

Round 2

Culley paws with the right jab to start the round, but he eats a kick to the ribs in the process. Del Rosario lands a left kick to the body after pawing with his jab. Hard left hand/left kick to the side from Culley. Del Rosario answers with a kick of his own in the same spot. Culley retaliates with a right kick, but it’s mostly blocked. Culley is starting to find a groove and uncorks a loud left shin to the ribs. Del Rosario lunges in with a left and eats a straight right hand, making his left glove touch the canvas. After Kamijo finishes his count, he allows him to go on and Del Rosario charges in. They clinch and trade knees along the ropes. Culley lands a slapping left low kick just before the bell. 10-8 Cully.

Round 3

They trade low kicks early in the frame. Del Rosario seems a bit tentative at the moment. Culley just misses with a left head kick. Del Rosario opens up with a right kick to the body and then a Superman punch, but Culley blocks it and moves away. Del Rosario is now more aggressive and pressing forward. Del Rosario lands a nice right hand that forces Culley backward, but he can’t follow up on it. Culley is retreating more than he had been, allowing Del Rosario to seize control of the round. Culley finally opens up again and lands a decent kick to the ribs. Just before the end of the round, Culley is dropped to his knees from a gruesome knee to the groin. Replays make most of the crowd wince in horror. Luckily Culley is okay a few moments later and continues, but the round ends just as they engage. 10-9 Del Rosario.

Round 4

Culley immediately uses a rapid-fire right jab and then cracks him with a harder straight right. Del Rosario presses forward and then lands a glancing push kick. Culley feints a right elbow and delivers a hard left hook; Del Rosario took it well. Culley eats a left hand and retreats, but Del Rosario can’t land anything before they clinch. Nice jab by Culley when they separate. They clinch again and exchange moderate knees to the body and thighs. Del Rosario trips his foe along the ropes, but Culley brings him down with him. Culley throws a head kick but it’s blocked. They trade low kicks at the bell. Very close round. 10-9 Culley.

Round 5

This round likely will decide the fight. Del Rosario is more aggressive than Culley and lands two decent low kicks. Culley fires off a low kick of his own but has to absorb a powerful push kick to the sternum. Loopy, sweeping right hand by Del Rosario misses by mere inches. Del Rosario lands a nice right hand and then follows it up with a series of punches until a flying knee from the taller Van Nuys fighter. Culley clinches and they fall into the ropes. Once the fight resumes, Del Rosario is all over him, throwing a flurry of kicks and punches. Culley retaliates with a few strikes of his own, but nothing meaningful lands. Del Rosario is rushing after him in the closing seconds and ends the fight with Culley along the ropes and missing a spinning back elbow. 10-9 Del Rosario (47-47).

The Official Result

Chris Culley Def. Brian Del Rosario Decision (Unanimous) [50-44, 49-45, 48-46] R5 3:00

Nick Chasteen vs. Jose Palacios

Round 1

Technical difficulties. 10-9 Chasteen.

Round 2

They trade hooks but Chasteen fires a nasty kick to the thigh. Chasteen is more aggressive with his punches now. Head/leg combo by Chasteen stops Palacios in his tracks. Chasteen just misses with a sizzling right/left hook. Palacios digs a kick to the ribs and then fires a right hand up top. Chasteen backs up and absorbs a kick to the calf. 10-9 Chasteen.

Round 3

Palacios is bit passive early in the stanza. Chasteen is backing up, though, not letting his offense go. Hard right-left to the head, followed by a low kick by Chasteen. Push kick by Chasteen but palacios answers with a three-punch combo. Close round. 10-9 Chasteen.

Round 4

Palacios comes out throwing a pawing jab, but can't follow it up with anything. Chasteen is now defensive as he eats a nifty left hand on the inside. Chasteen sweeps his feet out from under him in a corner. Hard right/left by Chasteen is blocked. Chasteen tries a right elbow but misses wildly. Palacios digs a left leg to the ribs after throwing a left/right hand. Low kick by Chasteen. Another. Chasteen lands a glancing kick to the body after eating a jab. Nice right hand to the stomach by Chasteen late. 10-9 Chasteen.

Round 5

Hard right to the body/left to the head by Chasteen. Stinging low kick snaps Palacios' left leg back. Chasteen looks for the spinning back elbow but misses. Hard knee to the body by the Tempe fighter. Chasteen fails miserably at a cartwheel kick at the bell. 10-9 Chasteen (50-45 Chasteen).

The Official Result

Nick Chasteen Def. Jose Palacios Decision (Unanimous) [50-45, 50-45, 50-45] R5 5:00

Jason Andrada vs. Stan Mancebo

Round 1

Andrada is bouncing up and down, throwing leg kicks, though nothing is fierce. Mancebo finally catches him and clinches, delivering a hefty dose of knees. They continue to clinch and trade knees along the ropes; the Canadian is getting the better of it. They finally separate and Andrada lands a left hand and right low kick. They both miss their punches and clinch again. Lots of knees are thrown from each but nothing noteworthy is landing. The round ends with them clinched along the ropes. 10-9 Mancebo.

Round 2

Mancebo goes high with his kick, but Andrada blocks it. Nice knee to the gut from Mancebo as the local fighter comes in. Andrada is moving backward, and then lunges in with an elbow. It's blocked and then they clinch again. The two trade moderate knees along the ropes until referee Kamijo finally breaks them up. Right hand/right elbow by Andrada. Again they clinch and Andrada digs a series of knees into him. Mancebo reverses it but he can't break free. 10-9 Andrada.

Round 3

Andrada eats a nice right hand early after landing a few decent low kicks. Mancebo lands upstairs again, forcing Andrada to retreat. They briefly clinch, landing knees. They tie up once again and Andrada lands a few sharp knees to Mancebo's thigh. After separating, Andrada pops him with a short left hook. Hard push kick from the Ottawa fighter stops Andrada in his tracks. Andrada is busier now, landing several moderate kicks to the legs and body. Nice right have upstairs followed by another kick to the ribs from the Vegas fighter. 10-9 Andrada.

Round 4

Mancebo delivers a nasty left kick to the body but Andrada catches it and sweeps him. After a wild exchange, Mancebo just misses with a vicious he's kick. Andrada eats a right hand shortly thereafter. Hard straight left hand by Mancebo. Another. Andrada is very busy but his kicks are light and doing no damage. Mancebo cracks him with a short right hand and then a right kick to the ribs. Andrada hurts him with a thudding kick to the gut. Mancebo backs away in pain and wilts along the ropes. Andrada closes the gap and unloads. He can't finish him and devours a push kick to the fave. Andrada is cut above his right eye. 10-9 Andrada.

Round 5

Andrada immediately attacks the body with kicks. Mancebo looks winded but he is coming forward. The Canadian lands a sneaky elbow on the inside. Andrada attacks the body again, but is nailed by a short right hand. Mancebo is swept along the ropes. He's up and gassing. Hard left hand by Andrada followed but a shin to the ribs. Elbow/elbow is blocked by Mancebo but Andrdada breaks through with a front kick to the stomach. Nice right hand by Andrada late. Mancebo lands a hard left at the bell. 10-9 Andrada (49-45 Andrada).

The Official Result

Jason Andrada Def. Stan Mancebo Decision (Unanimous) [49-46, 50-45, 49-46] R5 3:00

Yodsanklai Fairtex vs. Salah Khalifa

Round 1

Yodsanklai comes and slowly stalks the lanky London-based fighter. Yodsanklai quickly cracks Khalifa with a left leg kick. Another. Khalifa looks tentative and is throwing light jabs. Hard left kick to the body by Yodsanklai is blocked. Right jan/left shin to the ribs by Yod. Khalifa is still very cautious. Yodsanklai momentarily dazes Khalifa with a crisp counter right hand with 15 seconds left. Yod looks to add more damage but Khalifa recovers quickly. 10-9 Yodsanklai.

Round 2

Yodsanklai lands a left kick to ribs after a jab misses by Khalifa. Right hand by Yodsanklai finds it's Mark and it's followed by short left hand. Khalifa buckles over and eats a massive let knee. He crumbles onto his back. He is hurt badly and barely gets up. Khalifa stumbles backward as Mazzagatti is counting, forcing the ref to stop the fight. The official time of the TKO is just :22 into the second round, allowing Yodsanklai to retain his Lion Fight middleweight title.

The Official Result

Yodsanklai Fairtex Def. Salah Khalifa TKO R2 0:22