Lion Fight 22 Results: Muay Thai Play-by-Play & Updates

Tom Morales vs. Brian Del Rosario

Round 1

Morales comes right out in a southpaw stand and blasts his foe with a leg kick. Del Rosario backs away and then takes a shin to the gut. They clinch briefly until a knee from Morales smushes Brian’s groin. After a pause, they resume where Del Rosario lands a nice inside low kick. Del Rosario goes high with a kick but it’s blocked. Morales goes back to the leg kick and then tags his foe with a right punch to the cheek. Nice left kick to the body followed by a left hook to the head. Del Rosario answers with a nice right hand to the face drops Morales onto the seat of his trunks but he doesn’t seem hurt. They continue to scrap and suddenly the local fighter seems wary of engaging with Del Rosario. Overall it's a close round but Del Rosario wins it with the knockdown. 10-8 Del Rosario.

Round 2

Morales opens the frame with a nice left kick to the body but Del Rosario takes it easily. Del Rosario is now keeping his man away with jabs and low kicks. Del Rosario lands a right hand and then follows it up with a left hook. Morales seems confused at the midway point and unwilling to really open up his attacks. They clinch in the corner where Del Rosario rakes him with a few let elbows before they split up. Del Rosario now is pouring on the violence and he looks so much bigger and stronger than ‘The White Monkey.’ They trade kicks to the ribs, but Del Rosario’s are much fiercer. 10-9 Del Rosario.

Round 3

They clinch immediately into the round and Morales quickly lands a few right elbows to the face. Morales tags him with a right hook and then catches a kick to the body. Del Rosario switches back to the leg kicks and lands a few before Morales finally abandons his stance and clinches. They both miss hooks, but Del Rosario connects with a hard right uppercut/hook hybrid but Morales absorbs it well. With a minute left, Del Rosario is mauling him and Morales is beginning to look beaten. Morales is gassing out and missing wild hooks; Del Rosario makes him pay by cracking him with a glancing shin the head. Morales’ nose is now bleeding with 20 seconds left during a clinch. Huge push kick to the teeth punctuates the round right at the bell for Del Rosario. 10-9 Del Rosario.

Round 4

They clinch right away where Del Rosario is all over him. Morales backs away timidly after they separate, guessing on where to strike next. Del Rosario simply stalks him down with jabs and low kicks before they clinch. Morales is totally out-gunned right now and seemingly has no answers. Finally, an exhausted Morales tags his opponent with a nice right/left to the face but Del Rosario walks right through it. Morales finally starts to open up more and more and nails Del Rosario with a left cross right on the mouth. Blood is now streaming down the right side of his face near the bell. Morales lands a few more strikes late, possibly winning him the round. 10-9 Morales.

Round 5

Morales’ corner is imploring him to go for broke because he needs a knockout to win and they are right. Morales comes right after Del Rosario until they clinch. Del Rosario digs a series of knees to the thighs and stomach until the ref breaks them up. They clinch again where Del Rosario continues to land knee after knee. Morales lands a right to the face but Del Rosario answers with a sizzling right/left in return. Del Rosario opens up again midway through and then forces a clinch, digging more knees to the body. Morales has a minute left to score a miracle knockout but Del Rosario is all over him, nullifying any offense. Del Rosario goes to the push kick to the head and body, icing his first career win as a pro. 10-9 Del Rosario 49-45 Del Rosario.

The Official Result

Brian Del Rosario def. Tom Morales via Unanimous Decision (50-44, 50-44, 50-44) 3:00, R5

Christine Ferea vs. Calie Cutler

Round 1

The women paw with jabs and low kicks early, with nothing landing yet. Cutler lands a fairly hard roundhouse kick to the body but Ferea takes it well. Ferea misses with a sweeping overhand right and then walks into a short straight right. Cutler is keeping away while she strikes, appearing not too keen on engaging her shorter foe. Cutler lands a few moderate low kicks but they do nothing to Ferea. Ferea misses a wild overhand right, but she is tagged by one in return. After an exchange, Ferea lands an elbow that hurts the Michigan fighter. She turns her back and is quickly felled by a right elbow. She barely beats the count and continues, but the round ends almost immediately. 10-8 Ferea.

Round 2

Cutler backs away as soon as the round starts, but she is throwing some punches and kicks. Ferea stays low and ready to strike as she stalks her opponent. Cutler is tagged by a few punches to the face and then quickly escapes out to her right. Cutler is becoming more elusive as she doesn’t seem eager to stand and trade with the more powerful Vegas fighter. They clinch and it’s Cutler who opens up with a right to the head. Ferea continues to walk forward, throwing powerful right hands and clinching when she can. Cutler avoids a right to the face and returns the favor right at the bell. Closer round than the first. 10-9 Ferea.

Round 3

Cutler lands a side kick to the body but has to take a right fist to the face in return. Nice left jab by Ferea snaps her foe’s head back. Cutler goes back to the right side kick to the body and lands a few of them. Ferea lands a left hook but Cutler takes it. The action slows a little with a minute left where the women continue to clinch. Hard right cross to the face from Ferea is clean, her best punch in quite some time. Low leg kicks by Ferea are clean and then she nails her with a left hook. Ferea lands another scorching kick to the body and it hurts Cutler, who is now backing into the ropes just before the bell. 10-9 Ferea.

Round 4

Cutler opens the round with another right side kick to the body. Ferea telegraphs and just barely clips her foe with a spinning back fist. Cutler backs up and then is tagged by a right. She backs away, trying to recover until she is dropped by a perfect left/right hand to the jaw. Ferea lands a shin to the back of the head just as Cutler collapses. She drops to her knees where she stays down permanently, telling referee Steve Mazzagatti she has had enough.

The Official Result

Christine Ferea def. Calie Cutler via TKO (Punches & Kick) 0:49, R4

Gaston Bolanos vs. Damien Earley

Round 1

These two got into a shoving match at the weigh-ins yesterday so this should be a good scrap. They quickly set the tone with punches and kicks of all kinds. They clinch, where Bolanos tosses him to the canvas. Early nails him with a right hand right between the eyes. Bolanos answers with a low kick. They clinch again and grappling ensues. Bolanos digs a left shin to his foe’s ribs. They clinch again where Bolanos gets off a right elbow before they separate. Bolanos delivers a few leg kicks from the outside but Earley sweeps the shorter fighter off his sweep. Bolanos comes right back with a spinning elbow. Very good action; very close round. 10-9 Earley.

Round 2

Bolanos comes right out with a flurry to the face but they all miss. Earley obliges and throws punches of his own before they clinch. Bolanos goes with the ront kick and then a leg kick/right hand to the face. Earley uses his long reach to keep his nemesis away until they clinch. Bolanos quickly slams him down onto his back, but once he gets up, he allows Bolanos to clinch again. They trade blows but an errant knee nails Earley in the groin. The fight resumes, where the lanky Earley dishes out a few leg kicks. They clinch and Bolanos again slams him down. Earley climbs back to his feet and some annoyance crosses his face. Bolanos cracks him with a right hand and some follow-up shots. Earley is hurt and they trade. After a clinch, Bolanos unfurls a huge right hand that floors/ Earley. He is up at seven in seriously hurt. Bolanos goes to the wrong corner, which gives Earley some extra time to recover. When it resumes, Bolanos lands an elbow through the guard. It’s all Bolanos late. 10-8 Bolanos.

Round 3

Bolanos opens the frame with a right to the face, left hook to the body and then a right shin to the thigh. Earley is backing up and looking to regroup but Bolanos is in the zone. Another foot sweep takes Earley off his feet. They trade blows again and Bolanos is cut under his right eye. Earley cracks him with a hard right hand and they go toe-to-toe until they clinch. A cut opens up under Bolanos’ left eye midway through the stanza. Earley is coming alive and lands a left roundhouse kick. Blood is pouring from the wounds on Bolanos’ face. Earley is right in the fight now, seizing control. Left hook to the body from Bolanos but Earley walks right through it. Bolanos goes with the flying knee but it’s blocked and he’s shoved onto his back. Terrific action in a very close round. 10-9 Earley.

Round 4

Bolanos goes to the leg kick early until he swallows a right hand. Earley catches a mid kick and answers with a left hook to the jaw. Earley has to absorb a few toes to the side of the head in order to land a hard leg kick. Bolanos has his cuts under control and he dishes out a nice right to the body/left to the head combo. Earley looks for a push kick but Bolanos tags him with three punches through the guard. A right hand re-opens the cut on Bolanos’ left cheek, leading to a gruesome red river. Earley pops him with a right to the face but Bolanos answers with a low kick and then a punch to the head. Bolanos is covered in blood but he has regained control of the action with his punches and kicks to the body late. 10-9 Bolanos.

Between rounds, Earley is saying that he can’t see. After being looked at by the ref, Earley continues to shake his head “no” and says he can’t see it. Unfortunately, the fight is waived off before the fifth round can start. Replays show the eye injury was likely caused by an unintentional clash of heads.

The Official Result

Gaston Bolanos def. Damien Earley via TKO (eye injury) 3:00, R4

Jason Andrada vs. Anthony Castrejon

Round 1

Hard leg kick by Castrejon immediately into the round. Another. Andrada answers with one of his own. Castrejon goes high with the kick but it’s blocked. Castrejon lands a left jab and is moving well, looking to set up his kicks. Andrada lands a hard right low kick but Castrejon seems unaffected by it. Andrada is slowly getting into a rhythm now, landing kicks to the leg and body. Castrejon has suddenly stopped attacking; instead he’s moving and absorbing kicks to his thighs and shins. Castrejon just misses a vicious head kick near the bell. Very close round. 10-9 Andrada.

Round 2

Castrejon goes low with the kicks again and then pops him with a straight right to the mug. Castrejon lands a hard kick to the ribs and then lands a right hand. Andrada suddenly seems unable to let his attacks go. They move well in the ring, feeling out with jabs and low kicks. The action slows a little bit midway through the frame as they look to set traps. Castrejon lands a nice jabs over a low kick from his foe. Andrada unfurls a nifty overhand right but it’s mostly glancing. Nice left kick to the body, followed by a right to the face by Castrejon near the bell. It likely stole him the round. 10-9 Castrejon.

Round 3

Hard left shin to the gut by Castrejon as soon as the frame starts. Andrada take sit well and throws a right hand, followed by a low kick. Andrada follows his opponent around and then pops him with a left kick to the ribs. Right hand by Castrejon lands, but it’s mostly blocked midway through. Andrada catches a high kick and sweeps Castrejon off his feet. Right to the head, followed by a low kick from Castrejon but Andrada walks right through it. Andrada dishes out a fierce low kick right on the thigh. Castrejon moves well but he’s not letting his strikes go late. Kick to the forearm from Castrejon which leads to a brief exchange before the bell. Another very close round. 10-9 Andrada.

Round 4

They show mutual respect before trading low kicks. Andrada inadvertently lands a kick to the groin dropping Castrejon. After a brief delay, Castrejon continues where they again look for counter opportunities. Castrejon is moving side-to-side while Andrada continues to walk forward, trying to cut the ring off. Andrada goes low with a few more kicks and now it’s Castrejon who isn’t throwing anything in return for a moment. Castrejon digs a high left kick t the ribcage, but has to block a left hook to the face. Andrada delivers another nice low kick with a minute left. Andrada continues to press the action in another close round. 10-9 Andrada.

Round 5

Castrejon’s corner is convinced he has this fight in the bag, but it can realistically go either way. Andrada walks right after his foe, looking to continue to land low kicks. Castrejon moves side-to-side, popping out the jab. Andrada is fighting with more of a sense of urgency a minute in. Castrejon pops him with a nice left jab, but Andrada counters it with a short right hand. Castrejon is playing it safe until he cracks his opponent with a left kick to the body. Andrada answers with a low kick to the thigh. With a minute left, the fight could be hanging in the balance. Andrada closes the gap, trying to force Castrejon to engage. Roundhouse kick from Castrejon late but it’s mostly blocked. Very close round but Andrada gets it. 10-9 Andrada (49-46 Andrada).

The Official Result

Anthony Castrejon def. Jason Andrada via Split Decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47) 3:00, R5

Tiffany Van Soest vs. Bernise Alldis

Round 1

Alldis starts off with a few front kicks to the midsection but they aren’t clean. Alldis is using her lengthy reach early with push kicks and jabs. Van Soest goes with the inside leg kick twice but Alldis sweeps her. Van Soest misses a spinning back elbow when the fight continues but Alldis doesn’t make her pay. Van Soest lands an overhand right but it’s mostly blocked. They clinch, where Alldis dishes out a few knees and elbows. Van Soest lands a hard shot to the gut but the Brit talks it well. Van Soest delivers a stinging right leg kick but Alldis returns fire with two right puch kicks to the chest. They clinch and exchange knees and when they separate, it’s visible that Alldis is cut badly on her right cheek and nose. Van Soest lands a hard left hand and then a spinning back kick to the stomach. Big rally by Tiffany late. 10-9 Van Soest.

Round 2

Replays show a vicious elbows is what sliced open Alldis’ face. Alldis comes right after her foe, but Van Soest lands a glancing left elbow on the inside. They clinch where Van Soest delivers a series of knees to the body. Alldis answers with knees of her own. They break off the clinch and Van Soest immediately crushes the UK fighter with a left to the body. Alldis wants to get inside and clinch, but Van Soest again pops her with an elbow. Alldis lands an elbow to the back of the head after Chris Tognoni told them to break and he gives a stern warning. Alldis comes right after Van Soest once the fight resumes but Van Soest counters her with an elbow and low kick. Alldis looks to clinch again but Tognoni continues to separate them. Van Soest shoots in with a right hand up top and then pops her with a left kick to the thigh. Alldis lands a front kick late but Van Soest answers with a right head kick that is partially blocked. 10-9 Van Soest.

Round 3

Alldis’ face is a busted up mess to start the round but she comes forward. Van Soest powers through the guard with a nice flurry of punches to the face. Alldis clinches, but can’t do any damage on the inside. Van Soest backs away nicely with the jab and an assortment of kicks. Hard left hook to the gut by Van Soest, who is starting to unload the damage big time now. Alldis goes back to the front kick but there’s nothing on it. Van Soest sets up a spinning hook kick to the head but she misses. Alldis continues to plod forward, but she can’t time her foe’s attacks. Another huge left hook to the liver for the American. Another. It’s all Van Soest now. 10-9 Van Soest.

Round 4

Alldis comes right out with a front kick but it falls short. They trade hooks upstairs but Alldis is a step behind. Still bleeding badly, the Brit keeps on coming forward. Van Soest backs up, setting traps whenever she wants. Left hook to the body and then the head for Van Soest. Nice left jab from the American, who follows it up with a left hook to the face and then an elbow. Alldis’s knees buckle as she backs into a corner. Van Soest opens up a furious barrage until Alldis clinches. Alldis’s face is totally filleted and bleeding all over everything. Tognoni calls a halt to have it looked at, and it’s immediately stopped by her corner.

The Official Result

Tiffany Van Soest def. Bernise Alldis via TKO (cuts) 1:44, R4

Jo Nattawut vs. Salah Khalifa

Round 1

Khalifa starts with a nice right hand to the face but he misses the follow-up left. Nattawut’s cool, going to the low kick. Khalifa tags him with a nice right hand but Nattawut nails him with another pair of low kicks. A huge knee rocks Khalifa badly, who is forced to clinch about 45 seconds in. Khalifa is trying to clear his head, but ‘Smokin’ Joe lands a hard right elbow. Khlaifa is in peril and is quickly felled by a right head kick. He is up and looks out on his feet and is about to go. Mazzagatti lets him go and he is immediately pounded by a left push kick to the face. He’s down again and it should be stopped. He’s allowed to continue again. Nattawut is all over him, landing all sorts of punches and kicks. He is about to go any second, though eh somehow survives the round. 10-7 Nattawut.

Round 2

Nattawut opens the round with a vicious left leg kick. Khalifa is still woozy and unwilling to engage. He’s still trying to clear his head, but Nattawut isn’t attacking him. Nice left jab by Nattawut rocks the Brit. Nattawut is gunning for the knockout but he’s taking his time. Khalifa is slowing climbing back into the fight, but he is not able to land anything clean. Nattawut goes with the front kick and then clinches. Khlaifa backs into the ropes and is pounded by three brutal left kicks to the legs. He stumbles almost down, but he catches himself. The Thai fighter is tearing him apart bit by bit with knees, kicks and elbows. Khalifa is still fuzzy at the bell. 10-9 Nattawut.

Round 3

Khalifa paws with a left jab after taking a few low kicks. Right hand by Nattawut forces Khalifa to move out of the corner, but Khalifa can’t retaliate. The Englishman finally opens up some sort of offense with a nifty right kick to the head, but Nattawut takes it. Hard right hand by Khalifa, who is suddenly alive and well at the midway point. Khalifa misses with a left head kick after tasting a jab. Nattawut follows that that a few right hands before the clinch. The action has slowed late as they trade low kicks. Hard left/right to the face at the bell. 10-9 Nattawut.

Round 4

Khalifa paws with the jab and low kick to start the frame. Nattawut answers with a hellacious right kick to the thigh, followed by a right hand to the face. Left hook on the jaw lands cleanly for the Thai fighter, but his follow-up right head kick misses. Left kick to the ribs by Nattawut, but he is knocked down from a left hook. He’s more off-balance and trips, though, and Mazzagatti rules it a slip. Hard right hand by Nattawut rocks Khalifa again but they fall to the canvas during the clinch. Moments later, Khalifa forces Nattawut into the ropes with a hard right hand to the face. Nattawut delivers a nasty mid kick to the arms and then a right hand to the face late. 10-9 Nattawut.

Round 5

Khalifa clearly needs a knockout in order to win this thing and his corner is yelling at him to do so. He comes right out to the center of the ring, but cautiously approaches his foe. Nattawut is taking his time, not looking to make a mistake. They trade kicks to the body before Khalifa tags him with a right hand to the head. Khalifa is starting to press the issue more a minute in and cracks him with a left hook as he comes in. At the midway point, Nattawut pops him with a straight right hand through the guard. Nattawut crushes his foe’s ribs with a nasty right kick with a minute left. Double jab by the Thai with 40 seconds left. Khalifa showing no desperation late, clearly needing a KO to win. Khalifa, bleeding from the nose, can’t landing anything meaningful as time expires. 10-9 Nattawut Nattawut 50-43.

The Official Result

Jo Nattawut def. Salah Khalifa via Unanimous Decision (50-43, 50-43, 50-43) 3:00, R5 who captures the new Lion Fight super welterweight championship