Lion Fight 14 Results and Recap

Lion Fight 14 took place last night in Las Vegas, NV. The night’s main event featured a bout between France’s Gregory Choplin and Suriname’s Marco Pique. Choplin was able to out point Pique to take home a unanimous decision victory. With the win, Choplin has now won three consecutive fights while Pique has a three fight win streak snapped with the loss.

In the night’s co-main event Jorina Baars and Cris “Cyborg” Justino met in a five round affair that demonstrated how technique can outweigh strength and aggression. Justino came out with her trademark aggression, but Baars was more than happy to sit back and counter her attacks. Baars officially knocked down Justino in the first round with a head kick and in the fifth round with a spinning heel kick, although referee Tony Weeks missed at least two other occasions throughout the fight where a knockdown should have been issued. Justino hit the canvas from a teep in one occasion and from a knee on another, both times they were ruled slips by the referee. When it was all over it was clear that Baars had done everything needed to win the fight and the judges agreed as they awarded her a unanimous decision.

Shane Oblonsky shocked the Muay Thai world by defeating Malaipet Sasiprapa by unanimous decision. The consensus coming into the fight was that Malaipet would defeat Oblonsky, but that was not how things played out. Oblonsky pushed the pace through the fight backing up Malaipet and continuously firing punches, kicks and anything he could get off to keep the action going in his favor. It was a tremendous performance by Oblonsky, especially after not having fought in over a year.

In other action Victor Saravia made his professional debut with an upset victory over Anthony Castrejon. Saravia showcased his power after knocking down Castrejon on multiple occasions and stopping him in the third round. Gaston Bolanos also made a successful pro debut with a fourth round (T)KO over Brian Del Rosario.

Results:
Gregory Choplin def. Marco Pique via Unanimous Decision
Jorina Baars def. Cris “Cyborg” Justino via Unanimous Decision
Shane Oblonsky def. Malaipet Sasiprapa via Unanimous Decision
Eddie Abasolo def. Jonathon Wyderko via Unanimous Decision
Victor Saravia def. Anthony Castrejon via KO at 2:43 of Rd. 3
Gaston Bolanos def. Brian Del Rosario via (T)KO at 1:57 of Rd. 4

Lion Fight 14 Fight Card Update

Lion Fight Promotions is set for its next event, Lion Fight 14 takes place a the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas on March 28th. The event features Gregory Choplin vs. Marco Pique as its main event. Choplin is a Lion Fight veteran, making his 5th appearance with the promotion. Pique makes his debut for the organization, hoping to add a 4th win to his recent 3-fight win streak.

Cristiane "Cyborg" Justino returns to Lion Fight to face Jorina Baars (25-0-3 in Muay Thai). Baars, no stranger to Muay Thai and wins over reputable opponents, should stand to be a formidable challenge to Cyborg's dominance in the ring.

Fight Card:

Gregory Choplin vs. Marco Pique

Cristiane "Cyborg" Justino vs. Jorina Baars

Malaipet Sasiprapa vs. Shane Oblonsky

Anthony Castrejon vs. Victor Saravia

Michele Gutierrez vs. Larissa Freitas

Jonathon Wyderko vs. Eddie Abasolo

Gaston Bolanos vs. Brian Del Rosario

Gregory Choplin vs. Marco Pique and Cris "Cyborg" Justino vs. Jorina Baars set for Lion Fight 14

Lion Fight Promotions is set to return on March 28th with Lion Fight 14. The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas will once again play host to the promotion. The night's main event will feature Gregory Choplin vs. Marco Pique and the co-main event will feature Cris "Cyborg" Justino vs. Jorina Baars for the Lion Fight Women's Welterweight Title.
Choplin last fought in March of 2013 when he defeated Gil Silva by decision in France. His last appearance for Lion Fight was in January of 2013 when he was stopped by Yodsanklai in the third round. Pique last competed in September of 2013 when he defeated Dima Weimer in Germany, snapping a seven fight losing streak.
Justino last fought for Lion Fight in September at Lion Fight 11 when she defeated Jennifer Colomb with ease by third round (T)KO. Baars is a dutch striker who trains under Ruud Talans.

Keep checking back here on Muay Thai Authority to stay up to date on Lion Fight 14.

Updated Super Middleweight Rankings 10/14/2013

Only one change since the last super middleweight rankings update. Previous number two ranked Joseph Valtellini jumps tot he number one spot after his huge win over Karim Ghajii at Glory 11. Valtellini has now won four consecutive fights, three of them under Glory. All three of his wins in Glory have come by (T)KO. 

Former number one Gregory Choplin drops to the number two spot in the rankings after going 1-1 in the last year.

1. Joseph Valtellini (10-1) (@BazookaJoeV)

Since suffering the first loss of his career over a year ago to Gregory Choplin, Valtellini has been on a tear. Now on a four fight win streak with his most recent victory being a very impressive stoppage of Karim Ghajji at Glory 11 it is safe to say that “Bazooka Joe” has arrived. While a re-match with Choplin would be nice it seems like Valtellini has his eyes set on currently Glory #1 Nieky Holzken. Rumors are that Valtellini will be participating in the Glory 4-man tournament in Japan at the end of the year, which could lead to the match up with Holzken.

2. Gregory Choplin (56-11)

Since the last update the Miami based Choplin has gone 1-1 with his loss coming at the hands of Yodsanklai Fairtex by (T)KO at Lion Fight 8. What is next for Choplin is currently unknown. Recently a scheduled bout in France against Duochonlek fell through for this past September.

3. Francois Ambang (9-3)

After winning the Road to Glory tournament Ambang was chopped down by Joseph Valtellini leg kicks in his official Glory debut. Despite the setback, Ambang is a dangerous fighter with KO power. His next fight is currently unknown, but it shouldn’t be long before we see this heavy hitter back in the ring.

4. Brett Hlavacek (7-1) (@BrettXThreat)

Hlavacek rebounded from his first career loss in the Road to Glory tournament with a unanimous decision win over Paul Marfort at Glory 9. Hlavacek is one of the east coast’s top up and coming fighters. It should be interesting to see who he fights next, the right fight could really put Hlavacek on the map for fans not familiar with the east coast striking scene.

5. Anthony Nieves (7-3)

Nieves has suffered back to back losses for the first time in his career. He lost a decision to Steve Hall at Bangkok Fight Night GP this past September and lost another decision to Marcus Fisher in the quarterfinals of the Road to Glory USA welterweight tournament this past March. Nieves was set to re-match Hall at Bangkok Fight Night: All Stars, but the event was cancelled. When he will step in the ring again is unknown.

Rankings qualification - Muay Thai and Kickboxing bouts are all taken into consideration for the rankings. These rankings are not only based on Muay Thai Fights as many fighters compete in both full rules Muay Thai and Kickboxing bouts. Fighters are not to be inactive for any period longer than 12 months or they will be dropped from the rankings unless a fight is schedule within a month from the date they become ineligible. Fighters must be born in North America or permanently reside in North America and be active in the North American fight circuit are eligible for the rankings.   

Updated North American P4P Rankings 7/5/2013

Some changes to the pound for pound rankings since the last update. Spots one though six go unchanged, Andrew Tate and Shane Campbell each move up one slot to take the seven and eight positions. Joseph Valtellini and Michael Mananquil re-enter the pound for pound rankings at nine and ten. After a three fight losing streak Romie Adanza slides off the rankings, and after a 1-3 stretch Joe Schilling falls off the rankings as well.

1. Simon Marcus (34-0) (@SimonMarcusNo1)
After jumping becoming the number one light heavyweight in the world Marcus has fought twice. He first defeated Dmitry Valent in China by decision and most recently Suriya Prasathinphimai by decision in Thailand. The “Bad Bwoy” is rumored to be fighting on the next Push Kick Promotions card in September, but no opponent has been named for him as of yet. The match up fans want to see is Simon Marcus vs. Steven Wakeling, but other interesting matches would be against Damian Bujan of Argentina, or L'houcine "Aussie" Ouzgni

2. Ky Hollenbeck (15-2-1)
Hollenbeck has clearly established himself as the top name from the United States. Most recently he lost to Giorgio Petrosyan in the Glory Final 8 when he suffered a knee injury in the second round. Aside from a knockdown in round one, Hollenbeck was going toe-to-toe with Petrosyan. His unique style has served him well in his career, earning (T)KO victories over Michael Corley and Cyrus Washington earlier in the year. When he will be back in action is unknown yet as he had to undergo surgery to repair his ACL, but you can be certain that Hollenbeck will only be involved in big fights.

3. Gregory Choplin (55-10)
Now based out of Miami, Choplin was riding a nice four fight win streak before being knocked out by Yodsanklai at Lion Fight 8 this past January. Since then Choplin got back on the winning track with a decision victory over Gil Silva. Choplin is expected to fight Thai fighter Duochonlek at WBC World Muay Thai Millennium Championship this upcoming September in France. 

4. Matt Embree (23-4) (@MT_Matics)
Embree saw his first action of 2013 at Push Kick Promotions “World Stand Off” where he defeated Ben Yelle by unanimous decision. Known for his technical style, “Matics” has expressed interest in fighting only the best. Embree will battle Kevin Ross at Lion Fight 10 to end the debate of who the best 140lb fighter is in North America. The fight will be televised on AXS TV.

5. Kevin Ross (19-8) (@DaSoulAssassin)
Ross returned from ACL surgery in January to take home a unanimous decision over Chris Kwiatkowski at Lion Fight 8. In his most recent at Lion Fight 9 he went the distance against Bernie Mendieta and pulled out a razor thin split decision. With two fights under his belt now Ross will take on Matt Embree in a fight that fans have been asking for. The winner will undoubtedly be considered the best 140lb fighter in North America.

6. Chike Lindsay (19-4)
Lindsay is currently riding a five fight win streak which includes wins over Muay Thai legend Somluck Kamsing and Christophe Pruvost. Lindsay scored a (T)KO over James Martinez at Bangkok Fight Night “Shockwave” in his most recent win. Lindsay is one of America’s best talents and will be put to the test when he faces Yodsanklai Fairtex at Lion Fight 10 on July 26^th. If Lindsay can pull out a victory over a legend like Yodsanklai his stock would rise tremendously.

7. Andrew Tate (17-3-1) (@CobraTate)
American Andrew Tate has been based out of England for quite some time now and has made his name fighting internationally. After losing in the finals of the Enfusion tournament this past December, Tate has now won back to back fights. His most recent win coming
 at the Enfusion London event in which he defeated Marlon Hunt in a decisive unanimous decision. His next fight is currently not known, but should continue to be a main stay for Enfusion.

8. Shane Campbell (49-10) (@ShaolinStyleMMA)
Shane Campbell has gone 5-0 since returning to Muay Thai after a three year hiatus. In January he defeated Remy Bonnel by unanimous decision at Lion Fight 9, he then defeated Sean McKinnon by unanimous decision to win the Journey Fight Series 160lb tournament in March. His most recent win came over Justin Greskiewicz at the K-1 qualifiers in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He stopped Greskiewicz with knees in the first round. Campbell’s next bout is currently unknown.

9. Joseph Valtellini (9-1) (@BazookaJoeV)
Valtellini is currently on a three fight win streak and is 2-0 since joining the Glory ranks. After earning an impressive stoppage of veteran Murat Direkci at Glory 6 in Istanbul, Valtellini scored a stoppage over Francois Ambang due to leg kicks at Glory 9 in New York. One of the sports brightest young talents, Valtellini is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with and a fan favorite. His next bout is currently unknown but is expected to be for Glory.

10. Michael Mananquil (19-4)
Michael Mananquil is now 5-0 since moving to the 154lb division. He most recently won the Road to Glory USA 154lb tournament. Despite being known as a technical fighter, Mananquil has shown that he is not afraid to let the leather fly and get involved in an all out war. One of the most intriguing fights at 154 would be against Chike Lindsay. Currently Mananquil’s next fight is unknown but will take most likely take place for Glory when he makes is official debut for them.

Rankings qualification - Muay Thai and Kickboxing bouts are all taken into consideration for the rankings. These rankings are not only based on Muay Thai Fights as many fighters compete in both full rules Muay Thai and Kickboxing bouts. Fighters are not to be inactive for any period longer than 12 months or they will be dropped from the rankings unless a fight is schedule within a month from the date they become ineligible. Fighters must be born in North America or permanently reside in North America and are active in the North American fight circuit are eligible for the rankings.

North American Super Middleweight Rankings 4/30/2013

Quite a few changes since the original super middleweight rankings were published. With Gregory Choplin eligible for the rankings now he jumps into the number one spot. Joseph Valtellini drops to the number two spot after his loss to Choplin and Francois Ambang enters the rankings in the number three spot after winning the Road to Glory USA tournament. Dorian Price falls off the rankings due to inactivity. With Choplin and Ambang’s additions, former number five Cyrus Washington falls out of the rankings as Anthony Nieves slides down into the number five spot.

1. Gregory Choplin (55-10)

Now permanently residing in the United States, Choplin has fought consistently in America and Canada in the last few years. After winning four consecutive fights including wins over Chris Ngimbi, Chaz Mulkey, and Joseph Valtellini, Choplin lost to Yodsanklai Fairtex by knockout at Lion Fight 8. Regardless of the loss to Yodsanklai, Choplin remains one of the top fighters based out of the United States and North America. He most recently defeated Gil Silva by decision at Le Choc des Légendes 2013 in France, and is currently set to fight Luis Reis at Championnat Du Monde on May 4th.

2. Joseph Valtellini (8-1) (@BazookaJoeV)

After suffering his first career loss at the hands of Gregory Choplin by decision at Lion Fight 7 in October of 2012, Valtellini bounced back with a one sided drumming of Mehdi Baghdad at Muay Thai in America: In Honor of the King in December. Valtellini was then signed by Glory and made his debut for the promotion at Glory 6 in Turkey with an impressive (T)KO victory over Kickboxing veteran Murat Direkci. Valtellini is slated to return to action in June at Glory 9 in New York when he takes on Road to Glory USA welterweight tournament winner Francois Ambang.

3. Francois Ambang (9-2)

Ambang recently won the Road to Glory USA welterweight tournament by scoring two (T)KO victories and one decision in the process. He defeated the like of Marcus Fisher and Brett Hlavacek to win the tournament, and is now slated to face Joseph Valtellini in June at Glory 9 in New York. Ambang packs power in his punches and it should be interesting to see him matched up with another heavy hitter like Valtellini.

4. Brett Hlavacek (6-1) (@BrettXThreat)

Hlavacek was seen by many as the favorite to win the Road to Glory USA tournament but came up short in the finals against Francois Ambang. Despite the loss Glory was impressed and he is now set to fight at Glory 9 in New York this June. Hlavacek will be taking on Florida’s Paul Malfort. Fans should be interested to see how Hlavacek rebounds from his first career loss.

5. Anthony Nieves (7-3)

Nieves has suffered back to back losses for the first time in his career. He lost a decision to Steve Hall at Bangkok Fight Night GP this past September and lost another decision to Marcus Fisher in the quarterfinals of the Road to Glory USA welterweight tournament this past March. When Nieves will step back in the ring is currently unknown. 

 
Rankings qualification - Muay Thai and Kickboxing bouts are all taken into consideration for the rankings. These rankings are not only based on Muay Thai Fights as many fighters compete in both full rules Muay Thai and Kickboxing bouts. Fighters are not to be inactive for any period longer than 12 months or they will be dropped from the rankings unless a fight is schedule within a month from the date they become ineligible. Fighters must be born in North America or permanently reside in North America and are active in the North American fight circuit are eligible for the rankings. 

Updated North American P4P Rankings 3/25/2013

There has been some shake up in our P4P rankings since the last update in November. Michael Mananquil, Eddie Walker, and Jesse Miles have all fallen off the rankings, while Andrew Tate, Chike Lindsay, and Kevin Ross all enter the rankings. Tate and Lindsay enter the rankings for the first time although both have been established top level competitors for quite some time. Ross makes his return to the rankings after previously having fallen off due to inactivity. Still holding the number one spot is Simon Marcus. After his most recent victory over Artem Levin, Marcus has silenced any doubters.
 

1. Simon Marcus (32-0) (@SimonMarcusNo1)
Marcus laid claim to not only being the number one North American fighter, but the best light heavyweight in the world with his recent win over Artem Levin at Lion Fight 9. He has proven that his game in the clinch is nearly unstoppable, and right now it seems his next challenge lies in the UK’s Steve Wakeling. No word on when the “Bad Bwoy” will fight next or against whom, but if it isn’t against Steve Wakeling other interesting matches would be against Damian Bujan of Argentina, or L'houcine "Aussie" Ouzgni. .
 

2. Ky Hollenbeck (15-2-1)
Hollenbeck has clearly established himself as the top name from the United States. Most recently he lost to Giorgio Petrosyan in the Glory Final 8 when he suffered a knee injury in the second round. Aside from a knockdown in round one, Hollenbeck was going toe-to-toe with Petrosyan. His unique style has served him well in his career, earning (T)KO victories over Michael Corley and Cyrus Washington earlier in the year. When he will be back in action is unknown yet as he had to undergo surgery to repair his ACL, but you can be certain that Hollenbeck will only be involved in big fights.
 

3. Gregory Choplin (55-10)
Now based out of Miami, Choplin was riding a nice four fight win streak before being knocked out by Yodsanklai at Lion Fight 8 this past January. Since then Choplin got back on the winning track with a decision victory over Gil Silva. There is no word when Choplin’s next bout will take place, but with his fight anyone personality don’t be surprised to see continuously see Choplin in the ring with big names.
 

4. Matt Embree (23-4)
Embree saw his first action of 2013 at Push Kick Promotions “World Stand Off” where he defeated Ben Yelle by unanimous decision. Known for his technical style, “Matics” has expressed interest in fighting only the best. Right now the bout everyone seems to be talking about is Embree vs. Kevin Ross and it seems that it could happen sooner than later, although his next bout is not confirmed just yet.
 

5. Kevin Ross (19-8) (@DaSoulAssassin)
Ross returned from ACL surgery in January to take home a unanimous decision over Chris Kwiatkowski at Lion Fight 8. In his most recent at Lion Fight 9 he went the distance against Bernie Mendieta and pulled out a razor thin split decision. With two fights under his belt now a fight against Matt Embree seems to be what many fans are asking for now. Although the next fight for Ross is not set yet, he is expected to be back in action under the Lion Fight banner come May.
 

6. Chike Lindsay (19-4)
Lindsay is currently riding a four fight win streak which includes wins over Muay Thai legend Somluck Kamsing and Christophe Pruvost. Lindsay out pointed Somluck in his most recent victory to take home the decision and is now scheduled to fight James Martinez at Bangkok Fight Night “Shockwave”. Lindsay is one of America’s best talents and is also expected to be in action in Thailand later this year.
 

7. Romie Adanza (13-4)
The exciting Adanza has been in a rough patch as of late, after losses in Muay Thai and K-1. A controversial decision loss in his rematch with Thanit Whattanaya was the first, while a second in K-1, originally set to face Andy Howson for a rematch; Adanza's opponent was changed to a re-match with Shuichi Wentz when Howson was forced to withdraw due to injury. Wentz ended Adanza’s night 23 seconds into the fight when he connected with a perfectly time head kick. Adanza will look to right the ship when he steps into the erring against Jomhod Sigami at M-One “Reborn” this upcoming May 16th.
 

8. Andrew Tate (16-3-1) (@CobraTate)
American Andrew Tate has been based out of England for quite some time now and has made his name fighting internationally. In December he came up short in the finals for the Enfusion tournament. He most recently defeated Vincent Petitjean in France and is currently scheduled to fight Marino Schouten on the upcoming Enfusion fight card in England on March 30th.

9. Shane Campbell (48-10) (@ShaolinStyleMMA)
Shane Campbell has gone 4-0 since returning to Muay Thai after a three year hiatus. In January he defeated Remy Bonnel by unanimous decision at Lion Fight 9, and most recently he defeated Sean McKinnon by unanimous decision to win the Journey Fight Series 160lb tournament. What is currently next for Campbell is unknown, but a fight against top opposition should be expected.

10. Joe Schilling (13-5)
2012 was a rough year in the ring for Schilling. After his dominating win over Kaoklai to end 2011, Schilling went 1-3. Two of those losses were to Simon Marcus back to back. He then defeated Karapet Karapetchyan by decision at Battle of the Belts in Thailand, while most recently taking a KO loss to Eddie Walker at Lion Fight 8. Schilling was set to fight Edwin Aguilar at Lion Fight 9 but was not licensed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. He now expected to return to action at Lion Fight’s May show against Edwin Aguilar.

Rankings qualification - Muay Thai and Kickboxing bouts are all taken into consideration for the rankings. These rankings are not only based on Muay Thai Fights as many fighters compete in both full rules Muay Thai and Kickboxing bouts. Fighters are not to be inactive for any period longer than 12 months or they will be dropped from the rankings unless a fight is schedule within a month from the date they become ineligible. Fighters must be born in North America or permanently reside in North America and are active in the North American fight circuit are eligible for the rankings.

Lion Fight 8 Results and Recap: Yodsanklai Fairtex impressive in American debut

Lion Fight 8 was in full swing tonight at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The event was Lion Fight’s debut on AXS TV as well as the American debut of Muay Thai legend Yodsanklai Fairtex.

In the main event of the night Yodsanklai took on Gregory Choplin and although Choplin was able to hang tough to start the fight, Yodsanklai was able to break him down and score a knockout in the third round. Yodsanklai attacked with heavy kicks early to the head and body. In the second round it seemed Choplin was able to get into a grove moving well and landing solid kicks and punches of his own, but in the third round Yodsanklai took over. A right hook dropped Choplin and then after he recovered Yodsanklai pounced and put him down for good with a right to the head and a left to the body. Great way for Yodsanklai to follow up his KO of Kem Sitsongpeenong.

In the night’s co-main event Tiffany Van Soest and Alexis Rufus were in a tightly contested fight up until the fourth round. Rufus seemed to be getting the better of Van Soest in the clinch as she continuously worked knees and continued to push forward, but in a split second things were over. Van Soest rocked Rufus with a head kick and then dropped her with a right hand. Rufus was unable to beat the count and Van Soest walked away with an impressive knockout victory to remain undefeated.

Kevin Ross had a successful return after a year long layoff in which he went through surgery to repair his ACL. Ross was able to out point Chris Kwiatkowski for five rounds using solid boxing and leg kicks. Despite being out struck Kwiatkowski hung tough until the final bell. Good showing for Ross in his comeback fight.

Shane Campbell and Remy Bonnel fought for five hard rounds with Campbell walking away with a unanimous decision victory. Campbell pressed forward the entire fight using some solid boxing and leg kicks to take home the win. Campbell ended the fight with a nice spinning heel kick in what was a great performance by the man they call “Shaolin.”

Malaipet Sasiprapa defeated Vishnu Gulati in the second round with low kicks after it was clear that Gulati injured his shin after Malaipet checked one of his kicks. Malaipet immediately went on the attack and was able to force a referee stoppage after four knockdowns in the round.

In other action Vivian Leung out struck Kate McGray to take home a unanimous decision. Jason Andrada won his pro debut with an elbow knockout in the first round over Cody Moberly, and Josh Shepard won his pro debut by majority decision over Damien Earley.

Results:

Pro Fights
Yodsanklai Fairtex def. Gregory Choplin via KO at 2:40 of Rd. 3
Tiffany Van Soest def. Alexis Rufus via KO at 2:05 of Rd. 4
Kevin Ross def. Chris Kwiatkowski via Unanimous Decision
Shane Campbell def. Remy Bonnel via Unanimous Decision
Vivian Leung def. Kate McGray via Unanimous Decision
Malaipet Sasiprapa def. Vishnu Gulati via (T)KO (Leg Kicks) at 1:57 of Rd. 2
Jason Andrada def. Cody Moberly via KO (Elbow) at 2:59 of Rd. 1
Josh Shepard def. Damien Earley via Majority Decision

Amateur Fights
Nick Chasteen def. Jonathan Parsons via Unanimous Decision
Fanny Tommasino def. Jessica Rico via Unanimous Decision
Jason Caldwell def. Ron Cruz via Unanimous Decision
Chris Martin def. Tony Berceau via Unanimous Decision

Pictures: Lion Fight 8 weigh-ins

Scott Hirano was on hand to cover the weigh-ins for Lion Fight 8. The event will air live on AXS TV and will feature the American debut of Muay Thai legend Yodsanklai Fairtex as he takes on Gregory Choplin. The event will also feature an exciting women's bout between Tiffany Van Soest and Alexis Rufus as well as the return of Kevin Ross as he takes on Chris Kwiatkowski. It is a stacked fight card from top to bottom with some of the best in the world as well as some of the best young up and coming talent. All of the action goes down tommorrow at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

"Lion Fight 8" fight card set with 8 pro bouts; Ross vs. Kwiatkowski, Bonnel vs. Campbell and Malaipet vs. Gulati all official

Lion Fight Promotions (@LFPLasVegas) has been on a tear as of late. First they announced that their January 25th event “Lion Fight 8” would be broadcast live on AXS TV, and then they announced their main even fight of Yodsanklai vs. Gregory Choplin. Now they have released their full fight card and it is a great card from top to bottom.

Aside from the previously confirmed bouts of Yodsanklai vs. Gregory Choplin and Tiffany Van Soest (@TiffTimeBomb) vs. Alexis Rufus, the previously rumored bout between Kevin Ross (@DaSoulAssassin) and Chris Kwiatkowski is now official.

Ross has not competed since October of 2011 when he fought Sagetdao Petchpayathai and will be looking to return to action against New York’s Kwiatkowski. The fight is expected to be the biggest of Kwiatkowski’s career, this past weekend he dropped a decision to Jose Palacios, but a win vs. Ross will definitely thrust him into the spotlight in the American Muay Thai scene.

Remy Bonnel will also be returning to action after nearly a year and a half off. Welcoming Bonnel back to action will be Shane Campbell (@ShaolinStyleMMA) who recently made a successful return to Muay Thai after taking a few years off to focus on MMA. This should be an exciting fight as Campbell’s aggressive style should force the very technical Bonnel into and exciting bout.

Also returning from a long hiatus is World Team USA fighter Vishnu Gulati who has not competed in over two years. Taking on Gulati is Malaipet Sasiprapa, who will be looking to continue his recent resurgence. Malaipet lost his last outing back in June by decision to Chike Lindsay, but will be looking to bounce back this weekend when he takes on Cesar Figueroa in Mexico.

The eight fight pro card will be rounded out with a female bout featuring Vivian Leung vs. Kate McGray and the pro debuts of two Las Vegas locals. Josh Shepard will be making his pro debut against Damien Early (@Early_Damien) and Jason Andrada will be making his pro debut against Thiago Azeredo.

Fight Card:
Yodsanklai Fairtex vs. Gregory Choplin
Tiffany Van Soest vs. Alexis Rufus
Kevin Ross vs. Chris Kwiatkowski
Remy Bonnel vs. Shane Campbell
Malaipet vs. Vishnu Gulati
Vivian Leung vs. Kate McGray
Jason Andrada vs. Thiago Azeredo

Josh Shepard vs. Damien Early

You can read the official press release from Lion Fight Promotions below.

LION FIGHT ANNOUNCES “LION FIGHT 8”
HISTORIC MUAY THAI EVENT PREMIERING ON AXS TV

LIVE AT THE JOINT IN THE HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO IN LAS VEGAS

FRIDAY, JANUARY 25 - 10:00 P.M. ET
TICKETS ON SALE THROUGH TICKETMASTER STARTING DEC. 14

MAIN: YODSANKLAI FAIRTEX vs. GREGORY CHOPLIN
CO-MAIN: TIFFANY VAN SOEST vs. ALEXIS RUFUS
KEVIN ROSS vs. CHRIS KWIATKOWSKI
REMY BONNELL vs. SHANE CAMPBELL
MALAIPET vs. VISHNU GULATI
VIVIAN LEUNG vs. KATE MCGRAY
JASON ANDRADA vs. THIAGO AZEREDO
JOSH SHEPARD vs. DAMIEN EARLEY  

LAS VEGAS – Lion Fight Promotions today revealed Muay Thai’s first all-star event of the New Year with the announcement of its complete line-up of fights for “LION FIGHT 8.” This is the fight card making history for Lion Fight and the one stamping it as a national Muay Thai promotion as “LION FIGHT 8” premieres LIVE on AXS TV. The event will be held inside the world famous “The Joint” in the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Friday, January 25th and will go live on AXS TV starting at 10:00 p.m. ET.

As previously announced on Inside MMA, the ‘Lion Fight 8’ main event will be a show-stopping stand-up collision between Thai legend Yodsanklai Fairtex and multiple Thai Champion Gregory Choplin. The co-main event will feature two of the fiercest female Muay Thai fighters with WBC Muay Thai Champion Tiffany Van Soest taking on Alexis Rufus.

“Christine Toledo has packed this Lion Fight card and it is going to give fight fans in this country and the 38 million viewers of AXS TV an introduction to Muay Thai - the most exciting stand up fighting style in the world,” said Scott Kent, Owner, Lion Fight Promotions. “Lion Fight has achieved another first for Muay Thai in America by bringing in some of the best international fighters along with the best fighters in the United States, such as Kevin Ross and Tiffany Van Soest. I appreciate Mark Cuban and Andrew Simon for making Lion Fight a part of their sports programming and look forward to a very successful night on Friday, January 25th!”

Tickets for Lion Fight’s full rules Muay Thai event LION FIGHT 8 will go on sale Friday, December 14 beginning at 12:00 p.m. PT. Tickets will be available for purchase through the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino box office, at all Ticketmaster outlets (800-745-3000) and online at Ticketmaster.com.

This first televised Lion Fight Muay Thai event comprises a stacked undercard featuring the top talent of the stand-up world, including Las Vegas native Kevin Ross, who just signed a long-term contract with Lion Fight, as well as his East Coast opposite Chris Kwiatkowski, fighting out of New York City. Following are the bouts that will lead up to the co-main and main event action of LION FIGHT 8:

Kevin Ross (Dublin, CA by way of Las Vegas, NV) vs. Chris Kwiatkowski (NYC) -- 147 lbs
Remy Bonnel (Miami, FL) vs. Shane Campbell (Edmonton, Alberta, CANADA) -- 154 lbs
Malaipet (Fresno, CA) vs. Vishnu Gulati (San Francisco, CA) -- 147 lbs
Vivian Leung (Las Vegas, NV) vs. Kate McGray (Los Angeles, CA) -- 118 lbs
Jason Andrada (Las Vegas, NV) (PRO DEBUT) vs. Thiago Azeredo (Phoenix, AZ) -- 120 lbs
Josh Shepard (Las Vegas, NV) (PRO DEBUT) vs. Damien Earley (Phoenix, AZ) -- 156 lbs

For more information on Lion Fight Promotions, please visit lionfightpromotions.com and follow on Twitter @LFPLasVegas and Facebook at Facebook.com/LionFightPromotions.

About Lion Fight Promotions
Lion Fight Promotions, LLC is a Muay Thai fight promotion based out of Las Vegas, Nevada. Founded by Scott Kent, who serves as the Chief Executive Officer, the company's vision is to grow the sport of Muay Thai in America and increase its level of exposure and appreciation to the broad base of fight fans around the world.

About AXS TV Fight
AXS TV Fights is renowned for its universally recognized Friday Night Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing events. As Your Home For MMA, AXS TV utilizes an expansive network of promotions from the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia to broadcast more LIVE fights than any other television network. "The Voice" Michael Schiavello and five-time MMA world-champion Pat Miletich provide viewers expert play-by-play, in depth fighter coverage and extensive analysis to each fight card. AXS TV broadcasts world-class LIVE fight events from Legacy Fighting Championship, Resurrection Fighting Alliance, XFC, Maximum Fighting Championship, BAMMA, The Score Fighting Series and It's Showtime every Friday night, at 7PM PT/10PM ET.

AXS TV Fights can be found online at www.axs.tv, on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/axstvfights and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/axstvfights.

For media inquiries please email pr@lionfightpromotions.com

Yodsanklai vs. Gregory Choplin official for "Lion Fight 8" main event, Tiffany Van Soest vs. Alexis Rufus to serve as co-main event

Lion Fight Promotions (@LFPLasVegas) has announced that a fight between Muay Thai superstar Yodsanklai Fairtex and Gregory Choplin will serve as the main event at “Lion Fight 8.” The event which will take place at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on January 25, 2013 will air live on AXS TV. The night’s co-main event will feature a female bout between Tiffany Van Soest (@TiffTimeBomb) and Alexis Rufus (@AlexisRufus).

For Yodsanklai this bout will be his debut on American soil. He was originally expected to compete as part of the now defunct Muaythai Premier League, but an injury forced him to withdraw from the bout. Before making his American debut, Yodsanklai will fight Kem Sitsongpeenong in Thailand at the end of December. Gregory Choplin is currently riding a four fight win streak with his latest victory coming over Joseph Valtellini at Lion Fight 7 this past October.

Van Soest will look to continue her winning ways against Rufus. At Lion Fight 7, Van Soest defeated Jeri Sitzes by unanimous decision to win the WBC International Bantamweight Title. Rufus who hails from London, England is fresh off a unanimous decision victory this past Saturday at Smash Muay Thai 2 where she defeated Kate Stables.

Updated North America P4P Rankings 11/20/2012

Since our last update in March to the P4P rankings, there has been a lot of shake up. Simon Marcus takes the number 1 spot, while new entrants Eddie Walker, Shane Campbell and Gregory Choplin join the ranks. Michael Mananquil returns to the list after a successful comeback following a year long layoff. Falling out of the rankings is Joseph Valtellini following a loss to Choplin, Chaz Mulkey after going 1-2 in his last three, Josh Palmer after three consecutive losses, and Kevin Ross after being inactive for one year (Ross will become eligible for the rankings again following his next fight).
 

1. Simon Marcus (28-0)
It has been a huge year for Marcus as he has established his dominating presence in the North American Muay Thai scene. Marcus has not competed since his second victory over Joe Schilling at Lion Fight Muay Thai VI. In the re-match, the “Bad Bwoy” hit the canvas in the first round but rallied back to win a majority decision. A bout with Artem Levin in June was scrapped, but now is scheduled to take place December 21st in Russia after the previously announced November date was postponed. Before Marcus can focus on Levin he will have to get past Sadibou Sy at MTIA: In Honor of the King on December 1st in Los Angeles. It should prove to be a good test for Marcus after several months off.
 

2. Ky Hollenbeck (15-2-1)
Hollenbeck has clearly established himself as the top name from the United States. Most recently he lost to Giorgio Petrosyan in the Glory Final 8 when he suffered a knee injury in the second round. Aside form a knockdown in round one, Hollenbeck was going toe-to-toe with Petrosyan. His unique style has served him well in his career, earning (T)KO victories over Michael Corley and Cyrus Washington earlier in the year. When he will be back in action is unknown yet, but expect nothing but big fights for Hollenbeck from now on.

3. Gregory Choplin (54-9)
With Choplin permanently residing in the U.S. now, he becomes eligible for the rankings. Choplin is currently riding a four-fight winning streak with his latest win coming via decision over Joseph Valtellini at Lion Fight Muay Thai 7. Choplin is a serious threat to anyone in the 160-165lb weight range. His next fight is currently unknown.

 

 

 

4. Matt Embree (22-4)
Embree has had a solid 2012 campaign, establishing himself as one of the best in his weight class in North America. The Siam no. 1 fighter has gone 3-1 in 2012 with his only loss coming by decision to Lerdsila Chumpairtour. He most recently defeated Nate Smandych by unanimous decision at Journey Fight Series VIII. He is expected to face Greg Wooton at MTIA: In Honor of the King on December 1st in Los Angeles.

 

5. Romie Adanza (13-4)
The exciting Adanza has been in a rough patch as of late, after losses in Muay Thai and K-1. A controversial decision loss in his rematch with Thanit Whattanaya was the first, while a second in K-1, originally set to face Andy Howson for a rematch, Adanza's opponent was changed to a re-match with Shuichi Wentz when Howson was forced to withdraw due to injury. Wentz ended Adanza’s night 23 seconds into the fight when he connected with a perfectly time head kick. Adanza’s next bout is currently unknown, but a re-match with Andy Howson is something fans have been looking forward to.

6. Eddie Walker (9-1-1) (@EddieShowtime)
Walker punched his way into the rankings with a short right hand. Despite having been knocked down twice and being clearly behind on the score cards, he was able to rally and knock out Joe Schilling at Lion Fight Muay Thai 7. Knocking out one of the top names in America now opens up some possibilities for the fighter out of Georgia. Whether a re-match with Schilling or a crack at someone like Simon Marcus, fans are curious to see if Walker can power his way to the top. Was it a lucky punch as his detractors seem to think or does he really have dynamite in those fists as his supporters are stating? Regardless of what happens next, all eyes are going to be on Eddie Walker. 

7. Joe Schilling (13-4)
It has been a rough year in the ring for Schilling. After his dominating win over Kaoklai to end 2011, Schilling has gone 1-3, with two losses to Simon Marcus. He then defeated Karapet Karapetchyan by decision at Battle of the Belts in Thailand, while most recently taking a KO loss to Eddie Walker. What’s next for Schilling is not known, but a potential re-match with Walker in the future is something that might be a possibility.

 

8. Jesse Miles (14-3)
Miles hasn’t competed since exciting knockout victory over Wattana Sit Jor at the Jawbreaker 3 event in Canada. The win followed his run on the TV reality show :"The Challenger Muaythai." Currently Miles next fight is still to be determined, although in the last year he has taken some high profile fights and fans shouldn’t be surprised if that happens once again.

 

 

9. Shane Campbell (46-10) (@ShaolinStyleMMA)
Campbell returned to Muay Thai after nearly a three year hiatus to focus on MMA. He was a last minute replacement for the Journey Fight Series 160lb tournament. In the opening round he scored a knockout of Nate Chambers, then defeated Troy Sheridan in the tournament semi-finals by decision to advance to the finale against Sean McKinnon in 2013. Campbell’s aggressive style and powerful punching is something his opponents need to take note of. Currently there is no word if he will take a Muay Thai or Kickboxing bout before he meets McKinnon in March.

10. Michael Mananquil (22-4)
Mananquil returned to action in 2012 after a year-long layoff. His first fight back was against arguably the best fighter from Mexico, Luis Bio. Despite moving up to 154lbs, Mananquil was able to score a (T)KO in the third round via a cut. He then faced Scotty Leffler at the K-1: Los Angeles event where he won a decision over Leffler in a very exciting fight. Mananquil showed he can fight a technical fight or let the leather sling, if needed. With Mananquil seeming like he might be permanently making the move from 147lbs to 154lbs. A re-match with Shane Campbell might be an interesting possibility. Campbell handed Mananquil the first loss of his career. His next fight is yet unknown but there are many possibilities for him.

Rankings qualification - Muay Thai and Kickboxing bouts are all taken into consideration for the rankings. These rankings are not only based on Muay Thai Fights as many fighters compete in both full rules Muay Thai and Kickboxing bouts. Fighters are not to be inactive for any period longer than 12 months or they will be dropped from the rankings unless a fight is schedule within a month from the date they become ineligible. Fighter's that compete in two weight classes will be assigned a weight class that they compete in regularly or hold a major title in. Fighters that permanently reside in North America are eligible for the rankings.

*If you are currently ranked in a weight class and would like to switch weight classes please notify Rankings@MuayThaiAuthority.com. Switching weight classes does not guarantee you will be ranked in the new weight class.