Friday Night Fights Results: Kwiatkowski stops Martinez

Friday Night Fights took place once again this past Friday in New York. The main event for the night featured Chris Kwiatkowski against veteran James Martinez. Kwiatkowski scored (T)KO victory over Martinez in the third round due to leg kicks. With the win Kwiatkowski has now won three consecutive fights.

In other action Elijah Clarke continued to impress as he scored a unanimous decision over Georgui Smaguin, and Quinton O'Brien defeated Ariel Sepulveda by split decision.

Results:

Chris Kwiatkowski def. James Martinez via (T)KO (Leg Kicks) in Rd. 3

Elijah Clarke def. Georgui Smaguin via Unanimous Decision

Quinton O'Brien def. Ariel Sepulveda via Split Decision

Chris Kwiatkowski vs. James Martinez set for Friday Night Fights September 19th event in New York

Friday Night Fights has announced that the main event for their September 19th New York fight card will be Chris Kwiatkowski vs. James Martinez. The fight card will also feature two additional pro fights  that are Ariel Sepulvida vs. Quinton O'Brien and Elijah Clarke vs. Georgui Smaguin.

Kwiatkowski will return to action for the first time since January when he defeated Justin Greskiewicz by decision at the Friday Night Fights season opener. Martinez a Muay Thai veteran has become a journey man in the past few years and will be looking to play spoiler to Kwiatkowski in front of the Polish Punisher's home crowd.

Fight Card:

Chris Kwiatkowski vs. James Martinez

Ariel Sepulvida vs. Quinton O'Brien

Elijah Clarke vs. Georgui Smaguin

Friday Night Fights 2014 Season Opener re-scheduled for January 31st

Friday Night Fights has re-scheduled their 2014 season opener. Originally scheduled for January 17th the event will now take place January 31st. The only confirmed bout for the event is Chris Kwiatkowski vs. Justin Greskiewicz. 

Kwiatkowski will look to build upon his win at the Friday Night Fights 2013 Season Finale earlier this month. Kwiatkowski defeated Omar Vega by first round (T)KO after Vega suffered a broken arm blocking a head kick from Kwiatkowski. Greskiewicz will be looking to end a two fight skid when he faces Kwiatkowski, most recently he dropped a decision to Eddie Martinez under the Take-On Promotions banner this past September.

Chris Kwiatkowski vs. Justin Greskiewicz set for Friday Night Fights 2014 Season Opener

by Nathan Aripez

Friday Night Fights will kick off their 2014 season opener with a main event bout featuring Chris Kwiatkowski and Justin Greskiewicz. The event will take place January 17th at the Broad Street Ballroom in New York, NY.

Kwiatkowski will look to build upon his win at the Friday Night Fights 2013 Season Finale earlier this month. Kwiatkowski defeated Omar Vega by first round (T)KO after Vega suffered a broken arm blocking a head kick from Kwiatkowski. Greskiewicz will be looking to end a two fight skid when he faces Kwiatkowski, most recently he dropped a decision to Eddie Martinez under the Take-On Promotions banner this past September.

Friday Night Fights 2013 Season Finale Results

The Friday Night Fights 2013 Season Finale took place last night in New York at The Modern. The main event featured a bout between two of New York's most popular fighters, Joe Sampieri and Aaron Fisher had city bragging rights on the line and when it was all over it Sampieri who walked away the winner. For five rounds Sampieri controlled the fight using elbows in the clinch and sweeps to stifle Fisher to earn a unanimous decison.

Chris Kwiatkowski got back on the winning track with a (T)KO over Omar Vega. It took a little over a minute into the first round for Kwiatkowski to deliver a kick that broke the arm of Vega. With the win Kwiatkowski ends a two fight losing streak. 

Chris Mauceri improved his pro record to 5-0 with a win over Turan Hasanov. Originally scheduled to face Deshawn Robinson, Hasanov took the fight on short notice. Mauceri was able to stay a step ahead of Hasanov through the fight. He used constant pressure to dictate the fight and looked strong in the clinch with a steady dose of elbows. In the end it was a unanimous verdict for Mauceri.

Results:

Joe Sampieri def. Aaron Fisher via Unanimous Decision

Chris Kwiatkowski def. Omar Vega via (T)KO at 1:03 of Rd. 1

Chris Mauceri def. Turan Hasanov via Unanimous Decision

10 Facts with Chris Kwiatkowski

New York’s Chris Kwiatkowski is up next in our 10 facts segment. The man known as the “Polish Punisher” has made his rounds around the world fighting and has become a fan favorite in his home state. Known for his never back down attitude and move forward style, Chris will be stepping back in the ring on December 13, 2013 to take on Omar Vega at the Friday Night Fights season finale.

Now let’s get on with the facts, Chris is definitely someone you can call an interesting person and a world traveler. From Wall Street to the ring he has had a unique journey in the fight game.

1. I am rather superstitious. I’ve worn the same underwear (for 8 years) on fight night that I wore since I fought in Thailand in 2004 (won by KO). I recently threw them out because the elastic no longer worked.

2. I got drunk for the first time when I was 12 years old.

3. I grew up in the punk rock hardcore scene & used to sport a narrow punk rock Mohawk.

4. My mother threw me out of the house for sporting that Mohawk. So I lived with my father for awhile.

5. I’ve travelled to 49 different countries.

6. I went to Catholic High School & Grammar School, where I played the saxophone.

7. I used to work on Wall Street for 10 years, now I‘m in real estate development building towers in Manhattan.

8. I drank 150 beers at McSorley’s Ale House to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the bar with 5 of my equally stupid friends.

9. I was captain of the track & field team at NYU, & held a couple of university records for 10 years.

10. I took circus class at NYU. So I know how to tight rope, juggle between two people, trapeze… you name it.

Pictures: Chris Kwiatkowski training for Friday Night Fights season finale fight against Omar Vega

Chris Kwiatkowski will return to action on December 13 against Omar Vega at the Friday Night Fights season finale. Scott Hirano was able to catch up with Kwiatkowski for a training session at Church Street Boxing in New York. Check out Scott's pics of Chris as he trains for his upcoming fight. 

Make sure to check out Chris Kwiatkowski's official Facebook fan page here.

Chris Kwiatkowski vs. Omar Vega set for Friday Night Fights 2013 Season Finale

Friday Night Fights has officially announced Chris Kwiatkowski vs. Omar Vega for their 2013 season finale. The fight joins the already announced main event bout between Joe Sampieri and Aaron Fisher.

Kwiatkowski will be looking to break a two fight skid after having lost his last two fights by decision to Jose Palacios and Kevin Ross. The man known as "The Polish Punisher" has not been very active this year, but will be looking to end the year on a big win. 

The Friday Night Fights 2013 season finale takes place December 13 at The Modern in New York.

Fight Card:
Joe Sampieri vs.  Aaron Fisher

Chris Kwiatkowski vs. Omar Vega

Joe Sampieri vs. Aaron Fisher set for Friday Night Fights December 13 event

Friday Night Fights has set the promotions season finale for December 13 at The Modern in New York, NY. The night's main event has been confirmed as Joe Sampieri vs. Aaron Fisher, two of New York's most popular fighters. Chris Kwiatkowski is also expected to be in action on the night, but Friday Night Fights has yet to announce an opponent for him. 

Sampieri was last in action this past August when he scored a second round  (T)KO over James Martinez. Fisher was last in action in May for Friday Night Fights when he returned to the ring after a lengthy layoff to to capture a unanimous decision over Harris Norwood.

North American Welterweight Rankings 5/22/2013

Quite a few changes to the rankings have occurred since the last update. Former number one Michael Mananquil is no longer in the welterweight rankings after being moved up to the super welterweight rankings. Justin Greskiewicz enters the rankings after being moved up from the super lightweight division and Liam Tarrant enters the rankings. With those changes Malaipet takes the number one spot, Greskiewicz moves into the number two spot, and Jose Palacios holds at the number three spot. Liam Tarrant takes the number four spot after back to back losses Chris Kwiatkowski drop to number five, while former number five Artem Sharoshkin falls off the rankings after back to back losses including one by KO.

1. Malaipet Sasiprapa (141-28-5)
Malaipet has won his last two fights, he defeated Vishnu Gulati by (T)KO in January at Lion Fight 8 and most recently defeated Sean Kearney via decision in March under the Push Kick Promotions banner. Malaipet just signed an exclusive contract with Lion Fight, and is scheduled to fight Hakeem Dawodu at Lion Fight 10 in July. Malaipet seems to have really turned this around after a bad slump a few years back.
 

2. Justin Greskiewicz (18-10-3) (@MuayThaiStayFly)
Justin Greskiewicz suffered a nasty cut over his eye lid his last fight out against Salah Khalifa at Muay Thai in America: In Honor of the King. Previous to his bout with Salah he had defeated Bryce Krause by (T)KO at K-1 Los Angeles in September of 2012. Greskiewicz has steadily moved up in weight class from 140 to 147, at times even competing as high as 154lbs. Currently there is no time table as to when “The Purple People Eater” plans to return to action, but knowing him as soon as he is ready all he needs is a phone call from a promoter because Greskiewicz truly embodies the fighting spirit of anyone, anywhere anytime.
 

3. Jose Palacios (7-5) (@JEPalacios)
Jose Palacios recently ventured up to 154lbs to competed in the Road to Glory tournament. He won his first fight against Ben Yelle by decision, but was eliminated from the tournament by Troy Sheridan in the semi-finals by decision. Palacios next bout is currently unknown, but with heavy hands and a nice counter fighting style he poses a risk to anyone that steps into the ring with him.

4. Liam Tarrant (4-0)
Liam Tarrant has looked stellar since turning pro. His most recent victory was at the Friday Night Fights 2013 season opener in which he defeated Deshawn Robinson by decision after things were looking bleak early on. Tarrant showed he had moxie by surviving two first round knockdowns and battling back from the brink of defeat to win the bout. Tarrant’s next bout is currently unknown, but he looks poised to continue to make waves in the super lightweight division.
 

5. Chris Kwiatkowski (8-4-1)
Chris Kwiatkowski has dropped back to back fights for the first time in his career. He lost a decision to Jose Palacios at Friday Night Fights to end 2012, and in January of 2013 dropped a decision to Kevin Ross at Lion Fight 8. Kwiatkowski is approaching the end of his career, but odds are he doesn’t want to go out on a loss. There is no return date set for “The Polish Punisher”, but expect him to come out more determined than ever to win his next time out. 

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.

Pictures: Lion Fight 8

Scott Hirano was ringside at Lion Fight 8 to shoot all of the action of Lion Fight 8. The event was Lion Fights debut on national television as the event was broadcast live on AXS TV. It also featured the American debut of Muay Thai legend Yodsanklai Fairtex. You can check out a slide show of all of Scott's photos below.

Also make sure to go like Scott Hirano's official facebook page.

 Pro Fights

  

Amateur Fights

 

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.

3 bouts to keep your eye on at Lion Fight 8

Lion Fight 8 (@LFPLasVegas) will feature a fight card with eight pro bouts, the most since the promotion began in 2011. The event will feature the American debut of Yodsanklai Fairtex as he takes on Gregory Choplin. All of the fights on the card are great, but here are three that fans should keep their eye on come the 25th of January.

Kevin Ross (@DaSoulAssassin) vs. Chris Kwiatkowski
Kevin Ross has been out for over a year and will returning from knee surgery. Fans are anxious to see the return of Ross and if he will look like his old self when he gets back in the ring. Chris Kwiatkowski is being considered by many a warm up fight for Ross as he eases his way back into action. Kwiatkowski, however, stated in an interview MyMuayThai.com “I’m just coming in to rain on the parade.” If he is indeed able to defeat Ross it would really make things interesting and raise a lot of questions. Regardless of the outcome both fighters are exciting in the ring and this fight should prove to be full of fireworks.

Remy Bonnel vs. Shane Campbell (@ShaolinStyleMMA)

Remy Bonnel has not competed since his split decision loss to Chaz Mulkey at Lion Fight Promotions “Battle in the Desert 3” in August of 2011. Campbell returned to Muay Thai action in June after a few years of focusing on MMA and has gone 2-0 since returning. If Campbell can pull out the win there are various interesting match-ups that should follow within the North American 154-160lb weight class. If Bonnel pulls of the win then he is again back in the mix as one of the best active 154lb fighters based out of North America.

Josh Shepard vs. Damien Earley (@Earley_Damien)
Josh Shepard will be making his pro debut while Damien Earley will be fighting in his second pro bout. Both fighters have potential to be part of the next wave of North American talent to make an impact. Both fighters have exciting styles and this bout could easily end up being the fight of the night. Don’t be surprised if five years from now one or both of these fighters are considered two of the top North American fighters.

"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

Updated North American Welterweight Rankings 12/9/2012

Since the last update (7/26/2012) to the welterweight rankings Jose Palacios enters the top five again after his victory with Chris Kwiatkowski at the Friday Night Fights 2012 season finale. Former number five Scotty Leffler drops of the rankings, while former number two Kwiatkowski drops two spots down to number four and Artem Sharoshkin drops a spot to number five. 

1. Michael Mananquil (23-4)
Mananquil followed up his victory over Luis Bio with a win at K-1 Los Angeles over Scotty Leffler. Although Mananquil is known for his technical style he showed that he can bang when needed to. In a fight that was not stop action from start to finish, Mananquil strayed from his technical style and traded leather with Leffler for three rounds, proving he can win with technique or win by slugging it out if needed to.

2. Malaipet Sasiprapa (139-28-5)
Malaipet lost his re-match to Chike Lindsay this past June, but will be looking to bounce back against Jose Figueroa when they meet December 15 in Mexico. Malaipet is a stiff test for anyone he steps in the ring with and has shown that with minimal training is still a game opponent. Not to mention he truly embodies the spirit of fight anyone anytime. He stepped up on two days notice and agreed to face Ky Hollenbeck this past August, although the fight ended up not happening.

 

3. Jose Palacios (6-4) (@JEPalacios)
Jose Palacios enters the rankings again after his win over Chris Kwiatkowski at the Friday Night Fights season finale. Palacios was crisp with his leg kicks and although known as a great counter fighter he took the center of the ring and pushed the pace. Palacios next bout is currently unknown, but there are many possibilities for him in both the super lightweight and welterweight divisions.

4. Chris Kwiatkowski (8-3-1)
Kwiatkowski dropped a decision to Jose Palacios in his last outing. Kwiatkowski is more than likely coming to the end of his career soon so expect him to take as many high profile fights as possible before he hangs up the gloves. He is currently rumored to be fighting Kevin Ross at Lion Fight 8, but nothing has been made official by Lion Fight.

5. Artem Sharoshkin (4-2-1) (@ArtemSharoshkin)
Sharoshkin won a 4-man tournament back in August by defeating Jose Davidson by decision and Chris Culley by (T)KO in one night. Most recently he dropped a decision to Yinghua Tie at WCK “Matter of Pride” in October. The young Russian born fighter has great boxing and his aggressive style makes him a fan favorite. His next fight is currently unknown, but he should continue to improve with age and be a forced to be reckoned with for years.

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. 

Results and Recap: Friday Nights Season Finale 2012

Friday Night Fights (@FridaysFights) held their season finale last night in New York and fans were in for a treat. Despite the event losing a fight between Eric Utsch and Alex Berrios in the days leading up to the event. Jose Palacios (@JEPalacios) vs. Chris Kwiatkowski served as the night’s main event.

Palacios went to work early on Kwiatkowski’s lead leg with kicks and it paid off. It was evident as the fight went into the later rounds that the continuous leg kicks affected Kwiatkowski. Despite taking damage to his leg Kwiatkowski continued to search for an opening until the final bell, but it was clear Palacios was in control. Kwiatkowski searched for an opening to land his right hand and on occasion it connected, but Palacios absorbed it and continued to fire back with punches of his own or leg kicks. It was a great win for Palacios after not having fought since February of this year. With the victory Palacios wins the WKA North American Welterweight Championship.

In the night’s co-main event Villi Bello played spoiler to Josh Fitzsimmons' pro debut. Fitzsimmons had a spectacular amateur career and looked to have a successful pro debut, but Bello had other plans. Bello immediately came out firing hard leg kicks and punches. Fitzsimmons, however, looked to press forward and let his hands go something that Bello welcomed. Bello landed a right hand that put Fitzsimmons on the mat for a standing eight count. In the second frame Bello continued to work the leg kicks and again scored a knockdown after connecting with a right hand on Fitzsimmons. Bello continued to move forward throwing strikes with bad intentions as he continued to take control of the fight. The third and final round saw both men trade shots and in the end Villi Bello was awarded a unanimous decision victory.

Kevin Ross signs multi-fight deal, fight with Chris Kwiatkowski rumored for Lion Fight 8 on AXS TV

Lion Fight Promotions (@LFPLasVegas) has officially announced they have signed Kevin Ross (@DaSoulAssassin) to a multi-fight deal and that he will be fighting at "Lion Fight 8." Although no official announcment has been made by Lion Fight Promotions regarding his opponent, it is rumored that New York's Chris Kwiatkowski will be facing Ross in his return to the ring. 

The bout will air live on AXS TV and will serve as part of the main card of "Lion Fight 8,"  which will be headlined by Yodsanklai vs. Gregory Choplin. "Lion Fight 8" will take place at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on January 25, 2013.

Ross has not competed since October of 2011 and recently recovered from ACL surgery. His last fight was against highly regarded Thai champion Sagetdao Petchpayathai. Everyone will have their eyes on Ross to see if he looks like his old self when he steps into the ring on January 25th.

A long time staple of the east coast fight scene, Kwiatkowski will be looking to spoil the return of Ross as he makes his first appearance for Lion Fight Promotions. Currently Kwiatkowski is scheduled to fight Jose Palacios (@JEPalacios) this upcoming Friday at the Friday Night Fights season finale.

Current Fight Card:

Yodsanklai Fairtex vs. Gregory Choplin

Tiffany Van Soest vs. Alexis Rufus

Kevin Ross vs. Chris Kwiatkowski

You can read the official press release from Lion Fight Promotions regarding the signing of Kevin Ross below.

LION FIGHT SIGNS MUAY THAI CHAMPION KEVIN ROSS

LAS VEGAS – Adding yet another superstar to his growing roster of top-ranked Muay Thai athletes, Scott Kent, Owner of Lion Fight Promotions, today announced that he has signed Kevin Ross to a long-term multi-fight contract. The multiple-weight division Muay Thai champion now fights exclusively with Lion Fight, starting with “Lion Fight 8” the promotion’s next fight Friday, January 25, 2013, presented on AXS TV and live from Inside the Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

“Kevin Ross, more than any other American, has sought out and fought the best Muay Thai fighters in the world, said Kent. “He has been an icon for Muay Thai in the U.S. for years and we are thrilled to have him on the Lion Fight team.”

Ross said, “I can not express how happy I am that I can finally return to Muay Thai after having ACL Surgery. This is the sport I love, and it is my life. My goal has always been to fight the best opponents, for the best promotions to help prove to the International Muay Thai community that Americans can fight the best in the world...and can be the best in the world. Lion Fight has offered me a home and a fantastic platform to continue to follow my passion, they are working towards getting our sport the exposure it deserves and are building something really special and I am very happy to do my part and help them build it."

Kevin "The Soul Assassin" Ross (38-9, with 12 KOs) fights out of Dublin, California. The 5’10” fighter is currently ranked 10th in the world by the WBC for Muay Thai in the Super-Lightweight Division (140 lbs, 63.503 kg). Among Kevin’s titles is the Super Light Weight (140 pounds) WBC International championship Title, the Welterweight (147 pounds) WBC USA National championship Title, the FIDAM Welterweight championship of Mexico and the United States Muay Thai Federation (USMF) Welterweight champion.

It was announced on AXS TV’s Inside MMA show Monday night that Lion Fight 8 will air live on its network Friday, January 25 and that Yodsanklai Fairtex will take on France’s Gregory Choplin as the headlining main event and that Tiffany Van Soest will face Alexis Rufus in the evening’s co-main event. (View the AXS TV Clip here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnqtLiwmAts&feature=youtu.be).

Ross joins Tiffany Van Soest as the second fighter to be signed to a long-term contract to Lion Fight, and the promotion is in the process of signing numerous other top-ranked Muay Thai fighters to the organization. Those announcements will be made public as soon as they are official.

For more information about Lion Fight, please visit http://www.lionfightpromotions.com and follow on Twitter @LFPLasVegas.

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.

Media inquiries please email pr@lionfightpromotions.com.

Chris Kwiatkowski talks upcoming bout with Jose Palacios

Chris Kwiatkowski will be fighting Jose Palacios this upcoming weekend at the Friday Night Fights season finale. The bout was originally schedule for November 2nd, but the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy postponed the event. Chris took some time from his preparation for the upcoming bout with Jose to answer a few question for Muay Thai Authority.

MTA: You are fighting Jose Palacios on December 7th, how familiar are you with Jose?

Chris: I know a little about Jose. I know he has heavy hands, & that he has a San Shou background. He does a lot of spin kicks & side kicks. There are a few videos of him on the internet, so I saw those. I know he is a good fighter & has been in the game for awhile.

MTA: Jose is a west coast fighter; do you look at this fight as east vs. west at all?

Chris: With all the talk going around about the East Coast/West Coast rivalry, it’s hard not to acknowledge it. The promoters, the media, everyone is fueling the fire. It’s a good way to sell tickets & create controversy. I like the fight because it mixes the two talent pools, & therefore makes USA Muay Thai stronger, which has always been my motivation. I think we need to see more fights between east & west coast fighters. But I understand why it hasn’t really happened in the past, due to the cost of travel for the fighters & coaches.

MTA: Palacios has a solid reputation out west; do you see this fight as a way for you to cement your reputation out west?

Chris: I always want to challenge myself & fight better opponents as I progress. I think Palacios is a great opponent at this time in my career. He is an excellent North American fighter with a great resume. Being able to fight him will only bring up my game. I guess it may solidify my reputation on the west coast, when I put in a good performance. But I learned a long time ago, not to be too concerned on how others view me, especially in the fight game. As long as I know that I’m doing the right things & that I’m on the right path.

MTA: With the disruption of the original event date due to Hurricane Sandy, did it make anything more difficult preparing for the new rescheduled date of the fight?

Chris: I think when there is any last minute cancellation of an event it affects you mentally. You train to peak mentally & physically on a given date & when that date doesn’t come, there needs to be a release. There is no release similar to a fight, so I just had to deal with it. Starting camp again on the Monday after the cancelled fight date was a bit tough. But like any day that I am not particularly motivated to hit the gym, I just hit it. I had to push myself a bit for the first few days back. After that it was business as usual. I look at myself as more of an optimist, so I welcomed the added training time.

MTA: You went and got blessed for this fight. Is that something you do for every fight and do you feel it helps your in ring performance?

Chris: I get blessed before almost every fight. I also get my gear that I will be fighting in the ring with blessed. I have a few Sak Yant tattoos that were done by monks that are blessed. I think these things help me when I fight. They help me relax, give me confidence, & help me when I need to dig deep.

MTA: Is this going to be your last fight of the year or are you hoping to squeeze one in before the year is over?

Chris: I tend to take it one fight at a time. I will make that decision after the fight. My goal after my surgery was to be a little more active at the end of the year. It’s easier to train when you’re coming into a fight in shape & I like to go back to back with fights, so it’s definitely in the cards.

MTA: Now we heard that regardless if you win or lose you don't do re-matches, is that true and if so why?

Chris: Yeah, that is true that I do not do rematches. When I first started fighting I was just doing it for the experience of the fight. I still do it for the experience. I like the challenge that the fight brings & the way different fighters have different styles. I feel when it is “go” time, that’s the time to fight. If I can’t get it done, or if my opponent can’t get it done that night, so be it, on to the next one. No reason to do the same dance.

MTA: Any words for your supporters?

Chris: I’d like to thank everyone for their continued support. Without the support of those who buy the tickets or the PPV’s or pay tuition at a gym to learn the art that I’ve grown to love, there wouldn’t be a developed Muay Thai scene in the United States. And without that, USA Muay Thai would not be competing on the international level. It all starts from the ground up.

Alex Berrios vs. Eric Utsch and Chris Kwiatkowski vs. Jose Palacios set for December 7th FNFMT event

Friday Night Fights Muay Thai (@FridaysFights) was forced to move their November 2nd event back to December 7th due to the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. In addition to the bout between Chris Kwiatkowski and Jose Palacios (@JEPalacios) which was originally scheduled for November 2nd, Alex Berrios and Eric Utsch (@UtschEric) will square off.

Berrios will be looking for this third win of the year, his most recent victory coming over Warren Thompson back in June under the Bangkok Fight Night banner. Utsch is coming off a controversial loss to Sean Hinds back in June under the Friday Night Fights banner.

The event will take place at The Hall at St. Paul, and it has not been confirmed which fight will serve as the night’s main event.