Christian Lee vs Alibeg Rasulov at ONE Fight Night 26 Ends in No Contest
The main event of ONE Championship show ONE Fight Night 26: Lee vs Rasulov earlier today ended in a no-contest.
Alibeg Rasulov decided not to continue fighting after defending ONE Lightweight MMA world champion Christian Lee inadvertently poked him in the eye with moments to go in the second round.
The fight’s disappointing ending came after an intense battle in which the two men showcased their impressive striking skills.
Lee wobbled Rasulov with a powerful left jab early in the first round, but Rasulov returned the favor with a vicious left hook then landed a boxing combination and defended well against the champion’s takedown attempts.
In the second round, Rasulov looked more dangerous, finding ways to attack Lee. The Turkish star employed the clinch and hit the titleholder from close range.
After attempting a takedown again, Lee tried to finish Rasulov with punches to the side of the head but the challenger escaped unscathed and connected with a big right punch.
The turning point occurred when Lee unintentionally poked Rasulov’s left eye. After a brief injury time, the challenger decided against continuing the fight.
After the matchup concluded, Lee apologized to Rasulov and expressed his wish to face the Turkish star in a rematch for the world title in 2025.
