ONE Fight Night 26 results and recap: Christian Lee vs. Alibeg Rasulov

On Friday night, reigning two-division ONE world champion Christian Lee made his long-awaited return to mixed martial arts.

Headlining a loaded ONE Fight Night 26 card on Prime Video, ‘The Warrior’ put his ONE lightweight MMA world title on the line against undefeated sensation Alibeg Rasulov in a bout that had fight fans on the edge of their seat — for as long as it lasted.

Round 1: Lee opens up the action with a leg kick and stings Rasulov with a jab, knocking the challenger off balance. Lee moves in and fishes for an early takedown. Rasulov stays upright and lands a nice elbow on the break. Lee goes back to the lead leg attack and Rasulov misses with the counter right hand. Lee lands a right hand. Lee lands a couple of big right hands that fail to connect and Rasulov comes back with a high kick that ‘The Warrior’ blocks.

Rasulov lands with a grazing overhand right and Lee clinches up. Rasulov uses an overhook to defend the takedown attempt and Lee backs off. Lee catches Rasulov on the jaw with a right and gets Rasulov to the mat momentarily with another takedown attempt, but Rasulov bounces back up almost immediately and separates.

Lee lands a stinging calf kick and then follows it up with a right hand that tags Rasulov. Lee fires one more low kick before the bell sounds.

Round 2: Rasulov tries to start the round going first instead of countering, but it’s Lee who strikes first with a glancing head kick. Lee lands a right hand over the top before clinching up once again against the ropes. Lee backs away and eats Rasulov's right hand. While in close, Lee connects with a knee up the middle and returns to the lead leg attack. That takes Rasulov off balance long enough for ‘The Warrior’ to land a short left that sends Rasulov reeling.

Rasulov initiates his first clinch of the fight and Lee fights to try and break away. Rasulov’s leg looks especially busted up with a massive bruise just above his knee. Rasulov throws a combination, but Lee ducks under and lands his first takedown of the fight. Rasulov pops right back up and separates. Rasulov approaches and lands a left hook and then a right hand. Rasulov appears to be finding success with the right and Lee attempts to fire one of his own right down the middle.

With only seconds left in the round, Lee inadvertently pokes Rasulov in the eye bringing the bout to a pause. As the ringside physician checks Rasulov, it is determined that Rasulov can no longer continue.

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ONE Fight Night 26 - Christian Lee vs. Alibeg Rasulov Official Result

With the bout coming to an abrupt and anticlimactic end due to an eye poke in the second round, the bout was ruled a no-contest. Certainly not the result anyone wanted to see — especially Lee, who had been waiting two years for this moment.

Speaking with Mitch Chilson immediately following the announcement, Lee apologized to his opponent but is confident that he was on track to win the fight and hopes to set up a rematch with Rasulov before long.

Official Result: Christian Lee vs. Alibeg Rasulov is ruled a no-contest due to an unintentional eye-poke in the second round.