“This was a clear win” - Christian Lee says he was on his way to a successful world title defense if not for accidental eye poke

Christian Lee didn't get the return he wanted at ONE Fight Night 26.

The reigning two-division MMA world champion had his defense of the ONE lightweight MMA world title cut short after an accidental eye poke against Alibeg Rasulov in the card's main event this past weekend.

Lee was setting up his counters when he inadvertently poked Rasulov's left eye during their exchange at Lumpinee Stadium.

Taking to Instagram, Christian Lee wrote he was confident he was on his way to successfully defend the ONE lightweight MMA world title if he didn't inadvertently poke Rasulov in the eye.

Instead of a return win, Lee settled for a no-contest in his highly anticipated comeback after a two-year hiatus.

Lee, who also holds the ONE welterweight MMA world title, wrote:

"The fight was ruled a no-contest due to an accidental eye poke, but I absolutely believe I was winning the fight and en route to a finish. The leg was damaged, and the eye was damaged before the 'eye poke.' In my mind, this was a clear win. Now on to the next. #ONEFIGHTNIGHT26"

Lee was at his usual self and dominated the early part of the fight with his striking, but Rasulov mounted a comeback and found relative success with his boxing.

Things, however, came to an abrupt end when Lee accidentally hit Rasulov in the eye when he was trying to feint for his counters.

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Christian Lee stresses that eye poke on Alibeg Rasulov was completely unintentional

Christian Lee stressed that it wasn't his intention to have his world title defense end in a no-contest.

In his in-ring interview with Mitch Chilson, Lee said the eye poke on Alibeg Rasulov in the main event of ONE Fight Night 26 was completely unintentional and happened purely out of accident.

"Well, first off, thank you Thailand! Thank you everyone who came out for this fight I appreciate the support. Second, to my opponent, very tough. I'm sorry that about the eye poke, it was a completely unintentional. That's not how I wanted to fight to go," said Lee.

ONE Fight Night 26 is available on free replay to all Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.