Van Soest (right) (photo via Lion Fight)

By Lion Fight (via press release)

LAS VEGAS, NV – Scott Kent, CEO of Lion Fight Promotions, today announced he is introducing a women’s championship division and that the undefeated rising star of women’s Muay Thai, Tiffany Van Soest, will face Lucy Payne for the first ever Lion Fight Featherweight title. Van Soest and Payne are set to fight each other at LION FIGHT 10 on Friday, July 26 live from the Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and as part of the nationally televised card on AXS TV starting at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.

“As we continue to grow the sport of Muay Thai, and with so many talented female professional fighters asking for fights in our promotion, the time is right to build a women’s championship division in Lion Fight,” said Kent. “Today we announced that the July 26 bout between Tiffany Van Soest and Lucy Payne is now a title fight and that the winner will be the first Lion Fight Women’s World Featherweight Champion. Van Soest is undefeated and is an aggressive, determined fighter who pushes for the knockout, and Payne is a six foot tall, 21-year old World Muay Thai Champion who’s coming all the way from England to win this belt. I don’t think anyone will argue that this is the perfect matchup to start Lion Fight’s female championship division.”

Tickets for Lion Fight’s full rules Muay Thai event “LION FIGHT 10” are on sale now and available for purchase through the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino box office, at all Ticketmaster outlets(800-745-3000) and online atTicketmaster.com.

Van Soest (6-0), fighting out of the famed Blackhouse gym in Southern California, returns to Lion Fight’s full rules Muay Thai ring after back to back knockouts. She finished Canada’s Natalie Yip in the third round at Lion Fight 9, and stopped Alexis Rufus with a perfectly timed head kick followed by a right hand in the fourth round at Lion Fight 8. Van Soest is coming to Las Vegas to continue her winning streak and add a new item to her wardrobe.

“It’s no secret that women love accessories, so with the first women’s Lion Fight belt on the line, it makes this fight so much more competitive and exciting,” said Van Soest. “It’s an honor that Scott Kent is starting a women’s championship division with this fight, and I am grateful for the opportunity. I just hope that after the fight I can find shoes to match my brand new belt!”

Lucy Payne (20-5), fighting out of the Touchgloves gym in Penzance, England, has been practicing Muay Thai since she was 13 years old. She trains under Julie Kitchen, a 14-time World Champion in Muay Thai and kickboxing. Payne has been competing in Muay Thai since she was 16 years and last year claimed the World Kore Muay Thai title by defeating German rival Meryem Uslu. She is also an aggressive fighter who keeps moving forward for the knockout. Payne is looking to end Van Soest’s winning streak and score gold at Lion Fight 10.

“I’m excited to come to the United States and to fight Tiffany Van Soest for this Lion Fight title,” said Payne. “I know Tiffany is going to bring her A-game but there is no way she’s going to beat me on live TV and keep me from that belt. I’m going to knock her out and take the Lion Fight title back to my home in England.”

In the LION FIGHT 10 main event, Muay Thai legend Yodsanklai Fairtex fights Chike Lindsay for the first ever Lion Fight middleweight belt. In the much-anticipated co-main event, Kevin Ross returns to the ring looking for his third consecutive Lion Fight win after back-to-back victories over Bernie Mendieta at LION FIGHT 9 and Chris Kwiatkowski at LION FIGHT 8. Ross is a two-time WBC Muay Thai Champion and will be facing Canadian Muay Thai prodigy Matt Embree.

The live card also features the return of 28-year old 6’2” Joe Schilling, the Interim WBC Light Heavyweight Champion and hugely popular fighter based in Southern California against Charles Byrd. Also, Malaipet Sasiprapa will fight Calgary, Alberta, Canada’s Hakeem Eawodu and Ognjen Topic will take on Coke Chunhawat of Oakland, Calif.

LION FIGHT 10 takes place Friday, July 26 from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas and will air live on AXS TV starting at 10:00pm ET/7:00pm PT. AXS TV can be found on DirecTV channel 340 and Dish Network channel 362.