LEXINGTON, Ky. — Chillicothe native Chaz “The Hippie” Staten picked up another victory over the weekend, earning a unanimous decision over Alex Rose at New Line Cagefighting 48 in Lexington, Kentucky.
Staten, who trains with Roundtown Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA, said the performance was one of the most complete and confident of his fighting career.
“I feel like it was about as perfect for me as I could ask for,” Staten said.
According to Staten, he established himself early, landing a hard kick to Rose’s body before finding continued success with his right hand and additional body attacks throughout the fight.
“The first kick I hit him with welted his body, and I hit him with big right hands the whole fight and lots of shots to the body,” Staten said.
While Staten acknowledged taking a few shots himself, he said he was never seriously hurt. His only disappointment was not being able to put Rose away before the final bell.
“Besides maybe finishing him in the last round, it could not have gone better,” Staten said. “It was definitely the most confident I’ve been in any of my fights.”
The judges ultimately awarded Staten the victory by unanimous decision, sending the Chillicothe fighter home from Lexington with another win.
Staten has continued to build a diverse combat sports résumé, having competed in two MMA fights, several boxing matches and now two kickboxing bouts. His experience across multiple disciplines has allowed the Chillicothe fighter to test his skills under different rulesets while continuing to develop as a well-rounded combat sports athlete.
Staten said he now plans to take a few months away from competition to travel with his fiancée while continuing to improve his skills. He could return to competition before the end of the year, with a possible boxing match in December among the options he is considering.
Staten credited the team around him for helping prepare him for the performance, giving a special shoutout to Roundtown Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA, his training partners, coach Brandon Conley, coach Jake Lesson, and Landon Zambrano, who was also in his corner for the fight.
He also thanked his sponsors, friends and family, along with his fiancée, Shaleah Johnson, for their continued support.
With another victory secured, Chillicothe’s “The Hippie” now turns his attention toward continued improvement — and potentially another trip into the ring before the year is over.
