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Two cage fighters who went on a night out in fancy dress as drag queens told today how they sorted out a pair of drunken thugs who came looking for a brawl.
Daniel "Lion Heart" Lerwell, 23, and James "Lights Out" Lilley, 22, looked easy prey dressed in high-heels, hot pants and boob tubes.
But thugs Dean Gardener, 19, and Jason Fender, 22, of Swansea, south Wales, got the shock of their lives when their victims fought back.
A bare-chested Gardener was caught on CCTV confronting one of the cross-dressing party-goers during the August Bank Holiday night out.
Moments before they had taken part in a brawl further up the street in which they had attacked a reveller dressed as spiderman.
A brief exchange in which Gardener swings a punch at an apparent drag queen sporting a pink wig has now become an international internet sensation.
The apparently defenceless victim is quickly seen making short work of the thugs, flooring them both with a quick salvo of punches.
He then leans over the stunned duo as they sprawl on the floor, coolly picking up his hand-bag before continuing on unfazed.
The whole celebrated tale was publicly aired at Swansea Magistrates Court this week after the footage was used to bring the thugs to book.
Both admitted using threatening words and behaviour and were tagged and are under a night house curfew for the next four months.
Meanwhile Lerwell and Lilley, who both train at Swansea's Team Predator gym, are basking in celebrity status.
The cage fighting pals are sought after for TV, radio and newspaper interviews, both in the UK and abroad.
They were part of a 10-strong group of cage fighting colleagues who were out on the town together at the time.
"I think there were about 10 of us in all, and we were all in drag," Lerwell, of Mount Pleasant, Swansea, told the South Wales Evening Post.
"I saw these boys go up to James and start calling him names, and then he was hit."
He said he immediately went into action, defending his friend out of instinct.
"I was shocked at first, and thought who are these pansies? But I wasn't really thinking, it was just instinct really."
He added that since the publicity surrounding the brief scuffle: "My phone hasn't stopped ringing."
Lilley, also of Mount Pleasant, added: "It's just a shame that people like that spoil things for everyone.
"A few of the boys were going out for a night and just thought we would do something different which was why were in drag.
"We were due to knuckle down to training because we had a fight coming up in six weeks, and it was the last chance for a blow-out."
He added that it was lucky the duo had picked on a person who was capable of defending himself otherwise somebody could have been seriously hurt.
Reader views (17)
hire them as PCSO's today!! A few more coppers like that dressed in drag might sort out the low lfe feral scum who think they are 'hard', and arrogantly strut around our cities and towns beating up innocent people!!
- Gary, wycombe
Boy did that ever brighten up a dull day.
The thugs obviously couldn't hold there drink and certainly couldn't take a decent punch.
What a pair of pathetic pansies.
More stories like this please but what's the betting that the police will attempt to bring charges against our heroes.
- Geez Martin, London UK
What a great story..! Wonderful... made my week lol
- Paul Jardine, Bromley
I was once told by a bar-owner, never, ever, attack a drag queen. This just proves how right he was.
- Mark Mcinnes, London
This is the best story of the week, if not the year. These cage fighters should be nominated for a pride of Britain award. It's about time yobs got their lights punched out. Maybe they'll think twice next time.....
- Kate, London, UK
Funniest thing I've seen in ages. I bet those thugs are hugely embarassed and humiliated. They didn't get the custodial sentence they deserved but this video clip has given them more punishment. It's just hilarious! It's exactly the kind of comeupence you want to happen, but rarely ever hear of it .. let alone see it.
- Kim, Lancing, West Sussex
James of the City Of London.
As a born and bred Jack, I thank you for your kind comments.
I've sent them on to Warren Gatland to pin up in the changing room at the forthcoming England v Wales 6 Nations match. That's his team talk sorted!
- Anthony, Esher, Surrey
This incident shows the true value of martial arts training. Considering those guys were cage fighters, those thugs actually got off quite lightly, they could easily have ended up in Casualty! Take it from me, I have a black belt in karate. That said, one has to be very careful how these skills are used because of our warped judicial system.
- Adrian, London, UK
Why weren't they jailed, they can be seen fighting before they attacked the cage fighters.
Must be the "tough on crime" melarkey we are used to these days.
- P Staker, Londonistan.
Nowan King - descent custodial sentence! You must be joking. No doubt our stupid justice system will bang up the guys they attacked and send the perps on a makeup course.
- Peter, Harrow, UK
You're right Peter - worse than that though. They didn't get a custodial. Community order, freedom of the streets and anarchy chaos reigns once again, apparently.
- Nowan King, London
Makes you proud to be Welsh, if one were Welsh of course.
Clearly Swansea is the new Essex and will of course attract the attention that it deserves, from my perspective I never go to any nation that I have to pay to either get into, or out of. Best we pull down the bridge and leave them all to it.
Last 15 / 13 men, women or crossdresser’s standing can represent their nation at rugby.
- James, City of London
Nowan King - descent custodial sentence! You must be joking. No doubt our stupid justice system will bang up the guys they attacked and send the perps on a makeup course.
- Peter, Harrow, UK
Excellent! Let's have more stories like this. Maybe I'll start to believe there is such a thing as poetic justice.
- Mark, London
What is it with these cage fighters and cross-dressing?
- Kc, Upminster
Story of the week. Two nasty thugs got the thrashing they deserved. LOL.
- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Netherlands
There is going to be a lot of this down in Brazil in 2016. More transsexuals around Rio than anywhere else. The drunken tourists are going to be discovering a whole new side of themselves. lol
- Trunk, US
Brilliant clip of film - serves them right! Hope they get decent custodial sentances.
- Nowan King, London
