Maddie Ziegler versus Cree Cicchino

(20, 5’5 ½, 12:3 FCBA, The Dollhouse)
Vs.
Cree Cicchino
(20, 5’3, 35:12 FCBA, IBB)

Results: Lookout!; Story: Caspian & The Dollhouse

BEFORE:
“So… Cree Cicchino.... NOT a fan…” Maddie Ziegler speaks first at the pre-fight press conference. The dancer turned actress is growing more and more into her role as the rising star of the Dollhouse roster, and isn’t afraid to tell it as it is. “I think she's obnoxious, way too cocky, and a sore loser who never shuts up. She needs to show other girls some respect from time to time…especially the ones who beat her. We're both only 20 but I've got way more class than her. I'm not here to get into stupid name-calling and trash talking. I'd rather focus on getting things done in the ring. And that's what I'll be doing tonight. I've beaten a lot of talented girls already, but... this might be my biggest and sweetest win so far. I can't WAIT to put Cree in her place."

Cicchino is no stranger to loud-mouthing her opponents, and Maddie tonight is no exception. The IBB starlet has gotten into feuds with anyone and everyone under the sun, and Maddie doesn’t seem to be exempt from her abuse.

“Maddie can go f*ck herself,” Cree fires back, rolling her eyes. “She says she’s beaten a lot of talented girls? Well, I’ve beaten way MORE of them, and I’m going to beat her senseless tonight. Look forward to joining the big list of girls I’ve left knocked out in the ring, Maddie. You’ll fit right in on the “no-talent” column!” Cree ends her threat with a cocky smirk aimed directly at Ziegler from across the room, with Maddie shaking her head and rolling her eyes back at the IBB star.

Ladies square off at the podium and though both fighters might be of the same age, Ziegler is the one sporting the height advantage, towering over Cicchino with a knowing smirk. Cree has faced off against taller foes before, of course, most recently knocking out Lily Collins and then forcing the taller Vixen to kiss her AMD champion abs. Will Maddie suffer the same fate tonight, or will the Dollhouse star continue her march towards the Flyweight belts?

Hours later, we’re in the ring and ready to go with ten rounds of Flyweight action! In one corner of the ring, Maddie Ziegler looks focused and ready as she stares at her opponent from across the ring, stretching her arms and getting some last moment coaching from coach Kristanna Loken. Ziegler is wearing a lime green sports bra and blue short tights, with blue gloves on her hands, her currently dark brown hair tied in a tight ponytail. In the opposite corner, Cree has gone for a black sports bra, long purple tights, and black gloves, her dark hair in a bun. There’s the bell and HERE WE GO!

ROUND 1:
Maddie’s fighting defensively to start, the lean American blonde moving briskly and jabbing at Cree’s head, trying to use her significant reach advantage to out-punch her foe. Cree’s success has so far been measured in her ability to march in close and KO her opponents, something the Dollhouse corner is acutely aware of. Cicchino as the aggressor here is no surprise, the shorter girl making sudden bursts forward, swinging haphazardly and hoping to strike gold. She clearly wants to nail Maddie with an early hook to the head, and send her crash-landing to the canvas to prove her point. But Ziegler stays out of her range easily, sending jabbing combos back into the shorter girl’s face to disrupt her plans. End of the round and that strategy pays off, earning Ziegler an easy wide round!

ROUND 2:
Maddie’s long-term success will be determined by her ability to keep moving and maintain her agility in the face of Cree’s overwhelming aggressiveness. The IBB starlet ain’t giving up the chase so easily, however, walking Maddie backwards and still trying to pin her down against the ropes. Maddie gets out of the way too slowly once or twice, and gets hammered to her arms to send her stumbling slightly. But then, the Doll quickly recuperates her balance and reforms her guard. Maddie’s jabs are also landing less often, with Cree blocking well and then unleashing those big crosses that catch her on the body and arms, Maddie zealously protecting her chin but leaving the rest of her framed torso exposed. By the final minute, Ziegler’s tired of running, both metaphorically and literally, getting forced into another wild brawl by the ropes that leaves her gasping for air after Cicchino bashed a left-right combo into her guard, and then more successfully hammered her to the tummy. Thankfully, the round ends soon after, but it’s undeniable that Cicchino’s aggression has paid off this time.

ROUND 3:
Ziegler tries her hand at counter-punching, checking some of Cree’s early flurries with a well-timed parry to the left, before a right hand is driven into the shorter girl’s nose and lips as payback. Cree’s better used to her foes trying to avoid her entirely, not necessarily using her own momentum against herself. The IBB girl lets out another yelp as one of her powerhooks misses awkwardly overhead, Maddie having ducked and swerved before slamming a thudding hook of her own off the torso, then rocking Cree to one side with a follow-up swing across the temple. But Ziegler opts to stay at a distance, which might be a wise move in the long run. Slow and steady might win this race, and Ziegler protracts her dominance in the third with more precise jabs that hound the IBB girl about the ring. So far, these two are taking a see-saw round by round, with Ziegler rising back to the top with her own wide round.

ROUND 4:
AND CICCHINO CHARGES, throwing sudden caution to the wind to surprise and shock the Doll into submission! Maddie’s caught by a sudden overhand to the center of the arms, which throws her back with a loud grunt! Then, Cree swings and lunges inwards, forcing Ziegler to fall back, but not rapidly enough! Ziegler grunts as she absorbs another series of blows to her noggin’, her body then lurching forward as more of Cicchino’s hooks make contact with her ribs and side angles. Cree keeps chasing the Doll down, no lack of stamina in her youthful frame! Maddie’s going to be in trouble if she doesn’t get out of that pocket soon enough, interspersing her retreat with a left jabbing hand, to little avail. Cree almost traps the blonde against the ropes towards the final seconds of this round, for a good twenty seconds just WAILING away on her frame! Maddie holds onto her marbles, though at great cost! The bell rings and the referee has to pull a snarling Cicchino off her, leaving the Doll panting hard with her gumshield half stuck between her teeth!

ROUND 5:
Maddie might be facing off against her most dangerous opponent to date, and despite her wishes that Cicchino would be her dream opponent to knock out cold onto the canvas, perhaps she hasn’t realized that the same could be true for her foe! Cicchino is STILL marching her down in the first minute, the smaller girl smelling blood and POUNCING inwards with a big right cross to the center of the arms, another wild swing overhead just barely missing. Maddie swerved to avoid that last one, and thank god for that -- if it had landed, there’s no doubt this fight would be as good as over. But Ziegler’s still left on the defensive for the rest of the round, digging deep and staying focused but doing little to punch back till the final minute. She avoids another lunge from Cicchino into her headspace, then slowly shoots jabs back into the face to make her opponent bleed out points. Cree lets out a frustrated shout of dismay when the bell finally rings, having clearly wanted to end things here and now!

ROUND 6:
AND HERE COMES MADDIE with a short burst of her own aggression! Perhaps the Doll’s had enough of playing defensive; perhaps she senses Cree’s flagging stamina and decided to strike when the iron was hot! Cree lets out a yelp as the first cross slams into her raised arms, the IBB star desperately covering up her head but allowing Maddie to aim lower to pack another glove into the stomach. Ziegler’s fans are up on their feet, cheering their girl down and glad to see her turning the tables. But if they were expecting Cicchino to lie down and die, however, they’re sorely mistaken… Cree was just waiting for the opportune moment to strike back, blocking one of Maddie’s hooks only to suddenly LASH out with one of her own, a short and snappy hook off the Doll’s chin to dazzle her face to the side. Maddie turned with a grunt, her mouth open and eyes wide. The Doll attempts to swing back in retaliation, but gets hammered in the other direction by one more of Cree’s head hooks, the force of which sends Ziegler reeling towards the ropes!! AND HERE COMES CICCHINO INSTEAD, walking the Doll down and POUNDING away at her body and arms, more head-seeking missiles landing on either side of her covered up upper torso! But Cree’s power means Ziegler’s upper body and head are still getting torqued in BOTH directions! Maddie lets out a painful URGHH as one more tepid hook lands cleanly behind her raised arms… straight into the side of her face! The Doll goes spinning one of two rungs down the ropes, before LOSING HER BALANCE AND CRASHING to her side!! It’s a KNOCKDOWN for Cree Cicchino, who blew and blew until the Dollhouse finally came down! Could this be it?!

Maddie looks shell shocked down on her face and chest, as she lays motionless on the canvas for a few long seconds before finally gaining some of her wits back and slowly attempting to push herself back up to fight another day. Gone is that stellar confidence brimming in her chest and expression from earlier, now looking watery-eyed as she pulls on each rung of the ropes to try and steady her balance. The Doll makes it back to her feet at the count of 8, but to be honest, she doesn’t look too far recovered, barely nodding to the referee that she intends to continue. Meanwhile,. Cree’s smirking back at her from across the ring, swinging a glove in the air and daring her to keep fighting, if she can.

Bell rings and poor Maddie’s gonna have to dig deep in order to get out of this rut! She has to survive Cree’s onslaught for another two minutes if she hopes to turn things around! Cicchino shows her NO QUARTER, immediately breaking into a wild sprint and practically LEAPING into the air to initiate a huge superwoman punch! Maddie has BARELY stepped out of her corner when it CONNECTS to the center of her arms, blowing the rest of her defenses out of the water! The Doll lets out a loud groan and shout of shock, as she goes flying back into the ropes, both hands clinging on for dear life but then powerless to stop Cicchino from rushing in and burying leather into every inch of her body and arms! The IBB girl snarls as she gets in close and personal, drilling an uppercut into the center of her tummy, torching her ribs on either side, before banging her fists up top, her height differential not much of a handicap when Maddie’s sinking further and further into the ropes, her body getting BENT OVER IN HALF from the onslaught, and the Doll’s butt almost forced down over the second rope!! The Doll gets her face PUMMELED left and right next, Cree finally in comfortable range of her pretty features, and Ziegler’s own arms barely hovering at chest-height! For the next ten painful seconds, Cree gives the poor blonde a proper pounding, leaving the fans in shock as they watch her mercilessly beat a defenseless Maddie and wondering what is taking the referee so long?! He took his own damn time, waiting till Ziegler’s reduced to a groggy mess slouched against the ropes, her eyes glazed over and both her arms droop lifelessly! FINALLY, he pulls Cicchino OFF and covers the barely-conscious Ziegler up! This fight is OVER via TKO6!

Official Decision: Cree Cicchino defeats Maddie Ziegler via TKO6!

AFTER:
Coach Loken is seething! Growling at the referee as the Dollhouse personnel RUSH into the ring as quickly as they possibly can to save their star from being subjected to Cree’s infamous post-fight punishment. The victorious brunette looks amused at the situation, backing away with a sneer: “Yeah…save her…she needs all the protection she can get!”. The IBB star doesn’t seem too bothered with her inability to further torment her opponent – knows she’s proven her point and then some as she turns around to face the fans, getting her arm raised by the ref and spending a few long seconds striking various victory poses in the center of the ring to the delight of her fans.

Ziegler meanwhile looks to be in bad shape, unable to stand on her own and being carried to her corner by her team, where she’s placed on her stool before being worked on by the doctors as her many fans in the arena busy themselves with booing the living daylights out of the ever cocky Cicchino.

It's undoubtedly a demoralizing defeat for the rising Dollhouse star – she hit a brick wall tonight in the form of Cree Cicchino, who - despite her recent failure at snatching the belts away from current champion Millie Bobby Brown, continues to prove she’s a force to be reckoned with in the flyweight division. And with her toughness, talent and almost 50 fights of ring experience at the young age of 20 - will probably remain at the top of the division for the foreseeable future.

Cree is first to exit the ring, taking her victory march towards the backstage with one arm raised and a smirk. It’s a different story for Maddie however - the defeated and battered blonde needing 10 long minutes before she’s able to finally exit the ring with the help of her team, walking out with her head hung low, clearly humbled and disappointed with herself tonight as her fans attempt to show their support despite her loss with a standing ovation along the aisles.

We’re looking forward to seeing where each of these two young stars go from here, but if we know anything about these two very competitive ladies at all, we can almost guarantee a rematch is in their future, and Maddie had better have some answers if she hopes to avoid a similar fate when these two clash again!