Katheryn Winnick versus Minka Kelly (III)

Katheryn Winnick
(45, 5’4, 41:22 FCBA, The Dollhouse)

vs.

Minka Kelly
(43, 5’5, 74:32:1 FCBA, Lioness Club of America)

Results: Lookout!; Story: Caspian & The Dollhouse


BEFORE:
One for the history books with a pair of blonde-brunette legends set to do battle next. Katheryn Winnick is keeping her cougar and even Bantamweight title ambitions alive with her most recent performance in the Cougar tournament where she made it all the way to the finals only to come short against eventual winner Kate Beckinsale. Bolstered by that performance the badass blonde has surprised pundits with a challenge to recent former champion Minka Kelly, who lost the belt to Kira Kosarin in March but was showered with praise nonetheless for having defied expectations for her age bracket.

Winnick acknowledges as much, perhaps one day wishing to follow in the Lioness’ footsteps, but first, she’ll need to score a win over Kelly, having lost to the brunette two times in a row from 2019-2020.

"First I'd first like to thank Minka for giving me this third chance at fighting her. I consider Minka and Priyanka the two best cougar bantams in the FCBA. I was hoping to get another chance to face Minka during the cougar tournament but she for whatever reason did not participate. So, I took it upon myself to challenge her for one more fight. She's a Hall-of-Famer for a reason - she beat me fair and square twice before but I have my reasons to believe today will be different. I'm going to give it one last shot and hopefully finally get that win over her for myself and for my fans. This fight’s been on my bucket list for years now. I’m not going to disappoint myself. You're going down this time, Minka." The gorgeous 45 year old blonde ends with a playful smirk aimed at the brunette from across the room.

Kelly may have lost her title to Kosarin back in March, but the 43-year-old has defied expectations in the past. She’s managed to beat back Winnick’s advance so far, though it’s always slightly different for each fighter coming off a title run. The Lioness listens respectfully during Winnick’s segment, smiling politely and nodding along. Then, when it’s her turn at the mic, she uses a firm but equally professional tone to respond:

"Katheryn is a great competitor - I respect her stubbornness. She's right though - I AM the best cougar around and better than Priyanka, if you ask me…” she flashes a knowing smirk to the cameras, which is just lapping up the hidden jab at the current champion. “Which is why today's fight is going to go the same way it went the previous two times - I'm going to beat Katheryn for the third and probably last time and put any delusions she has about being able to beat me to rest today. Priyanka knocked her out 3 times in a row. I plan to do the same."


A stern showdown later on stage as both blonde and brunette march right up to each other and exchange glares, upturned chins and hands on hips as they keep a respectable distance… well, as respectable as you can get after facing off so many times before. Minka sports a small smirk on the upturned corner of her lips, having put Kat away twice now and liking her chances for a third time.

Hours later, both lovely ladies are getting into their respective fight stances for their third showdown. Katheryn is ready for a beach brawl with a black & white bikini, matching white gloves and blonde hair tied in a bun - she’ll need to show Minka something new today if she hopes to come out on top in this outing. Across the ring, former champion and Lioness star Minka Kelly is wearing an amber colored bikini top and bottoms, complete with black gloves, her long brown hair tied in a high ponytail bobbing up and down as she jumps up and down in her corner ready to rumble.

Referee gets the nod from both fighters, and HERE WE GO with ten rounds of Bantamweight action!

ROUND 1:
Minka shows off how it’s done, exploiting the slow and cautious start of the blonde with sudden lunge-ins to the arms and body to put Winnick on high alert. Minka’s best offense is her unpredictable nature, and just when her opponents think they’ve got her on the ropes, she pulls out an ace to blast her way back to relevance. Well, Winnick might be tired of her tricks, but she’s still not used to dealing with them, grunting as those big hooks land on her arms and sides, and generally not able to counter just yet, instead focusing on a better defensive posture. Fine by Kelly, who continues to push her advantage for the rest of the fight, starting to land more powerful shots to the middle of her arms and easily swerve any of Winnick’s return fire. So far, so good for the former Bantamweight champion, as she takes the first round wide, and doesn’t give the Doll much chance of responding.

ROUND 2:
But Kat has always been the calculated, disciplined defensive fighter. It has won her many fights in the past with her patience leading to power, but at the same time, it must be disappointing for the Dollhouse leadership that Winnick’s tendencies haven’t resulted in a title win and perhaps never will, considering the blonde is approaching 46 years of age. Katheryn hopes to remedy this bit by bit, minute by minute blocking more of Minka’s attacks before trying to counter with short but snappy jabs back to the brunette’s face. It works, with Minka’s steady pressure leaving more than its fair share of holes in her own defenses, allowing the Dollhouse blonde to use precision shots to punish. Jabs landed to the cheek and chin, earning surprised grunts of pain from the Lioness, and though Minka manages to sneak in some blasts of her own to the body throughout, Kat’s persistence has paid off, giving her the second by a closer margin.

ROUND 3:
But Minka’s not going to simply stop just because you’ve asked nicely. In fact, the former champ wants to break the curse of falling into a slump after losing her title to Kosarin. Perhaps there’s a second wind in her sails, and her eyes on a second title on the horizon, especially with those not-so-subtle jabs against Big Chopra. She hounds Winnick about the ring good and early, testing that lead left jab to the face before attempting to floor the bighouse Doll with a follow-up swing for the fences. No rest for the wicked, it seems, as it forces Winnick to cover up or scram, not wanting to get caught by any one of those attacks. That’s exactly what Kelly’s strategy appears to be, putting Kat on the backburner and thus not able to punish instead. Kat tries to fend off another late-round assault with a flurry of quick jabs to the face and body, but they pale in comparison to Minka’s return overhand that smashes into her left temple, sending the big Doll reeling back with a grunt. Another wide round for the Lioness, who knows her own strengths and seeks to exploit.

ROUND 4:
Must be entirely frustrating for the Dollhouse blonde, but at the same time, incredibly courageous of her to keep trying. Losing twice to a rival might cull lesser women into giving up, but not Katheryn Winnick, who gets back into the ring after a loss and looks to continually improve. She’s shoring up her own weaknesses, definitely, but it’s taking a lot longer than usual. Kat still looks slightly rattled by that late-round blast to her forehead, making her even more cautious to start the fourth. Her arms are up and tightly formed over her head, fending off more jabs and combos that bang into her guard instead. So far, she’s still letting Minka walk her fists all over her, with Kelly getting in close enough to bury a couple of side hooks into her body to drive the wind from her lungs. Later in the round, however, Kat finally finds her teeth, taking a grazing shot across the chin but steeling herself with purpose and ROCKING one right back across Minka’s face, which torques the Lioness to the side with a grunt! Kat’s got power if she decides to use it, and the Dollhouse blonde finally finds the courage to walk the brunette down, using the final seconds to go to town all over her frame! Sad news is that that last rally isn’t going to turn the tide for her, but hey, better late than never!

ROUND 5:
And Minka’s hurt! Kat shows hesitation in the opening seconds once more, meeting Minka in the center of the ring with both arms up and firm. She takes a couple of shots to the guard before suddenly RIIIPPPIING a return cross straight into Kelly’s face! OUCH!! Minka got caught by that counter-shot, Kat’s glove slammed right into her chin and snapping her head back. And before Kelly can recover and swing back, Kat’s already buried a couple more follow-up strikes into her nose and lips, before lifting her chin once again with a lunge-in uppercut! Kelly’s all of a sudden seeing stars, getting out-punched and out-worked at her own game. No matter how hard and fast Minka tries to battle her way back this round, her punches are just NOT landing on the focused and slippery Winnick, who seems to have dug in deep to avoid the Lioness’ return, lumberous fists! Kat makes up for lost time here, driving her gloves back into Minka’s pretty cheek to rotate her head left and right, at times even side-stepping a big uppercut from the big brunette before ramming her own into the former champ’s side. At the bell, Minka looks battered and hurt, breathing hard as she holds onto the top rope for help. Winnick’s scored her biggest round to date, and looks set to continue her momentum!

ROUND 6:
If there’s any time to strike, it’s now! Kat Winnick looks like she’s considering a rush right before the bell rings, pacing anxiously in her corner, her eyes fixed on her foe in the opposite corner! Minka by contrast has a tired look and the most uncertain expression on her own face, now faced with a distinct possibility of allowing her opponent to take control of this fight! And take control Winnick does! It’s the Doll’s turn to march right in, right hand already pulled back and ready to put the Lioness on notice! Minka is barely out of her corner when the first big cross slams into the center of her arms with a grunt and shout, and Winnick continues to make her presence known for the next minute, stepping inwards and ramming those patented hooks into Minka’s arms, this way and that, at times sending her reeling off in one direction. Minka of course is trying to fight back, clinching up with Kat at several points and slamming her fists off the blonde’s sides, but each time, Winnick simply roars back and shoves her off, before driving her own fist across her face! Second minute and Minka gets ROTATED into the ropes, looking glassy-eyed and simply overwhelmed by her opponent’s tenacity! Winnick rushes in and after her, driving a right hand into the center of her paunch, just above the belly, before a follow-up uppercut SNAPS her rival’s head into the air! AND DOWN MINKA GOES, her head and body thrown back into the ropes before the rest of her frame slides down slowly, looking absolutely slack-jawed and spent! Could this be the comeback victory that Kat Winnick has been waiting for!?

Minka still looks stun-locked on her ass, fists pawing at the middle rope, head slanted to one side and mouth hanging open, hungry for air. She’s never been this damaged before in her fights with the Dollhouse blonde, which gives Winnick the confidence to raise her glove in the air and stride to the neutral corner, looking like a million dollars! The referee has already started the count, and Kelly begins the slow recovery to her feet, slowly pulling her heaving body upwards. Finally, she steadies herself by the count of 8, chest still bleating but managing to nod to the referee that she intends to continue.

That’s just fine by Winnick, who steadies herself back into her fighting stance, and gets ready for the referee to re-ring the bell! Just under a minute left on the clock, and HERE KAT COMES, catching Kelly with a mighty overhand straight to her arms before another left hook THUMPS into her side tummy. ALL WINNICK’S SHOW now, as the Dollhouse powerhouse senses her own impending victory! She pounds away at Kelly on the ropes, not giving her any inch or room to breathe! Poor Minka can only hope to weather with her arms up but she’s slowly melting away with each hook slammed into her body and arms, until finally Winnick tosses the rest of her resistance away with a blast across the guard! A double shot turns Minka this way and that, and another barrage to her body sees her butt shoved into the ropes, already on the way down as the referee FINALLY STEPS IN!! It’s all OVER! Winnick has done it!

Official Result: Katheryn Winnick defeats Minka Kelly via TKO6!

AFTER:
HUGE well deserved win for Katheryn and the tired but elated looking blonde is all smiles as she raises both arms in the air and circles the ring to the sound of wild cheers from almost every fan in attendance. It’s hard not to root for the always graceful actress who never backs down from a challenge. She has just managed to defeat the recent Bantamweight champion, which raises a lot of questions – Can Winnick still realistically be a contender for the Bantamweight title? Or is she better off focusing on Cougar bouts where she has been very dominant more often than not. That is a question for Katheryn and her team to figure out. Always gracious in victory, the Katheryn makes sure to check on her opponent after Minka has been helped to her stool by her medical team, and the two ladies exchange a few words in what seems from afar like a display of mutual respect from both sides as these two top competitors part ways for now (until they meet again…).

“One of my biggest wins in the last…Oh I don’t know…3 years?” says a jubilant Winnick to reporters. “I said Minka was the best and I just beat the best. What does that make me? I’ll leave that for you guys to answer. Minka is always a great challenge. I’m just glad I can still kick ass! Happy and willing to take on anyone! Bring it ladies!”

And there you go! An open challenge from the victorious Katheryn Winnick to anyone who’d like to test her mettle. And after today’s performance? It will be hard indeed to find a matchup that will have us betting against her!