Emily VanCamp versus Claire Danes

BEFORE:

Doesn't get much better at bantam than this, four-time champion Emily VanCamp against Hall of Famer Claire Danes, who's held SIX FCBA titles. "Emily's a good fighter," says Claire. "You don't grab multiple titles like she has without some ability. But. She's not the fighter I am. No shame in it, though. Because no one is."

"Claire's the kind of girl you want to measure yourself against," says Emily. "And, I'm one of the few girls who can measure up."

ROUND ONE:

Tactical stuff to start things off, no surprise since we have two good, technical fighters. Distance and geometry the thing. Emily wants those middle distances, but Claire determined not to let her have them. Instead, Danes alternately gets to range or closes, all to slow Emily and frustrate her. Works, to a point. But, only to a point. Because, while VanCamp can't get all of what she wants, she gets some of it, and, when she does, she's able to get the hands going and get leather on target. Result is a well-fought, two-way round that sees both bantams working hard and making their respective opponents work hard as well. Going into the final thirty seconds, it's dead even and both women know it. And, both are smart enough to make a play for the points. Result? Sharp exchanges right to the bell, all accomplishing nothing. Nobody hurt and no one able to establish any space. It's a draw on the cards and we're even at 10 after one.

ROUND TWO:

Danes decides on range. She's giving up a little reach to VanCamp, but, with Claire's ability to angle and get off when she hits her spots, it doesn't matter a whit. Instead, she's using the left to preempt the champion, getting it in her face repeatedly, following on with right hands, building to solid combinations. Emily now NOT able to get where she wants to go, can't get her offense going. She's not really on the defensive, mind, she's just spending too much time waiting for it to be her turn. But, Claire's not giving her the dice. Instead, she just keeps rolling doubles and refuses to go to jail. Final minute sees Danes in perfect rhythm, taking the younger woman to school and the woodshed simultaneously. Emily's never hurt, but she's taking the worst of things in a big way, and, at the bell, it's Claire wide and in the lead 20-19.

ROUND THREE:

Now, Claire Danes can make anyone look bad. But. Even Claire Danes isn't going to make Emily VanCamp look bad for LONG. The Canadian adjusts. She's closing now, forcing pace, getting in Danes' face, and letting her have it to both head and body. And, all of a sudden, the Hall of Famer's on the back foot. She's not hurt, but she's onto the defensive, as EVC gets the offense rolling for the first time in the fight. VanCamp VERY physical now, THUMPING that body, going upstairs with hard, accurate shot. Danes, however, has been there before. She's going to ride this out, play things safe, give herself time to make adjustments. She keeps the guard up, gives ground, counters in spots, takes zero chances. And, that all works to VanCamp's favor, as Emily gets the better of things from wire to wire, claiming the round wide and evening things at 29.

ROUND FOUR:

It's not broken, so Emily isn't going to worry about fixing it. Instead, she's right back in Danes' grill, getting physical, getting big, committing on punches to both head and body. BOOM! Right hand, Claire! Emily's staggered. Danes stepping to and DROPPING the younger woman with a nasty flurry that leaves Emily stunned on her back! Claire quickly to a neutral corner. Referee counting over a glassy-eyed EVC. Are we about to see a rerun of what happened against Scodelario? No. VanCamp rolls to her belly, pushes to her feet. Canadian takes the mandatory and referee waives on Danes. Claire all OVER her rival, absolutely BATTERING her back into the ropes and then strafing her with flurry after flurry. VanCamp in desperate trouble, hanging on in a tight guard, trying to get to the bell. Claire throwing everything she has at her, but it's not enough. At the bell, Emily's still on her feet. But Danes has grabbed the round 10-8 to lead 39-37.

ROUND FIVE:

Danes taking the fight to VanCamp. Emily definitely still suffering the effects of the last round, and Danes knows it. Claire just lining the younger woman up and letting her have it with both hands. Em's sturdy legs being tested over and over again, as the Hall of Famer looks for the finisher. VanCamp working hard to stay off the ropes, and she mostly succeeds, but she can't get out of reverse, despite her best efforts to firm up her front. Instead, it's the Claire on the offensive, taking canvas, with Emily ceding it and doing little more than countering here and there. By the final seconds, the Hall of Famer has VanCamp trapped on the cables and she's giving it to her with both hands. Again, Emily keeping the guard high, running clock, as Danes searches in vain for the finisher. At the bell, Claire's pitched a shutout and extended her lead to 49-46.

ROUND SIX:

EVC holding ground as we start the second half. She's not going to let Claire's offensive continue. In the early going, the Canadian gets the worst of the exchanges, but she's hanging in there, banging back, making Danes pay a price for all the leather she's landing. As the round goes on, Emily begins giving as good as she gets, actually backing up Claire with some hard shot of her own. With her legs back under her, the Canadian goes onto the offensive and begins taking control of the proceedings, getting back to the physical stuff she was doing before the knockdown. Danes managing, giving ground, trying to get back to boxing, but not able to for the moment, as Emily walks through her jabs to get to her body. Final thirty seconds sees a series of firefights in which both fighters take some hard shot, but, at the bell, Emily's closed the stagger and slipped ahead to grab the round close and cut Claire's lead to 58-56.

ROUND SEVEN:

Seventh picks up where the sixth left off. Emily's pressing forward and Claire's not going to have it. Danes throwing hard shot that VanCamp's eating as a price for stepping to and working both head and body. A TON of heavy leather's being traded, with heads being snapped back and sweat flying as both ladies sit down on their punches determined to make the other blink. But, nobody's blinking, so the firefight continues. Something's got to give, of course. You can't trade these kinds of shots indefinitely without...BOOM! Right hand Emily and DOWN GOES DANES! A BLISTERING straight right that lands on the button and sends the Hall of Famer to her back. VanCamp looking a little buzzed herself as she gets to a neutral corner to watch as the referee counts. Claire on her right side, rolls to her belly, tries to push to hands and knees, but CAN'T GET THERE! The count passes her by and it's OVER, and your winner by KO7 is Emily VanCamp!

AFTER: Crowd is on their feet, just roaring their approval of a great back-and-forth contest between two of the best bantams in the game. Neither of them backed down for an instant to deliver a blonde battle for the ages, with security immediately on high alert with Lookout! and HISC fighters quickly circling around the ring. No surprise Mishy and Nessa make an immediate beeline for one another, but Priyanka Chopra quickly bullying back Demi Lovato and Natalie Portman shoving at Jenna Louise Coleman. Security focuses on these fights, trying to do their best to contain the chaos, but Emily and Claire appear to be forgotten within the ring. Claire is still trying to recover, shaking her head and cradling her abs, but Emily none-too-gently shoving her hands to the side to admire her work to Danes’ taut bod.

VanCamp quickly shoves her rival backwards, one hand burying itself into damp Danes’ tresses as she pushes her head backwards against the top turnbuckle as she forces the Hall-of-Famer’s head backwards and then releases her suddenly - just lowering her tight tummy downwards. Belly brushing against Claire’s face as she grinds her abs back and forth, purring as she pumps one fist over her head and flexes her bicep with the other, just showing off as Em lets her tummy and weight do all the work of tummying up on Claire.

Em even taking a moment to give a little press-fight interview while shimmying her abs across Claire’s face with a grin, speaking to the assembled press over the tumult created by their respective stablemates, “Make no mistake - Claire is one of the best I’ve ever faced. Maybe the best, but if you’re going to be a champion in this league, you have to take on the best and take down the best. That’s what I try to do every time I step into the ring and tonight, I did just that. That’s why tummying up on her is so rewarding, because so few have gotten to be where I am.So freaking few.”

But, Emily’s congratulatory speech is interrupted by Michelle Williams finally managing to tug Emily off of Claire. Nessa arrives just a few seconds later, just tackling Mishy to the canvas as the two of them are rolling around the mats, cursing and crying out. Emily considers mounting up on Claire again, but in the end, just takes a moment to blow her rival a kiss as she snaps her fingers to strut out of the ring with Demi, Jenna and after they separate the two of them, Nessa, in tow. The crowd is chanting with excitement for the continued HISC-Lookout! rivalry, for the privilege of seeing a blonde bantamweight war on display tonight and for what’s to come for both stables as tensions, as well as talent, remains abundantly high. So few get to be part of such an ongoing battle - as Emily memorably stated tonight - so freaking few.