Kaley Cucoco versus Bar Refaeli (LW Tournament)

BEFORE:

"This is a huge opportunity for me," says a steely-eyed Bar. "After all, I'm independent after being stabbed in the back at O&E. Obviously, I want management back, and, if I can win this tournament or at least win some fights in it, that might happen. So. Kaley is in the way. And, I'm going to knock her out of it."

"Look, I feel for Bar," says Cuoco with a smile. "It sucks being an indie. I remember those three months. But. This isn't about that. This is about the lightweight championship. I LOVED being champion. I'm GOING to be champion again. And, Bar's in the way of THAT. So. I'm going to have to pound her out of there. Nothing personal. But, that's how it has to be."

ROUND ONE:

There was a time in her career when Cuoco was more about speed than power, but, not these days. Oh, Kaley's not slow, by any means. In fact, she's as athletic as she's ever been. But, there's a lot more muscle these days than back when the blonde beauty was considered a "small lightweight", and that muscle is put to use early. Kaley's not about to let Bar use her length to get things going at range. Instead, she works past the Israeli's jab, gets in her grill, and bangs away with her. Now, Bar's no "small" light and never has been, but it quickly becomes clear, for the moment, at least, that Refa'eli can't match power with Kaley. Instead, Cuoco backs the model up, forces her to cover up, works her over to both the head and body. The Israeli is never hurt, but the American is getting her attention with some seriously heavy leather and taking the round in wide fashion to lead 10-9.

ROUND TWO:

So, THAT didn't go well, which means it's adjustment time for the Israeli blonde. Refa'eli begins moving the feet more, giving some ground, getting the jab on, keeping Cuoco at bay. Kaley still trying to close, bring the physical, but it's not happening. Instead, Bar's now taking control and calling the tune with that long left hand. She's popping it in Cuoco's face, stopping Kaley's advance, then touching up her fellow blonde with hard right hands. Soon enough, Refa'eli has Kaley going in reverse and might even have her buzzed. Bar clearly thinks so, because she gets more aggressive as the round goes on and piles up more points as a result. Down the stretch, it's pretty one way, as Kaley's got the hands up playing defense while Refa'eli goes to town. At the bell, it's Bar by a country mile, and that evens the scorecards at 19.

ROUND THREE:

Bar's got it going, and she aims to keep it going. This time, no adjustments. Stick with what's working, and it works just fine. Cuoco's on her heels now. She can't get to spots where she can get her offense going. Instead, she's being stopped with the jab, then hammered with the follow on right hands. Again, we see Kaley slowly being put into reverse as Bar gets off lustier and lustier as the round goes on. Former lightweight champion seems to have no answers, as the supermodel continues her firm control of the proceedings. Late in the round, Kaley's backed to the ropes and taking as Refa'eli fires combination after combination at her. Again, Cuoco looking buzzed, though the legs never show any sign of weakness. Ref actually looking in, though, making sure he doesn't need to stop the thing. He doesn't. But, at the bell, Cuoco's looking scuffed and trailing 29-28 after losing her second straight wide.

ROUND FOUR:

Cuoco adjusting. Rather than try to close, now she's just angling, working at range, then pouncing forward like the old Kaley, getting off quick combinations to head and body. Bar not willing to allow her rival to make a lot of hay that way, tying up as soon as possible and forcing breaks, but Cuoco's managed to renegotiate terms and get on competitive footing. Rest of the round goes that way. Bar jabbing, looking for space, scoring points when she has it. Kaley hopping forward at every opening, letting the hands go, throwing Refa'eli to the defensive until Bar is able to tie up. Both fighters land some hard shot, but, again, nobody's hurt. And, there's not a whole lot in it as we head into the final seconds, when Cuoco hops forward and backs up Bar with a series of short hooks to the head. Those points turn out to be enough to give the former champion the round narrowly and even the fight at 38.

ROUND FIVE:

More of the same. Bar working for distance, still landing that jab and following on with right hands when she can get it home. Kaley working the feet to create openings, then pouncing, letting the hands go, landing hard shot to both head and body before Bar can tie her up, force a break, and set everything in motion again. For the second straight round, neither fighter able to create any space on the cards, as, what Bar is doing at range is being offset by what Kaley is doing in close. It's excellent two way boxing and it's entertaining stuff for the crowd as well. Late in the round, Refa'eli begins double tapping the jab, and it makes a bit of a difference. Not much of one, because, Kaley's still able to find spots to get offense going, but the Israeli slows the American enough to build up a slight point edge and take the round close, going back ahead 48-47 at the half.

ROUND SIX:

Same again. Both fighters having success on these terms, and, with no path to getting back on the more favorable terms of earlier in the fight, here we are. But, while it's, for the third round in a row, two-way action, Bar's double tap jab is, once again, giving her an advantage. It's not a huge one, but it's enough. She's getting a little more done than Kaley is, and that's enough for her to put a little space between her and Cuoc...BOOM! DOWN GOES BAR! That quickly, the entire fight changes. Kaley pounces forward, left hooks the Israeli to the midsection, then drops her with a VICIOUS right hook to the head. Cuoco quickly to a neutral corner. Bar down on her right side. Able to roll to hands and knees at five. Pushes up at seven only to crash, face first, back to the canvas. It's OVER! and your winner by KO6 is Kaley Cuoco!

AFTER:

Kaley matter-of-fact in the aftermath. Obviously, her goals here involve much more than winning a single fight. "Like I said," the blonde beauty says through slightly swollen lips, "It's not personal with Bar. She was just in the way of me getting my belts back. And, now she's not. And, anyone else who ends up in the way is going to end up right where SHE did, sucking canvas."