AMANDA RIGHETTI (35 y/o, 5 ft 8, W: 83, L: 28) vs
BRIDGET REGAN (36 y/o, 5 ft 8, W: 26, L: 15, D: 1)
(Results: Lookout!, Words: Girl’s Friday & Bonzo)
Before: The legendary R & R feud continues tonight as Bridget Regan and Amanda Righetti step into the ring here in Monaco’s Casino de Monte-Carlo. Bridget is 36 years old, she stands 5’8’’and holds a record of 26 wins, 22 knockouts, 15 defeats and 1 draw, and she is a 3-time former FCBA welterweight champion. Amanda is 35 years old, she is also 5’8’’ and holds a record of 83 wins, 62 by knockout and 28 defeats, and she is a former 5-time FCBA welterweight champion. These two were once the undisputed faces of the welterweight division, with these two fighting five times since 2009. Bridget still holds the lead in their rivalry with three wins to two, including three consecutive title fight victories in 2010, 2011 and 2015, but Amanda won their last fight all the way back in 2016.
It’s a rivalry defined by some iconic images: the exchange of thundering knockdowns in 2010, the last one dramatically ending Righetti’s erstwhile total division dominance after the welterweight tournament…Amanda’s humiliating Tyson-esque fumbling for her mouthpiece with gloves on the ground in that most one-sided 2011 battle that saw Bridget proclaim that she just “ate up her foe”…the messy, out-of-control tenth round that saw Regan eke out a rare, heartbreaking decision win in 2015…then the comeback: Bridget’s motionless, knocked-out shape on the ground in 2016.
Plenty of things have changed since 2016, and the welter division’s further apart from being an R & R division than it has ever been: the champion’s names have instead been Upton, Atkinson, Ferguson and Rhoda across 2017 and 2018. Regan’s lost both her 2017 fights and fell to Upton and Rhoda…there are opponents from the new guard she’s never even faced yet (Atkinson, Ferguson, Kloss). Regan’s also been the far less active fighter in general, amassing only 40 fights against Amanda’s 110. A comeback win to Bonzo’s Katrina Law has brought Bridget back into the spotlight, but despite Righetti being the defining rivalry of her career, Regan will also have to address that “new guard” if she wants to return to the throne herself soon. After an Asylum upset loss to McKinney, Regan needs to defend her momentum now. Righetti’s meanwhile reaffirmed her commitment to dominance: losses to Ferguson and Atkinson have paved the way for a pretty convincing 2018 campaign including wins over the current champion Upton, Krsmanovic and Strahovski in a pound-for-pound classic. But beware: Righetti’s usually entered Regan fights a (slight) bookmaker’s favourite.
Both women were interviewed by someone they both know well on the FCBA network, former welterweight fighter Rebecca Romijn, sitting in the studio. Bridget was first to be interviewed on the show, where she sits wearing a black dress and heels with a big smile on her face.
When asked about how she feels about Amanda, she replies: “Look, me and Amanda have been doing this dance for a long time. I do respect her, but we both know that I am the one woman she will never be better than.” Rebecca replies, “Well didn’t she beat you last time?” making Bridget chuckle to the surprise of the blonde, with Bridget sitting up straighter in her seat to answer. “Amanda did do that and I admit she deserved it on that night. The fact is, though, that I still have the lead in the ring when it comes to wins,” Bridget states with a confident smile. The last question is about her not being as active lately, Bridget flexes her right arm and says: “I mean doesn’t this prove that I am still in great shape? While I haven't fought as often as I’d like, I’m still in that gym sparring with some of the best fighters in the world every day and I still work as hard to be the best, so don't worry about that, Rebecca. And after breaking Amanda’s heart one more time, I’ve got my sights set on Kate, no doubt.”
Amanda meanwhile is wearing a red dress and heels that match her flowing reddish brown hair, she tensely shakes the hand of Bridget before she sits down.
She is asked about how she feels about Bridget, with her reply: “Bridget and me have tons of respect for each other. Hell, I’d like to think in some ways that when we have retired we could even be friends, but right now we are just two alpha fighters wanting to be number 1. I hate the fact that Bridget can still be argued to be a better fighter than me.” With Rebecca following up by asking about that lead Bridget has over Amanda, she says: “That’s part of what drives me on. My career is literally hall of fame quality, but I just won’t accept Regan staying ahead of me in our rivalry. That isn't something I will allow to continue.” The last question is about the welterweight title and if Amanda thinks she should be up next for the title. “Well, I did beat Kate Upton only a few months ago, so yeah, it’s pretty much a little mystery why I’m not already getting a shot. I’m being patient, though. Kate’s setting the schedule right now, but I know I’ll eventually get that shot, and I’ll be back on the throne.”
Winking after she finishes, Amanda heads off the set without acknowledging Rebecca's offer of a handshake.
Fight night: out comes Bridget first with Angie Everhart by her side, Bridget looks relaxed as she shakes her arms to keep them loose on her way to the ring. She is wearing a silver-coloured sports bra, matching trunks with a gold stripes down the sides, silver-coloured gloves and shoes, and her hair is braided for the fight. Stepping into the ring, Bridget waves to the fans as she heads to her corner, then she has her game face on as Angie drills her during her warm-up.
Now out comes Amanda with old rival and new training squad supporter Nadia Bjorlin by her side, she looks her usual self as she looks utterly focused as she marches to the ring. She is wearing a red sports bra, matching trunks with gold stripes, red gloves and shoes, with her hair in a ponytail. Climbing into the ring, she bows to each side of the ring before she heads to her corner, bumping fists with Nadia; who is telling her: “This is the night you prove you are better than her!”
Both fighters are told to come to the ring center, where they go nose to nose, body to body, all those old feelings flooding back as they look angrily at each other, wanting to knock the other out to prove they are the better woman. When asked to touch gloves, they thud them together and turn to head back to their corners, the referee signals for the bell to ring to start ten rounds of welterweight action. “Ding, ding, ding!”
FIGHT: Round 1:There’s lots of respect on display between these two, as they circle around in clockwise, counter-clockwise fashion on their toes, keeping their guards up to trade mostly single punches, with Righetti’s more thorough jab trying to establish walking control. Early scenes: Amanda lands the double jab up top neatly to Regan’s temple, but as she tries to keep pushing forward, Bridget moves her head well out the way and counters with a short, battering straight-left to ‘Manda’s jawline. Both fighters’ power, stamina cancel each other out as they parry and prance, each looking to counter their opponent in devastating fashion.
Regan and Righetti’s fights against each other have never been much about defensive, technical styles, but about exerting dominant physical power over the opponent: past battles have often been defined by Bridget’s shocking first-strike power. It’s no different tonight: when punches do land, they usually find a home on the other girl’s face or get buried deep in the gut or ribs, as the two girls dip from side to side, their torsos rolling, twisting into brutal punch work, those robust bodies shuddering/wilting on punch impact.
Righetti’s stiffer jab poke attempting to find, keep Bridgy in range… Bridget, though, dips under Righetti’s follow-up straights and comes up inside with an overhand right that lands flush across the cheek of Amanda, bam! Righetti’s startled, punched onto heels…with Bridget starting to motor on, she’s slowly forcing Amanda into the defensive as she bangs a flurry of punches off the gloves of her redhead opponent, rat-a-tat, increasing her pressure. Regan deflecting a straight right from out of Amanda’s guard, then goes to work more on the body of her rival, diggin’ those short, sharp punches into her opponent’s abs….some thumping body work as Regan grinds down, gets her shoulders/weight on a squirming Amanda, just being big, strong.
Seconds ticking away in the last minute of the first round: Amanda shoving Bridget back with plenty authority, looking to keep Bridget on the outside as the fighters settle into more of a jabbing rhythm until the bell rings to end the round. Bridget pumps her fist in the air as she jogs to her corner, happy with her start as her fans chant for her, Angie smiling at her as she sits down to be cleaned up.
Round 2:Bridget looking to keep on the front foot: it’s those piston-like jabs coming from her as she tries to herd Amanda towards the ropes in relentless, overwhelming fashion. Fiercely contested big-girl exchanges on mid-ring spots as Righetti stays in contact: Bridget’s jab closes range, the straight rights buffeting hard against Righetti’s arm guard, trying to drove her redhead backward…Amanda parrying the straights, answering via a wide, leaned-in right hook into Regan’s ribs, then dipping under Bridgy’s left cross and countering with two more body punches, tucking ‘em neatly in Regan’s flank.
Amanda’s now starting to get her rhythm going, countering her opponent’s punches with stiff shots of her own, particularly to the ribs/lower back…leads to Bridget needing to adapt – more feints, more pivots, and Bridgy lands a sudden right across the cheek of her opponent, knocking the sweat off Amanda…Bridget comes close to work inside, leaning her head into Righetti’s mitts, shoulders pressing forward, ripping short, jolting hooks inside ‘Manda’s tummy, mid-section, as Righetti grunts with effort to hold canvas.
Both women letting their hands go on the inside as they look to bully their rival back…one-punch big-girl action: taking and loading in back-and-forth exchanges. Second minute: Bridget nudging Amanda back with her left jab, leaning into her side with right-hand hammers…inside in the clinch, Amanda throws several rabbit punches behind the head of her opponent to the displeasure of the referee and Bazz’s corner, leading to the referee stopping the action to warn her.
After that, Amanda gets back on the move, dictating the range via her set-piece jab delivery, poking Bridgy rangy, hard lefts as Regan’s forced to negotiate, walking into stiff poke from Amanda’s left as Righetti’s turning Regan’s right flank, keeping her at arm’s length for good jab wallop. Final seconds of the round: Bridget trying to dip down to get in close to Righetti’s bod, but she’s getting met with a short jab-right combination across the top of her head, pushing her back in staggering hurt. Round ends with Amanda looking upbeat, but she’s keeping in control of her emotions as she just nods to Nadia over a strong round for her.
Round 3:Amanda plays leggy and rangy and doesn’t push as hard from the bell: she’s letting Bridget come out on the front foot, while continuing to move around up on her toes, taking circles around Regan, working short, jolting side-arm cuffs into Bridgy’s exposed flanks, or keeping her jabs outstretched, pumping them to Bridget’s guard/arms. Early efforts paying off: Amanda’s smoothly landing counter jabs cleanly to Regan’s forehead, keeping the aggressive, pushy brunette on the outside as ‘Manda moves around her opponent in smart, hard pivots.
Second minute: Bridget starts to anticipate ‘Manda’s legginess better, dipping her torso up and down fast…and dodging Amanda’s punches to lean inside fast via banging lefty/righty hooks into rival’s body, then landing a drifting haymaker to Righetti’s neck, making Amanda groan out in pain, as Bridgy’s looking to do some inside damage. Brunette keeps her head nearly bumping into Amanda’s chin as she works ‘em punches hard upon the body, making Righetti gasp, cover up as she’s getting driven backwards. Bridget tries to break open Amanda’s guard via uppercuts making Amanda lean back hard, then goes back to the body when she can’t hit Amanda up top.
Righetti struggling: she’s pulling Bridget into clinches, holds…ref’s forced to break fighters apart as they step around hotly and strongly entwined, both ramming in short, jolting body punches in pursuit of kidney/liver hooks. Down the stretch: both fighters just letting their hands go as they punch out the points for this round…thudding toe-to-toe exchanges without any clear advantages…strong glares at rivals at the bell, as girls settle onto their stools and listen to their coaches on what to do next as they are getting cleaned up.
Round 4:Bridget coming out strong, determined: throughout early exchanges she’s landing strong jab and right cross combinations to Righetti’s skull/forehead as she’s moving in close, applying forward pressure via thick, loping wallop. Amanda forced to move back, forming earmuff guard, struggling to match her opponent’s intensity, trusting her legs to hold her ground as Bridget hammers her back, the brunette’s wide back sweaty with effort as her rolling, swinging punches have Rigs hoverin’, duckin’ at ropeside positions.
Righetti playing smart, patient, riding out Bridgy’s ropeside pressure as best as she can…but ’Manda roars back: ducking a right hook, she uses her left shoulder to bump her opponent back, landing a right uppercut to the jawline that knocks Bridget onto her heels, giving her the opening she wants.
As Bridget tries to cover up, Amanda lands ‘em short straight-rights between her mitts to knock her head back in concussive fashion and drive Bridget towards a corner, where she works over Bridgy’s body with her own short, sharp punches. Bridget like a buckling, confined lioness when trying to fight out the corner, but each time she is met with a combo of punches that eventually knocks her back against the turnbuckles, with ‘Manda leaning in big-girl, bearing down on Regan’s upper back with her full weight in spots.
Down the stretch as the rounds winds down: Bridget finally managing to pull Amanda into clinches/holds as action moves out the corner…rival tempers seem to be boiling as they block, stay in each other’s faces all hot, until the referee breaks them apart. Once she has room to move into, Bridget can get her rhythm going again, although Amanda’s meeting her punch for punch as the seconds tick away…another roaring toe-to-toe exchange via thudding punches, as girls’ guards shudder, strong buttocks straining with effort to hold ground against hated opponent.
The round ends soon enough with Amanda letting herself show a smile, seeing the look of anger, some mild concern on Bridget’s face, making it worthwhile for her as she turns on her heels and heads back to her corner. Bridget’s looking annoyed as she sits on her stool, her face starting to look marked up like her opponent’s now, with the crowd loving the back and forth through this fight.
Round 5:Both women come out quickly, resuming their early, more tactical battle as they both try to get an opening to work with by pivoting around the ring and using straight, single-punch shots, lock-stepping in toe-to-toe circles. Amanda slips under a Regan jab and comes up with a short, drifting left to the chin of her opponent, wham opening up Bridget for more body punches. When Bridget tries to step back behind her earmuff guard, Amanda’s fast to step-with her, leading the redhead to slam another two punches straight through her gloves onto Regan’s face.
Bridget ends up being backed up onto a set of ropes, where she stands her ground in robust fashion, her strong back slightly off the ropes, and starts a-sluggin’ it out with her rival, sweat flying off both women to show how hard they are hitting, but Amanda looks to have some control of the action, keeping Bridgy squeezed, cooped up at the cables. Righetti’s stubby-ish mid-range jab consolidates her pressure – keeping Bridget at the end of her stiff poke, dictating range/tempo throughout one and a half minutes, with many scenes of Regan’s butt hitting ropes as brunette’s counters miss range/precision. Righetti’s jabs followed by thick-ish right hands beneath Bridgy’s left breast, have Regan shout-sobbing in pain…Amanda leans in, her head on Regan’s chest, brawling those arms back, getting back into Bridget’s ribs with menace.
Mid-way: neatly parrying a straight, Bridget comes out off the ropes with a jolting right hook from strongly planted left leg that catches ‘Manda’s cheek/left ear, turns Amanda’s head around with a snap. Groans from Amanda, struggling to right her torso…her legs a little rubbery, as she’s pedaling back…Bridget’s aggressive now via short, strong jabs, smacking her opponent back across the ring. Now Amanda finds herself on the back foot, trying to match the volume of punches coming her way, ending up taking another right hook across her lips though that busts open her bottom lip! Amanda forced behind her guard, as Bridget throws a flurry at her head, mostly thudding to Righetti’s gloves, one short neat uppercut knocking back ‘Manda’s head again, though. Bell ringing: both women pass each other by without even looking at the other once, before sitting on their stools to get their puffy-looking cheeks worked on. Amanda’s looking frustrated when her lips are being worked on, though both coaches are still very confident as they tell their fighters to keep on pushing.
Ring-side analysis after five grueling heats: no knockdowns, rotating control of the action, no pervasive dominance by either fighter – Bridget’s legendary victories in the past were defined by early knockdowns in rounds one and two, but no such first strikes have yet happened tonight. Everhart: “We definitely like Bridget’s counter striking tonight. We need her to find those devastating right hands at some point, but we’re prepared to go all the way to the tenth and beyond.” And Bjorlin: “Once this thing goes the distance, Amanda will start to separate. We think Bridgy’s a little rusty and will fall off her pace soon. We’ve shut out her first strike ability, and that was a must-win effort.”
Round 6:Action resumes: both girls set in their respective game plans as a more flat-footed Bridget attempts to get Amanda inside, force her into tight, grinding battles of attrition, bring her into the perfect right-hand strike zone, while Righetti’s keeping on the move, hoping to catch Regan via outstretched, countering jabs while stepping around Bridgy, turning in and out of Regan’s delivery. Highlight reel from first minute: Amanda’s clean counter hooks/crosses from reverse gear just dripping off Bridget’s face/skull in repeated attacks – a nasty, little cut forms on the bridge of Regan’s nose, with ‘Manda delightfully and repeatedly targeting Regan’s nose with her jabs and straights, showing good big-girl mobility when tilting, leaning out of harm.
Start of second minute, hell breaks loose: Bridget feints her right hand, leading to Amanda moving to the left to block and Bridget’s real left hook catches Righetti square on the side of her face, bam. That knocks Amanda a step to the side and Bridget powers forwards aggressively, landing a flurry of punches to Amanda’s face, tagging her upside the eyes a bunch of times, re-tagging her via short, blasting left/right hooks in intermittent fashion. Righetti groaning in shock, trying to block them, but Bridgy’s just a-pastin’ her guard away…Regan’s back glistening sweaty, legs standing wide, parallel as she’s roaring away to glory, those strong arms strapping wide, grasping leather across and upside ‘Manda’s face…redhead’s legs straining to hold, as she’s taking, absorbing hell-ish harm to her skull, slowly pedaling away…she’s groggy, pasted! Overwhelming punches have Righetti tilting, hectically skipping, her feet tripping…her head’s knocked back to the crowd’s ooohs and aaahs via a particularly vicious and concussive left uppercut, and she turns her torso away from the harm, TAKING A KNEE to stop the friggin’ onslaught!
Oh, Bridget’s looking pleased right now as she stares at a windswept Amanda – who’s staring in shock, mouth opened, struggling to hold her balance – with the referee needing to order Bridgy back to a neutral corner so the count can begin. 1…2….3, shaking her head in defiance, Amanda wipes the blood from her lower lip as it drips down on her chin…4…5…6, she’s looking at the referee, pissed off with herself…7…8, she slowly pushes her way to her feet and holds her gloves up, taking hops, looking serviceable! As soon as they are allowed to continue, Bridget flies forwards, immediately applying jabs, hooks to punch ‘Manda into a daze – Righetti adjusts, putting together solid defensive boxing minutes, her guard up, moving her head well out the way to protect herself, convincingly leggy as she’s trying to negotiate Bridget’s powerful pressure.
Righetti spending time at the ropes, but making sure she won’t get locked in, taking seconds off the clock via effective holds, clinches when Bridget’s pressure mounts. Some defensive jab work from Rigs down the stretch catch some bits of Bridgy’s lips, mouth…she’s finally backing away her brunette tormentress as the clock’s winding down! As the bell rings: Bridget just knowingly nods at Amanda as if she’s telling her the end is coming, which has Amanda staring defiantly back as the referee stays between these two powerful, battle-torn fighters.
Once back to her corner, there’s some emergency work on Righetti’s split lips, fresh cuts on her forehead, but Amanda’s looking intense, alert, focused with Nadia telling her to keep her head and turn this thing around. Both know that Bridget has taken a big step forwards in this fight, with the Bazz corner looking ultra-relaxed as Angie works on keeping Bridget fresh, while telling her to finish off her rival right now.
Round 7:Bridget keeps the pressure on Amanda early, this time attacking in more controlled fashion than before as she measures up her opponent with an active, patient, stiffening jab and trying to land power shots via the right hand. Most of her punches bounce off Amanda’s gloves, but several punches batter through Righetti’s mitts onto her bloodied lips, knocking her head back in spots, slowly driving her towards the ropes. Regan positioned off her foe, tucking in her grueling tummy shots beneath ‘Manda’s crossed arms, elbows – Amanda’s able to pull Bridget into a clinch after taking two vicious body shots, and both fighters take a moment to rest on each other’s arms/shoulders, struggling for leverage in the inside hold, as the referee steps in to break the tussling hotties apart.
Bridget’s looking to not let this chance slip through her fingers, so she’s quick to get back into Amanda’s face with a brutal lefty jab, while Amanda’s fighting off the back foot, as both women attempt to catch the other on their cuts. Action slowing throughout second, third minute as girls wind down, circle each other, a-pawing via the jabs…slight mobility, aggressiveness advantages for Bridgy’s jab-work, her dangerous right hook there looking to catch Amanda in good, clouting fashion each and every time. Third minute half-way thru: when Bridget goes for her signature right hook tonight, ‘Manda ducks under it and comes up with a wild, overhand left uppercut into the side of Bridget’s head, whack, finally putting Regan wobbly-butt on the spot….and Righetti lands another big right cross on the brunette’s eyebrow, lumping up a nice cut there, while Bridgy pedals back, forming her guard.
Bridget finding herself pushed on the defensive down the stretch, as Amanda’s grinding forward, smacking her opponent to the body, forcing little gasps of pain when Righetti’s right hand’s getting inside Regan’s ribs, lower back, tuck/tuck. Dying seconds of the round: Bridget ROARING back toe-to-toe from the spot just as Righetti’s settling into set-piece jab, right hand combinations – girls stay to exchange withering right hands in shocking turns, their bodies wilting, guards covering up, sweat just flying off them. Round ends with both women glaring at each other, eyes all wide and intense, their bodies blocking, bumping past each other to return to their corners to be cleaned up…two bruised and bloodied welterweight legends looking to wear each other out.
Round 8:Back out come the fighters: Bridget charges into Righetti with her head lowered down, getting to work on Amanda’s body, soon backing her up near the ropes, pressing her weight forward inside at full steam/power as she’s pedaling her arms in wide, monstrous slaps, thwacks beneath ‘Manda’s jug line while keeping her head shortly atop redhead’s shoulders/skull. Righetti trying to roll/twist out of those thick-ish, piercing shots: leaning back deep into cables, she’s giving Bridgy a healthy shove to the tits, then shrugs her a short, twitchy right hook from her parallel-feet stance, cutting it right across Regan’s left eyebrow. Shout of pain, Regan, as her arms slosh up for protection…Amanda drives forward out of ropes, her punches slamming into Bridget’s gloves, rocking Regan’s stance into wobbly-butt.
Bridget’s own leggy stamina to the fore – hopping in retreat, she rolls a heavy left uppercut that connects, but then slightly drifts past Amanda’s nose, not hitting it clean and hard. Left hook counter, Righetti, off the spot, zinging it across Regan’s flattened face, the shock waves tremoring down strong brunette body, her knees pan-caking but supporting her weight just barely. Bridgy’s butt directed into ropes by force of Righetti’s alert, stunning jabs now – hard jabs pumping from Amanda’s shoulder, punching Bridgy dazed from one-punch power, softening up Regan’s still resolute guard, trying to wick it away via nailing right hands off the jab.
Best Righetti pressure of the night – and there’s the right uppercut, really leaning into Bridget’s torn-open cut across her brow again in gruesome fashion, trickles of blood running down Regan’s cheek. Long stretches of second, third minute proceeding among these lines… hard jab pressure, numbing activity, with lots of clinches, holds from a hard-breathing Bridget, her facing looking devastated, grimacing. Down the stretch, Righetti’s got Regan scrubbed back into ropes, ref prying struggling beauties apart – Bridget’s lioness instincts kicking in, working off her back foot via short, shruggy counters to force Amanda away from her…’Manda trying to keep dictating via jabs against these shots, but taking solid punches onto her lips, bloodying them again!
Then, the jab pushes through to Bridget’s nose again, the overhead right knocking her back into ropes, legs wobbling. Another brutal, swinging uppercut, Righetti – Bridgy’s head snaps back, her torso falling into the cables, then toppling back forward into Righetti’s body, just grabbing onto her…bell rings to slight of still-grappling beauties.
The referee breaks them apart: Bridget mustering an iron-willed stare of defiance at Amanda now, who just meets her glance for a second, then jogs back to her corner in confident, workwoman fashion. Bjorlin energetic, pretty much fired up: “You’ve got the bytch rattled, now knock her out!” While the ringside doctor is watching closely, the Bazz corner team works on patching the cuts on Bridget’s face, the one over her left eyebrow giving them the most trouble due to the blood running down the left side of her face.
Round 9:Bridget is deemed fit enough to come back out – with Amanda now the one pushing the pace, both girls land stingin’ punches to the other’s face in propelling action. Righetti’s high-rhythm jabs outpacing, overpowering Bridgy on delivery, impact…’Manda’s applying pressure in walking her foe down, taggin’ her to the jawline via stubby, short, aggressive and/or lean, long, stiffening jabs while keeping the right hand ready to batter off her jabs against Regan’s guard/arms. Bridgy’s getting shelled, but HOOKS back from her crouch, trying to find momentum via swingin’ haymakers from back foot, while stepping further away from Righetti’s poke.
Some withering exchanges throughout early twenty, thirty seconds as fists fly past or hit jaws, temples – Bridget absorbing Righetti’s hard jabs, shuddering rights spook her into forming earmuff at ropes where she slides along, her outstretched left pumping…Righetti snarls as she stalks, steps to, her arms strapping into wide wallop now! She leans out of Regan’s short counter jab to LAND her own inside straight-right, buffeting Bridget’s eyebrow cut – Bridget groans, her mouth opening in a shout of pain, as she’s trying to duck her head away, her arms almost crossed in front of her face.
Righetti relentless, shoving the left sideway hook upside Regan’s temple in brutal, jerking power…Regan’s knees COLLAPSE out from under her, legs all a-scramble as she’s flopping her onto her side…she’s a groaning beauty, her face twisted in pain and confusion! Righetti’s fans roar as she raises her fists, heading to a neutral corner, the ref counting her foe down: 1…2…3…a dazed Bridget’s propped onto her elbow, looking stunned as she shakes her head, slowly pulling herself towards a near set of ropes…4…5...6...Bridget gets to her knees as she leans on the ropes and stares at a distant, intensely staring Amanda…7…8…9… then she drags herself to her feet, raising her fists as she still looks a little shaky.
The referee lets the fight continue as Bridget tries to fight on, with Amanda happy to get into her face – Regan’s a diminished beauty at this point, her agility gone, those wondrous legs stiff, slowed down, her face bunched up, frazzled. Bridget rallying throughout first exchanges, her guard withstanding Righetti’s harsh jab poke, but she’s already getting shoved, driven backward again…her back hits ropes, then she’s falling into holds, clinches, some welcome moments of relaxation for Bridget throughout second minute. ‘Manda patient, cold: jab, jab, right – her set-piece delivery staying in touch of Bridget without rushing things, keeping her guard busy, alert.
Regan’s counters short, stubby, off the spot: she’s mostly trying to stay in Righetti’s grasps, holding her arms down, relaxing weight against redhead. Third minute arrives: jab, jab, right – the jab really whipping between Bridget’s mitts onto her mouth/jaw to a loud groan from sympathetic crowd, with Bridgy grabbing out to stumble into a hold. Amanda shift her body to the left, and her hard left-to-tits nudges Regan’s torso back away from her…then ‘Manda steps back forward with a powerful right uppercut ROLLING OVER ALL OF BRIDGET’S JAW! Devastating power shot landing flush hurls Bridget’s torso onto canvas like a blast, puts her flat onto her back!
No doubt in Righetti’s fervid eyes, but she’s still getting nudged back by the ref as she’s standing over Regan’s sprawled out body, the count beginning. Bridgy’s closed eyes twitching open, shut, open, shut – by the five, six count she’s heard groaning, still not stirring at eight, her expression just dumbfounded, hazy – and she’s getting counted out on her back.
Winner: Amanda Righetti KO Round 9After:Shouts of exultation in the Righetti camp, lots of back-slapping, hugs…it’s a hard-earned moment of triumph for the usually more reserved redhead, and any concern about her foe’s ranking dead last on her priorities right now. Regan gets moved to prop her back against ropes, then slowly helped up…finally seated on her stool, her back leaning into turnbuckle, she’s an image of misery, exhaustion, defeat. Righetti’s post-fight interview in the ring’s surely directed to her bitter foe: “I remember seeing those scout compilations for Bridget back in her Legend of the Seeker days, when we picked her for a fight in 2009, her physicality, her confidence, wow. I knew right there and then that conquering Bridget would be a life’s work. She’s overwhelmed me in the past, but I was able to turn things around: now my foot’s on her neck for good, and I have no intention of ever letting her get back into control. Feels good to finally have Bridgy taken care off – there are other, very important things for me to accomplish in this division!”
Regan/Righetti VI as brutal, as hard-fought, as exciting as expected – it’s Righetti’s only rivalry that has turned from mutual respect to frosty formalities to competitive hatred, and after Bridget walked away with three stunning defeats, one of them arguably the most devastating loss of Amanda’s career, her consecutive victories over Bridget in 2016 and tonight are huge payback for her.
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