Lightweight Tournament Final (??? versus ???)

BEFORE:

Pair of former champions square off in the finals of what's been a heck of a tournament for the lightweight gold. And, these two have been at it before, a little less than a year ago in a Santa-kini bout that saw champion Jenner stop challenger Winstead, and Kendall's confident nothing's going to change. "Just like Taylor," says Kendall with a smirk. "This is a girl I'm simply BETTER than. And, there's nothing she can do tonight to stop me from reclaiming MY Unified Lightweight Championship!"

"Kendall's wrong about so MANY things," says a hard-eyed Mary. "She's NOT better than me. And there's a LOT I can do to stop her from taking the belts. Including hitting her so hard she'll wake up on CHRISTMAS."

ROUND ONE:

Jenner on a roll early. She remembers well what worked against Winstead the first time, and, just because they aren't wearing Santa-kinis doesn't mean it won't work this time. Jenner sets up at range and gets her box on. She's turning with her fellow brunette, getting her jab working, dropping in right hands off it. Mary answering in spots, but Jenner's clearly fighting lead, and, clearly having the better of things. As the round goes on, it gets worse for MEW. Kendall getting punches put together, throwing long, accurate flurries that toss the older woman onto the defensive. Mary spends much of the final minute of the round covering up and backing up. Final seconds see a CRISP right hand from Kendall that sends sweat flying and Mary's head snapping back. Winnie not exactly hurt, but clearly buzzed at the bell. And, when it rings, Jenner's grabbed the first wide and leads 10-9.

ROUND TWO:

Well, will you look at that? Winnie remembers the Santa-kini bout, too, and she remembers what worked for her. Mary Elizabeth steps to Jenner in the second, angling forward, crowding, banging to the body and then back to the head. Kendall giving ground, wants space. MEW not having any. Instead, she's getting physical with the younger woman, thumping her with hard shot, making her cover up. Now, it's the older brunette who's fighting lead and getting much the better of things. Jenner all defensive all of a sudden, as she's been back footed by a determined Winstead. And, it get worse. Final minute of the round sees complete domination by Winnie, who's working the younger woman over in a big way. Not sure if Kendall or her corner is more relieved to hear the bell ring, but, when it does, Winstead's evened things at 19 with a wide round of her own.

ROUND THREE:

Winnie continues to pressure. She's got the younger woman fighting out of an uncomfortable position, and that's always a good recipe for success. Jenner moving more laterally, giving ground as well, trying to stay off square and create space but not having much success. BOOM! Right hand, Jenner! Kendall catches Mary stepping to and ROCKS her! Winstead rumblin, stumblin, fumblin and DOWN SHE GOES! Short left hook from Kendall and Mary Elizabeth is dropped to her left side! Kendall BOUNCING to a neutral corner, sure she's turned the trick. Winstead struggling feebly to get to her feet. Manages to get to all fours at eight and stand JUST before the referee waives it off. Ref watches closely during the mandatory, but waives Jenner forward. Kendall. Goes. To. Town. Younger brunette absolutely ABUSING Mary, thumping her around the ring viciously for the next 90 seconds. Somehow, Winstead survives, but, when the bell rings, Jenner has it 10-8 and leads 29-27, but, worse, Mary's looking like a wreck.

ROUND FOUR:

Wreck of the Mary Elizabeth Winstead continues to be the theme. Jenner jazzed, adrenaline pumping, looking to finish. Winstead on defense, guard high, jabbing back here and there, taking a licking and looking like stopping ticking any second. BOOM! Down goes WINSTEAD! A straight right hand from Jenner and Mary is dropped to her back. Kendall again bouncing confidently to a neutral corner. No one can blame her. Winstead looking finished on her back as the referee counts. Again, though, the former champ manages to get to hands and knees at eight and JUST push to her feet before the count reaches ten. Another mandatory follows, and, again, the referee waives on Kendall. What happens next is strictly NC-17 stuff. Completely one-sided as Jenner batters Winstead, who's clearly on the edge of collapse. What keeps her on her feet is as mysterious as what keeps the referee from stopping this. But. Mary stays up and the referee stays his hand, and, eventually, the bell rings. Jenner hasn't finished. But, she leads 39-35 and her opponent is clearly on her last legs.

ROUND FIVE:

Kendall dominant. If she's going to claim the lightweight straps again on this evening, she's going to do it in style. She's lighting up Mary from everywhere, putting together beautiful combinations, suppressing virtually all of the wobbled older woman's offense. It's as one-sided as you can imagine, with Winstead's corner in discussion, almost certainly about stopping this, throughout most of the round. As for their fighter, she's as game as you can imagine, but definitely on the verge of collapse. Jenner simply won't give her the time or space to get the legs back or make any kind of recovery from the punishment she's taken the last two rounds. Instead, the younger woman keeps pouring shell into the already flaming decks of the S.S. MEW, knowing that, eventually, one of them is going to send the ship to the bottom. That shell doesn't land in the fifth, but, when the bell rings, it's a shutout Kendall, and Jenner now commands the fight, 49-44.

ROUND SIX:

Jenner back to work early, but she's clearly slowed down. Max effort for round after round has made the younger woman arm weary, and Winstead quickly realizes it. Mary stays defensive, keeping the gloves high, but, now she's playing counter puncher, not just countering in spots to keep the ref at bay. Result is good offense from Winstead for the first time since the Jenner roll started in the third. Oh, she's not able to do as much as she'd like, let alone take over the round, but, with Kendall's work rate well down, Mary Elizabeth IS able to make a round of it. In fact, it's close for the first time in the bout, close from the opening bell to the closing seconds. The closing seconds, when Winstead, her legs seemingly firming up, steals the points with a series of quick flurries that throw Jenner onto the defensive. At the bell, MEW's won her second round of the night, but still trails big, 58-54.

ROUND SEVEN:

Jenner shaking off the fatigue after a slow sixth sets up at range and gets to work. Winnie, though, is getting more and more of a base under her. Older brunette moving pretty well now, and she's able to work forward like she did in the second, get in close, bang some body, bring some power to bear upstairs. Kendall dealing with that much better than in the second stanza, giving a little ground, moving laterally, working to stay off square. Whether the better result for Jenner is a result of an adjustment by Kendall or Mary's still somewhat reduced legs, we'll never know, but, either way, rather than a Winstead romp, we get a second consecutive competitive round, with Winstead scoring inside and Jenner scoring outside. Down the stretch, again, it's very tight, and, once again, Winstead, the veteran, ups the work rate in the last thirty seconds. By doing so, MEW creates enough separation to win the round, cutting Kendall's lead to 67-64 with three to go.

ROUND EIGHT:

More two-way action as Jenner works at range, landing that long, accurate jab, following on with right hands. Mary angling, bobbing the head, moving the feet, looking to get past the glove, and, when she does, she gets to WORK, banging head and body, thumping heavy leather home, scoring points until Jenner can disengage and get space again. For two minutes, it's very, very close for the third consecutive round. Then. BOOM! Short right hand, MARY! And Kendall's HURT! Jenner wobbles on the spot and then GOES DOWN after a right hook! Jenner dropped to her right side. Winstead to a neutral corner to watch and wait as Kendall rolls to her belly, pushes to all fours, and gets to her feet at seven. Referee gives her the mandatory and ON COMES WINNIE! Mary Elizabeth getting off LUSTY with both hands, hammering the younger brunette into the ropes and just SAVAGING her for the remaining 45 seconds of the round. At the bell, Kendall's still standing, but, after a 10-8 result, her once big lead is down to a single point, 75-74.

ROUND NINE:

Hard to believe the titles would be in the balance with two rounds to go after the first half, but, here we are. It's anybody's fight as Mary comes forward, all offense, backing up Jenner, who's still trying to shake off the hurt from the eighth. Younger brunette giving ground, covering up, countering in spots, but unable to prevent a Winstead clean up. Mary looking for the finisher, but not neglecting the body, ripping hard shot to the ribs and midsection. And, those pay off. One nasty hook to the belly bunches Jenner up and BOOM! Right uppie from Mary and DOWN GOES KENDALL! Jenner crashing to her back, arms spread as Winstead leaps into the air pumping a fist before heading to a neutral corner. Referee begins his count, but Winnie knows what she's done. Kendall unmoving. OUT. Finished. It's OVER! And your winner by KO9 in comeback fashion and NEW Unified Lightweight Champion is Mary Elizabeth Winstead!


AFTER:

Winstead looking like she's been in a heck of a fight (and, of course, she has), but she can't suppress a grin. It's been a long run through a heck of a tournament, but, she's the last girl left standing, literally. "I knew this the moment Torv retired," says Mary shaking the head and still smiling. "I knew there'd be a tournament, and, when you've got to put together fight after fight against tough competition in short order, well. The toughest girl wins. And, you're looking at the toughest lightweight in the FCBA...and the Unified Lightweight Champion!"