Michelle Williams versus Kristen Stewart (Flyweight Title)

BEFORE:

No question what the theme of this bout is. Doubts. Both fighters have been subject to them. How many times have we heard "Michelle Williams is past it. She can't deal with the speed of the younger flys anymore. She's too old for the division?" How many career obituaries have been written for the blonde Hall of Famer? But. Here she stands, not only with the belts around her waist again, but with a seven-month title reign that's seen her dispatch several of those promising younger fighters.

And, on the other side of the ring? Kristen Jaymes Stewart. Who has been doubted by just about everyone and anyone since her debut fight nearly nine years ago against...Michelle Williams. She went from the girl nobody believed in to the girl who never fought anyone to the girl who couldn't win the big one. And, here she is. With a chance to put that last doubt to rest. But. If Mishy can relate, well, she's not relating.

"As I've said, the knocks on her are unfair," the Hall of Famer says with a nod. "Natalie says she's for real. So. She is. But. I'm a little more real than anyone she's ever faced before. As she's about to find out."

"Really," says a hard-eyed Kristen, "I could give a f**k less about all these haters. This isn't about proving anything to them. It's about proving something to me. That I can beat this girl. And, that I can win those belts."

ROUND ONE:

Some early feeling out going on, as you might expect between two women who are approaching the ninth anniversary of their last fight against one another. Stewart wants to work that long left jab. Kristen's never happier than when she's able to set up at range and box. And, most girls aren't going to do very well against her on those terms, as Stewart is among the most accurate and technically sound fighters in the FCBA. But. This is Michelle Williams, and Mishy's boxing ability is, shall we say, estimable. She can box with Stewart, angling to deal with the younger woman's reach edge. So, these terms are agreed upon. And, with both fighters able to execute and execute well on these terms, result is a closely-fought opening stanza. There's never much in it, and, at the bell, there's nothing at all. A draw and we're even at 10.

ROUND TWO:

Second verse, same as the first. Ranged boxing. Stewart getting into a rhythm early, landing that left and building some nice combinations. Mishy, though, quickly adjusts, starts blocking and slipping the jab, stepping to to work some body before Stewart can circle back to range. When Kristen gets there, she again gets the better of things. So, the Hall of Famer again slips forward and works at middle distances. And, here, it's Mishy who's scoring more, beginning to gain a measure of control. Not for long. Stewart begins using a drop step to create distance. And, gets right back to outscoring Michelle. Taken as a whole, it's a heck of a technical round, with adjustment begetting adjustment and both fighters showing answers for whatever the other tries. And, as you might expect, by the bell, it's close again. Too close. Draw. 20-20.

ROUND THREE:

Stewart with that drop step. She's creating the space she needs to box at range, and, when she does that, she's able to gain the edge in the contest. Because, it's all about the left jab. Once the younger blonde lands it, everything else falls into place. Williams is held, just long enough for follow ons. Williams able to score some in counter, but not enough to offset what Kristen's doing fighting lead. Thus, Mishy can't allow her to continue to fight lead. And, in the final minute, she makes another adjustment, this time to footwork. Now, she's getting outside Kristen's right foot, slowing the circle, then closing the distance to get to her spots. And, the round turns in Michelle's favor that quickly. But, it's too little, too late. Williams doesn't have time to make up the stagger, and, when the bell rings, Kristen's taken it close to lead 30-29.

ROUND FOUR:

Stewart again gets it rolling early. She's got the geometry down now and she's making it work. She's getting the jab on, stopping the champion with it, following with quick flurries, then circling away. Williams trying to angle or close, but having no success doing it. Instead, it's the younger woman who's slowly taking control of the fight. Kristen's getting stronger as the round goes on. She's in rhythm. Her timing is perfect. Everything's working and, no matter what the Hall of Famer tries, she can't seem to break any of it up. Final thirty seconds sees Stewart put the icing on a nearly perfect cake of a round with a pair of NASTY combinations that back up Williams and leave her covering up at the bell. When it rings, it's the first no-doubt round of the night. Kristen, wide. And, on the cards, it's Stewart 40-38.

ROUND FIVE:

Mishy adjusts. But, you knew that. Nobody was dominating Williams the way Stewart did in the fourth for long. Instead, the blonde begins tucking the head and working forward. She's picking off jabs now, getting back to middle distances and getting to work. Stewart drop stepping and circling to get space, but Michelle not having any, refusing to give space to the challenger. Result is Williams taking over the fight. Like Stewart in the fourth, Mishy gains more and more control as the round goes on. Kristen has no answers. She can't get the jab on target and she can't get much done on offense. Michelle, meanwhile, is getting ALL the work done to both head and body. By the time the bell rings, Williams is dominating the proceedings, and she's taken the round wide. It's the first time Kristen's dropped points all night, but she's now up only one on the cards 49-48.

ROUND SIX:

Michelle continuing to work forward against the taller challenger. Kristen still wants space, and still can't get it. BOOM! Right hand, K-Stew and Michelle is ROCKED! A scintillating counter from the younger woman and the champion is in trouble. Stewart lets the hands go and DOWN GOES WILLIAMS! Michelle sat down by a NASTY combination! Kristen quickly to a neutral corner while the referee counts over a glassy-eyed Mishy. Williams is up at seven, however, and, after the mandatory, ON COMES KRISTEN! Stewart determined to finish this thing, hammering away at Williams, perhaps remembering the post-fight humiliation from their first bout all those years ago. She's channeling something as she rips snarling leather into the older blonde, trapping her on the ropes and pounding at her until, mercifully, the bell sounds ending the carnage. It's Stewart 10-8 and 59-56, but. Michelle is still standing.


ROUND SEVEN:

Stewart in clean-up mode. Challenger all OVER the champion in the early going, stepping to, sitting down on everything, backing up the older woman with flurry after flurry of hard shot. Michelle all about defense, keeping the hands high, jabbing back in spots, but mostly taking a licking. Key is, she keeps on ticking. And, that's the game at the moment. Run clock and get those legs back. Stewart pressuring as much as she can, trying to get the finisher, but wary of a big counter that could flip the script. So, the script doesn't get flipped. Instead, Kristen maintains full control for the entirety of the round, banging the champion around and even trapping her on the ropes twice. What she does NOT do is finish. When the bell rings, Williams is still on her feet. Stewart's won it wide, though, and leads 69-65.

ROUND EIGHT:

Somebody call the Elias Sports Bureau and find out if anyone's ever gone SEVEN rounds with Michelle Williams and dropped only a single point. Because, that's what K-Stew's just done, and, she continues to take the fight to the champion in the eighth. Williams beginning to firm up her front now, though, banging back hard, creating some of the biggest exchanges of the fight so far. BOOM! Right hand, Michelle and Stewart is HURT! Place goes crazy as Williams DOES turn the fight on a dime. Hall of Famer all in immediately and DOWN GOES STEWART. No one punch does the damage. Instead, it's the combined weight of shot that sends the challenger to all fours! Williams to a neutral corner to watch the count. Stewart shaking her head, POUNDING the canvas with her right fist before rising at eight. Mandatory follows and HERE COMES MISHY! Champ paying back Stewart WITH INTEREST for those last few rounds, giving the younger woman a thumping to both head and body. Last thirty seconds sees Kris rope-bound and taking, but, she survives to the bell. It's Williams 10-8, though, and the cards now read 77-75.

ROUND NINE:

Michelle rampant. Williams letting everything go looking to finish off a reeling K-Stew. Stewart in deep, deep trouble with leaden legs and a determined Hall of Famer conspiring to make her little more than a punching bag. Williams picks Stewart apart from the opening seconds, punishing her to head and body, piling up the points, but, more importantly, the hurt. Williams trying to finish this thing now, not wanting to take any chances on the cards. Meanwhile, Kristen's just trying to survive, as Mishy commits on everything in an all-out effort to do something she hasn't been able to do in 18 rounds of trying, stop Kristen Stewart. And, she can't do it in the nineteenth, either. When the bell sounds, K-Stew is still standing. But, Mishy's tossed a shutout, and we've got a one-point fight, with the challenger clinging to an 86-85 lead.

ROUND TEN:

Williams after Stewart early, but Kristen holding ground now, banging back. FIREFIGHT IN THE CENTER OF THE RING! Both fighters tossing in all the reserves in the final scheduled round of a close championship fight. Crowd going nuts as the blondes hammer away at one another, landing bomb after bomb! Sweat flying as heads are snapped back and something has to give, doesn't it? BOOM! DOWN GOES MISHY! A BLISTERING right hand from Stewart and Williams is dropped to her back! Kristen wastes no time getting to a neutral corner. Williams staring blankly up at the referee as he counts down at her. Michelle rolls to her belly at seven, pushes to hands and knees at eight, but GETS NO FURTHER! Williams still on all fours when the count passes her by. It's OVER! And your winner by KO10 and the NEW Unified Flyweight Champion is Kristen Stewart!

AFTER:

HISC corner on high alert. Yes, they know Front Street's post-fight policy, but they also know what Michelle did to Kristen after their first fight. Might the new champion go off script here? Instead, Stewart simply ignores Williams, placing one belt over each shoulder, then holding up the third with her left hand. With her right, she grabs the microphone and utters just three words. "Any f**king QUESTIONS?" before literally dropping the mic and climbing out of the ring.