Brie Larson versus Ginny Gardner

Before:

Gardner keeps her pre-fight sound-bit short: “Larson is a good fighter. But I think she needs a solid welcome-back to an active stable by losing. It’s nothing personal, just something to remind her that one of us has more experience.”

Larson dismisses the younger woman’s desires. “Just because she says she wants to do something doesn’t mean it is going to work out that way. I’m happy that Fates signed me, and I want to go out and prove why he made a good call.”

Brie emerges to the ring in a blue sports bra with matching trunks and gloves, hair up in a ponytail. Ginny wears a turquoise sports bra with matching gloves and grey tights, her hair in a bun.

The two actresses stare each other down before the bell rings, their intensity evident in their eyes alone.

Round 1:

Larson comes out of the gate swinging and lands some solid punches early on to Gardner’s body. Ginny quickly maneuvers to get out of Brie’s reach, forcing the older actress to try and close the distance. Gardner sizes Larson up and feints hard with her left and Brie bites only to get clocked by Ginny’s right! Ginny immediately starts pummeling Brie’s body as Larson gets her guard up while she tries to counterpunch somewhat effectively. Gardner coerces Larson into the ropes and pounds her fists into Larson’s body as the latter has difficulty clinching. Eventually Brie succeeds and the referee breaks the two women apart. Ginny immediately resumes targeting Brie’s body, drawing an audible groan as she plugs a left into Larson’s solar plexus. The bell mercifully rings as Ginny takes the first round on points, wide.

Round 2:

Round two starts with Ginny being the one who starts swinging early. Brie lands a solid jab right to Gardner’s nose, but the younger woman returns the favor and sends a left uppercut that clips Larson’s chin, staggering her! Brie gets her guard up quickly to protect her head as she stumbles backwards, and Gardner pursues her blonde opponent, plugging leather into Larson’s body. Ginny pummels Brie into the ropes and lays into her as Brie initially tries to punch her way out of the ropes before going for the clinch. The two women are separated, and once the ref signals they can continue, Larson lunges at Gardner only to miss wildly and Ginny once again punishes Brie’s body. Larson groaning with each blow from Gardner and covers up again. For the second time in the round Ginny forces Larson into the ropes but the bell rings before she can fully dig into Brie. Gardner takes the round by shutout.

Round 3:

Larson in desperate need of turning around the fight in her favor having taken an absolute beating in the opening two rounds. Brie starts off by taking the offensive and feinting, getting Gardner to bite and punishing her for it. Ginny stays calm and connects with a pair of jabs to Brie’s face, forcing the actress to back off. Gardner follows up, returning to Larson’s body, but Brie is ready, takes the punches, and gets a quick combination off into Ginny’s face. Ginny backs away and resets her feet before firing another salvo at Brie. Larson takes most of the barrage to her guard, and the punch she takes in the ribs she shrugs off and fires her own salvo at Gardner with similar results. With a half minute to go in the round, the two blondes start pounding each other blow for blow in the center of the ring with neither showing signs of quitting as the bell rings. Both women go back to their corners having fought the round to a draw and look to their trainers for suggestions.

Round 4:

Both women charge out of their respective corners to begin the fourth and Brie lands a right jab that smacks Ginny in the nose. Larson immediately follows up right into her opposing actress’ body, drawing gasps out of Gardner. Ginny slings a quick right that catches Brie in the mouth and the older actress backs off temporarily. Gardner begins to circle Larson, but Brie reads Ginny like a book and finds another jab to Gardner’s face, but this time, Brie focuses on Ginny’s chin until Gardner gets her guard up. Larson immediately switches to Gardner’s body and pounds Ginny into the ropes. Gardner struggles to clinch around Larson while the older actress batters her, but she eventually gets the clinch and eventual break. Brie immediately starts jabbing at Ginny and corners her, landing several punches while Gardner holds on to the end of the round. Brie takes it on points, wide.

Round 5:

Larson finally with momentum behind her, and she immediately takes charge of the fifth, feinting with her left and slamming rights into Gardner. Ginny jabs back but Brie absolutely clocks her with a left hook and Ginny wobbles on her legs! Larson immediately unleashes a flurry of punches to Gardner and the younger actress tries to cover up. Brie plunges a right straight into Ginny’s solar plexus that draws out a massive groan from Gardner as she splits her guard for one second and Larson slams home an uppercut that drops Ginny! Larson quickly retreats as the ref starts the count. Ginny picks her head up at five and looks at the ref, realizing that she is being counted. She gets her arms underneath her at seven. Up to a knee at eight. She reaches for the ropes but collapses again as the ref counts nine, and she can’t make it up at ten. Your winner by KO5, Brie Larson!

After:

Brie raises her fists with a wide smile across her face. Larson mounts the turnbuckle and pumps her fists to the crowd before checking in on Gardner. The two women hug before they head to the back.

“Ginny took it to me early, but I got the win and that’s what matters.” Brie tells the press. “Gardner has a lot of potential as a young fighter, and I’m looking forward to seeing what she does in the FCBA in the future.”

“I thought I had her early, but early doesn’t matter unless it’s undecided or you capitalize later.” Ginny is honest in her assessment. “Larson put up a heck of a fight from the third on, so props to her. But this one could have been mine.”

Gardner stands up and leaves, clearly frustrated about letting Brie Larson back into the fight and taking it. Maybe Gardner will get a rematch one day and pull out a different result.