Evangeline Lilly versus Olivia Wilde

BEFORE:
Match up of brunette bantams who've seemingly been in the Top Twenty for a decade, and, who, amazingly, have never fought before. And, both are keyed up for the first meeting.

"She's still a girl you measure yourself against," says Olivia without a hint of a smile. "And, I'm looking forward to doing that."

"Olivia's one of the top bantams in the world," says Vangie with a nod. "But. Guess who THE top bantam in the world is? And, if Olivia has any doubts about that, I'll put them to rest tonight."

ROUND ONE:
Early recon as Lilly probes forward, looking for ways through the taller girl's defenses. Wilde has the reach advantage here, and she's using it. She's working the jab, moving the feet, wants distance. Vangie wants to close, get physical, but Olivia having none of it early, instead using that accurate left to keep Lilly at bay. But. That's about all she's doing. Bazz girl wants to build combinations, but she's not able to get that done. Lilly's defenses too good. Evangeline picking off punches, slipping, blocking, keeping the gloves high as she probes ever forward. Late in the round, she manages to close and bang some body. Wilde quickly ties up, forcing a break, but it appears this is going to be Lilly's strategy, work the frame of the slighter girl and wear her down. In the first, though, she doesn't get that done, and Wilde takes the points close and leads 10-9.

ROUND TWO:
Lilly's found some cracks, and she gets through them early. She's working past Wilde's glove, crowding her, banging that body. She's thumping the ribs, tenderizing the tummy. Olivia tying up, working for breaks, trying to slow down the onslaught, but, this is Evangeline Lilly, a champion and future Hall of Famer. She's seen the tricks. And, she KNOWS the tricks. And, she's using them to get where she needs to be. Wilde thumping back some when they're in close, but she's coming off second best on those terms and knows it. What she needs is distance, but, unable to get it, she does the best she can under the circumstances, landing a few good shots here and there. But, mostly, it's Lilly, and, when the round ends and the bell rings, Evangeline has taken the round wide and evened things at 19.

ROUND THREE:
Lilly continuing to execute the plan, crowd Olivia and work that body. BOOM! Right hook from Wilde and LILLY IS HURT! Olivia catches the former champ with a short right hook and Evangeline is wobbling around the ring! And the Bazz beauty is, that quickly, ALL IN! Wilde letting the hands go in a big way, hammering her rival with everything in the arsenal. Lilly on rubber legs, backed to the ropes with the referee looking in closely. She's got the guard high, putting the body on sale, but the Wilde Girl is not buying at any price. She's looking to finish this thing, pouring fire at Evangeline in an effort to put the lights completely out. Veteran Lilly playing it smart, keeping the guard high, rolling with punches, doing just enough to keep the ref from stopping it. Vangie's still on the ropes taking when the bell rings and Wilde's won the round wide and taken the lead 29-28, but Lilly's survived the onslaught.

ROUND FOUR:
Wilde in total control. Lilly's wobbly, and Livvie's taking full advantage, backing her up repeatedly with hard shot to the head. Taller girl sitting down on just about everything, but staying plenty sound. Does not want to give Lilly an opening to get back into this thing. For Vangie's part, she's able to fire back here and there, but that's about it. She can't hold canvas and she's rarely able to get her feet set. What she DOES manage to do is stay off the ropes, but that's about all the good news there is for the former champion, who takes quite the beating right up to the final seconds, which see Wilde teeing off as Lilly covers up and, quite likely, wishes very, very hard for the bell. When it finally rings, Olivia's taken her second straight stanza wide and stretched her lead to 39-37.

ROUND FIVE:
BOOM! Opening exchange of the round sees Lilly catch Wilde with a NASTY right hand and OLIVIA IS HURT! Wilde wobbles, nearly goes down, then covers up as Vangie lets the hands go. Lilly firing salvo after salvo at the listing S.S. Olivia, driving Wilde back into the ropes and then absolutely SAVAGING her to the body. She's ripping ribs and thumping tummy as Wilde keeps the guard high despite the punishment. Vangie upstairs, then back down, bringing the pain as she looks to finish off her wobbly rival. But, like Evangeline herself in the third, the veteran Olivia hangs on, rolling with punches, blocking others, doing enough offensively to keep any thoughts of a stoppage out of the referee's head. Thus, when the bell rings, Wilde is still standing. But, Lilly's pitched a shutout and cut Olivia's lead to 48-47 at the half.

ROUND SIX:
Lilly looking to finish now, backing up a still-wobbly Wilde with hard shot to the head. Olivia not trying to hold ground, instead working on a fighting retreat. Evangeline's taking as much canvas as she wants, but, she's paying a price, as Wilde's managing to land some hard counters. Those are not, however, slowly Lilly, who's determined to decide this issue right now. BOOM! Short right hook from Vangie and Olivia stumbles backward and GOES DOWN! Wilde flat on her back in the middle of the ring as Lilly heads to a neutral corner. Lovely Livvie staring up, wide-eyed at the referee as he counts down at her. She rolls over at seven and tries to push up to hands and knees, but can't manage it. She's still trying to get to all fours when the count passes her by. It's OVER! And your winner by KO6 is Evangeline Lilly!

AFTER:
Lilly looking scuffed but happy in the post-fight. "I'm just sorry it took so long for us to do that," says Vangie with a smile. "She really IS good and classy and gave me a great fight. Maybe we can do this again some time. Just know that the result is going to be the same."