Missy Peregrym versus Dua Lipa

Two brunettes in top form meeting in this one. Youngster Lipa's looking like a serious comer, having won eight of ten including recent wins over Atwell, Kerr, and Ambrosio. Four-time champ Missy, meanwhile, has rallied from a disastrous 2018 to win...um...eight out of ten. "My goal," says Dua, "Is the lightweight championship. And, Missy's been a girl you have to get through to reach that goal for a long time. Tonight. I'll take that step."

"Dua's got plenty of talent," Missy admits. "But. Tonight. She's in with the best athlete and the best fighter in the FCBA."

ROUND ONE:

Lipa's shown she's often most effective when she's on her bike. So, she climbs aboard in the first. Problem is, well, Missy is Missy, a superb athlete with excellent quickness. You are going to struggle to beat her at the stick and move game. Oh, Dua has her moments, landing nice combinations here and there. But, it's Peregrym who's having the better of things, beating the younger woman to spots and punches. Missy's the one getting the geometry she wants, and Dua's too often finding herself in bad positions, positions where she can't score, but she absolutely CAN be scored upon. The younger woman's never hurt, but she's taking a shellacking both literally and figuratively, as Missy builds up a big edge on the cards. Peregrym puts the cherry on top of a great round with a scintillating combination at the bell that leaves a little blood trickling from Lipa's nose. It's Missy and wide, of course, and Peregrym leads 10-9.

ROUND TWO:

Brunettes on the move again. Missy having the better of things, continuing to wrong-foot Dua and leave her in the wrong position. Until. BOOM! Lipa finally gets the geometry down and she takes advantage in a BIG way, ROCKING the older brunette with a blistering right hand! Missy wobbles, nearly goes down, then covers up as Dua gets off with both hands in a big way. All of a sudden, Peregrym's reeling back to the ropes where Lipa punishes her to both head and body looking to finish this thing. Missy hanging on grimly, clearly in deep trouble. Ref looking in, ready to pounce at any moment. Veteran struggling mightily to both hold him off and survive the barrage of leather from the younger brunette. But. She manages it. The bell sounds with Peregrym still on her feet, but Dua claims it wide and evens things at 19.

ROUND THREE:

Dua in control now, walking down Missy, backing her up with hard shot, almost all of it upstairs. Canadian trying to fire back in spots, slow some of this down, but she's having very little success doing so. Instead, the singer's dominating her, battering her, roughing her up. The cleanup is going on apace, but Peregrym's denying the younger woman the finish she's clearly seeking as she commits on her punches and tosses flurry after flurry of leather at her rival. In the final minute, Missy's rope bound, taking leather from, seemingly, everywhere. Again, she's working to hold off both the referee and Dua, and she's somehow managing by countering here and there, rolling with, blocking, and otherwise absorbing a ton of shell and staying afloat. At the bell, it's Lipa wide again and up 29-28.

ROUND FOUR:

Lipa again forward, backing up Missy, but she's slowed down some, looking a little arm weary after all the energy she's spent in the last two rounds. She's handling that intelligently, though, continuing to work, just at a lower rate. Missy still in retreat, using the respite to shake the worst of the damage and get the legs back under her. A minute in, she seems to have done that and is banging back, stopping Dua's forward advances. Now, the ladies are boxing in the middle of the ring. Not a lot of movement from either. Instead, they're set up at range, exchanging flurries. And, it's Peregym getting the better of it as she's able to match, then beat Lipa's work rate. As the round goes on, the Canadian makes up the stagger, then pulls in front on the cards. At the bell, Missy's taken it close and evened the fight at 38.

ROUND FIVE:

War of movement begins again. Missy's got the legs back and Dua's overcome the arm-weariness of the previous round. Now, the ladies are ranging the ring, using the legs, and, once again, it's Peregrym having the better of it. Missy just so quick and athletic and with all the slickness that comes from her experience. It's too much for the younger woman to overcome. Dua has moments, but, mostly, Peregrym's in control. Until. BOOM! Straight right, MISSY and DUA IS HURT! Lipa stumbles and GETS DROPPED BY A SHORT LEFT HOOK! Lipa down on hands and knees as Peregrym heads to a neutral corner. Ref counting down on the singer, who pushes to her feet at seven then CRUMPLES TO HER BACK! It's OVER! And your winner by KO5 is Missy Peregrym!

AFTER:

Peregrym scuffed but clearly pleased with herself. "She's a Top Twenty talent," says Missy. "No doubt about that. And you SAW what happened in there. Tried to box with me, move with me. Couldn't do it. All these girls who think maybe I'm not who I was anymore? Think again. I'm better than ever!"