Taylor Hill vs. Adriana Lima (Lightweight Title)

BEFORE:

Little hype needed here. These brunettes are ranked numbers one and two in the latest Tractorpull Lightweight Rankings, and both have had big years, with Lima having garnered wins over Peregrym, Swift, and Ren, while Hill's gone seven for seven with wins over Lively, Kendall Jenner, and Ren, so, it's not surprising that both fighters are entering tonight's contest with quite a bit of confidence. "The difference between Taylor and me," says Lima with a gorgeous smile, "Is that I've been here before. Three time Queen of the Ice Hotel. Mistress of the Body Saddle. Unified Lightweight Champion. I've been on the biggest stage and won on the biggest stage. And, tonight, I'm going to do that again and reclaim the lightweight belts."

"She's definitely got the experience edge," Taylor admits with a nod. "But, all that experience isn't going to help her tonight, because, tonight, she's going to be in with the best lightweight on the planet."

ROUND ONE:

Hill to work with the jab early. She's got a hair of reach on Adriana, and she's using that and excellent footwork to get things going quickly at gunnery range. It's all based off that hard, sharp left jab. She's getting it in Lima's face, stopping the older brunette and setting her up for hard right hand follows. Adriana's trying to get off square, working hard to get something going offensively herself, but, aside from the odd counter, she's unable to do so. Instead, it's Taylor and more Taylor, as Hill tosses the older woman onto the defensive again and again and, late in the round, even starts backing her up with hard right hands. By the time the bell sounds, there's no doubt about the results of the opening stanza. The champion has claimed it wide and grabbed the early 10-9 lead in her first title defense.

ROUND TWO:

Lima looking more comfortable now. Older brunette is finding ways to slip the jab, get to her spots and get off. And, just like that, we've got a good, two-way round going. Both models getting work done at range, with Taylor still running everything off that long, sharp left jab. When she gets it on target, the round looks like the first, with the younger brunette controlling the older. But, when Adriana's able to slip it or block and get get to where she wants to be, it's Lima in control to the point that, sometimes, she's even tossing the champion onto the defensive, forcing her to back and cover. Back and forth the ladies go, from the opening seconds of the round to the final bell. And, when that bell rings, it's Adriana who's gotten juuuuuusssssttttt a bit more work done, taking the points close and evening things at 19.

ROUND THREE:

More of the same. Good, two-way stuff with both ladies having their share of the success. Both are plenty patient, not forcing anything, respecting the power of their respective opponent, but, both are taking advantage of each and every opportunity to score that presents itself, creating a purist's dream. Back and forth boxing for three solid minutes, with both fighters moving head, hands, and feet, both working hard to set up punches, create opportunities, while both also play excellent defense, getting punches out and back, slipping, dipping, making themselves difficult to find. And, just as we saw in the second, there's not much in it. Neither fighter can establish any sort of control or create any kind of scorecard space, but, when the bell ends the stanza, it's Lima who's taken another narrowly and pulled into a 29-28 lead.

ROUND FOUR:

Hill grabs control again. Taylor's more active with the left, double-tapping at times, and more accurate with it, too. She's finding Lima, despite Adriana's best efforts to block and slip, and it's making a ton of difference. Adriana's being forced to the defensive again and again, as the champion builds combinations, leaving Lima backing and covering and getting precious little done offensively. At times, the challenger is able to get to her spots, and, when she can, she gets off in combination and scores well, but those times are much too few and far between, especially since Taylor is piling up so many points in those times between. Hill keeps right on rolling to the bell, and, when it sounds ending the fourth, it's a second wide round for the champion, who pulls even at 38 on the cards.

ROUND FIVE:

Hill in charge with that left jab. Taylor in a fearful rhythm right now, taking the fight to the older woman, punishing her with hard right hands and GETTING DROPPED BY A BOOMING COUNTER FROM LIMA! Adriana turns the fight with one absolutely vicious straight right hand that sends the champ crashing to her back. Lima quickly to a neutral corner. Taylor wide-eyed and blinking up at the referee, rolls to her belly at six, pushes to hands and knees at eight...and barely beats the count! Ref gives the champ the mandatory and ON COMES LIMA! Adriana letting the hands go in a major way, driving her rival back into the ropes and calling in repeated artillery strikes. Hill in a high guard taking, firing back here and there, just trying to run clock. Ref on a hair trigger, but Taylor makes it to the bell. Lima's grabbed it 10-8, though, and now leads 48-46.

ROUND SIX:

Adriana looking to finish. Lima stepping to, backing up the champion with hard shot. Hill clearly still wobbly, and the challenger is pouring on the fire, looking to send her down again, this time for good. About a minute in, Taylor's pinned to the cables, and, from there, the older brunette trains the heavy guns on the younger and begins shelling. Hill taking a TON of fire. She's blocking some, rolling with some, but a lot of leather's getting through, and not just upstairs, but down, where Adriana's working belly and ribs to try to bring the guard down. Doesn't work, however, as Hill maintains the tight earmuff and a grim determination to make it to the bell. And, despite the best efforts of the challenger, the champion does so...looking scuffed and unsteady on the way back to her corner, while Lima has a bounce in her step after pitching a shutout and pulling into a 58-55 lead.

ROUND SEVEN:

Lima pushing, taking the fight to Taylor. Hill engaging in a fighting retreat now as her legs begin to come back. After about a minute, the retreat is over. Hill's holding canvas and firing back and Adriana realizes forcing the issue is probably a mistake. So, we're back to boxing, and the champion starts getting the better of things. Lima is, perhaps, a bit arm-weary after all the work in the last two rounds, or, maybe Hill's just gotten the geometry she wants like she had earlier in the fight. Whatever the reason, Adriana's not getting much done and Taylor's getting herself on a roll, putting punches together as she controls the proceedings with that long, accurate left jab. Slowly, she makes up the early stagger, and, by the time the bell rings, the champion has pulled into the lead in the stanza. She takes the points narrowly and cuts Lima's lead to 67-65.

ROUND EIGHT:

Back to boxing, and back to Hill having the better of things. Lima unable to get off square right now. Taylor finding with that left jab, preempting the older woman with it, holding her in place for hard right hand follows. Adriana moving more, angling, trying to get to spots to get off. At times, she does, but, usually, it's the champion getting the geometry she wants, and, as a result, controlling the proceedings. Hill's built herself a solid lead as we roll into the final minute. Then. BOOM! Straight right hand, TAYLOR and Adriana is HURT! Lima wobbles and is DROPPED by a vicious three-punch flurry from the champion! Lima flat on her back, staring dazedly at the referee as he counts down at her. Challenger rolls to her belly, pushes to all fours, then tries to rise, but CRUMPLES BACK TO THE CANVAS and it's OVER! Lima can't beat the count and your winner by KO8 and STILL Unified Lightweight Champion is 'The Face', Taylor Hill!

AFTER:

Hill definitely looking like she's been in a fight, but she's smiling beneath the scuff and puff. "She's every bit as good as advertised," says Taylor. "As good as anyone I've ever been in with. But, like I said, tonight, SHE was in with the best lightweight in the world. And, that made all the difference."