CBAD: Bruna Lirio vs Lily Aldridge

Bruna Lirio vs Lily Aldridge
(FCBA Independent vs Lioness Club)
(0-1 vs 12-8, 12 KO)
Results: Lookout!; Story: Vassago

BEFOFE: Alessandra Ambrosio might be in the middle of her farewell tour but there's more Brazilian talent ready to fill the ineviteable void caused by the former lightweight champion. Enter Bruna Lirio! The 26 year old model truly swung for the fences on her debut before Georgia Mae Gibbs proved superior and she's not backing down from another high-profile target in Lily Aldridge tonight.

Meanwhile Lily continues on her Brazilian mission; she beat her friend Ambrosio before Adriana Lima got the better of her few weeks later and one can't argue the fact Bruna appears to be the easiest test of the lot - if the "unknown" factor doesn't spoil the odds. Here's Lily talking to Erin Andrews: "No worries, I know these Brazilian babes can throw a mean punch but I didn't beat Alex for nothing! Bruna might fancy herself as the next big thing from Brazil but her quest will only start once I knock her out!" (winks).

Bruna Lirio wears a red bikini set & yellow gloves. Long dark brown hair tied in a sleek ponytail. Lily Aldridge wears a light blue bikini set & black gloves. Long dark brown hair tied in a high ponytail. The fight is scheduled for ten rounds in the lightweight division.

Round 1:
Lily uses all her experience to dominate the jabbing action; she outworks Bruna with effective precision and glues her mitts into the fellow model's face. Bruna tries to respond with a slugging approach but has a hard time soaking up all these punches and yields real estate once Lily carves her up across the lips. However she struggles to escape the American's range and wobbles onto the ropes which only allows Aldridge to double down on the aggressive swing. Bruna tails off behind a desperate earmuff and looks every bit the punchbag newcomer she actually is. Lily can't believe how quickly she can run up the score and shouts at the fellow model to show some courage after the bell halts her charge.

Round 2:
Lily seeks another one-sided beating but Bruna channels some of that Latin wrath to match the fellow brunette in the slugging drill. Both models trade punches in the center of the ring and Bruna snaps Lily's head back to indicate she's not exactly suited for the sacrificial lamb role; she gives Aldridge enough heat to make the older brunette think better off it down the stretch. Bruna tries to add extra head-hunting pressure but struggles to match the American's footwork and swings through thin air as a result. However she keeps Lily circling around on her toes and Lioness coach Eva Mendes isn't best pleased to see her protegee in such defensive stance. Bell halts the comeback and Bruna takes the round without actually punishing her opponent too much!

Round 3:
No need to show the newcomer any respect so Lily is urged to step it up... and she does! Bruna gets smacked up the middle in uptempo fashion and misfires on the slugging response. She eats a couple of nasty hooks on the jaw and bails out into mid-distance but Lily keeps blasting her over the top and connects with several single punches that do enough damage to send Lirio reeling onto the ropes. Lily traps her with more pesky hooks and continues to work on the high guard that begins to leak more punches as we enter the final minute where Bruna scowls in pain once she gets tagged on the mouth too often. She clinches the charging American but eats more vicious shots on the ribcage as Lily tries to underline her dominance even when she's bear-hugged into a stalemate.

Round 4:
Bruna tries to up the swinging motion and lands some promising head shots but fails to really punish Lily again and leaks too many punches over the top instead. Lily is happy enough to trade the single leather in the center of the ring before she gears up for the haymaker blast. She becomes a little too predictable in her head-hunting effort and allows Lirio to slip from the inside and land some gut shots before a nasty uppercut catches her on the rack. Ugh! Lily wobbles to her heels with a loud whimper and suddenly gets pounded from both flanks as Lirio jumps on the jabbing over drive. Lily fails to regain her footing and gets backed onto the ropes where she has to clinch the charging Brazilian; she outmuscles her into a stalemate but Bruna still drills her liver area and almost hip-tosses to the ground as we have genuine wrestling on display during the final seconds.

Round 5:
Lily cranks up the jabbing volume on Eva Mendes' orders and Bruna's questionable guard sinks her into loud spasms once she gets blasted on the chin. She shoots over Lily's head in response and gets stunned by a vicious left hook on the mouth that squashes the lips and trembles the Brazilian onto her heels. A right-on-right blast nails the younger brunette on the ear and she sinks into more spasms before Aldridge clobbers her on the nose to assume a commanding position in the area. Another woefully mistimed swing leaves Lirio open from the inside and Lily SMOKES her with a brutal right hook on the jaw that FOLDS THE BRAZILIAN DOWN ONTO HER KNEES moments later! Uh-oh! Bruna slumps onto all fours and simply cannot shake the knockdown daze off!!! She gets duly counted out as Lily takes a hard-earned KO5 victory!!!

AFTER: This wasn't pretty from the Santa Monica native at all but she completes the Brazilian triple with two wins & one defeat. Could have been a lot worse! Given how Odette Yustman continues to blow hot & cold in recent months one can't rule out Lily making another run to the top of the Lioness order even though Eva Mendes pumps the brakes for the time being. There's always Joy Corrigan waiting to break out as well! Lily dismisses the criticism for low artistic impression and points out these swimsuit models are no longer cannon fodder of years gone by! Bruna Lirio might not be the next Adriana Lima in the making but she's gonna upset a name or two down the stretch. Just give her a chance! And maybe work on that high guard in the meantime!

Official Result: Lily Aldridge def. Bruna Lirio KO5.