Michelle Williams vs. Vanessa Hudgens (Battle XIV)

BEFORE:

What more is there to say? This is the FOURTEENTH time these two have climbed into the ring together, and so many of the others have been FOY worthy. How do you top the fourteen-round classic the pair engaged in less than a year ago, the one that saw 'Nessa grab a 7-6 edge in the series and banish Michelle from the title picture and even matches against top ten fighters? Not sure, but here we are again. And, it's clear that nothing has been resolved.

"I can NOT," says a hard-eyed Michelle, "LIVE with what happened in August any longer. Can. NOT. And, tonight, I'm going to wash that taste right out of my mouth. With Vanessa's BLOOD."

"What amazes me," says a smirking 'Nessa, "Is that this old bat is back for more punishment. Well. This time, I won't just take what's most important from her. I'll take all the REST, too!"

ROUND ONE:

'Nessa not messing around. She's stepping to Michelle, looking to punish the older woman right away. No Earthly idea WHAT she could be thinking, because, obviously, this is playing right into the blonde's hands. If you're going to try to get after Michelle Williams, she's going to BOX you. And, if she BOXES you, you are NOT going to like the result. And, Hudgens does NOT. She's getting a left glove in her face constantly, followed by hard right hands. Williams hard-eyed, getting a chance to take out months of frustrations early in the bout, picking apart 'Nessa's defenses, THUMPING her with right hands, even sending her backward a step a couple of times. Through it all, Vanessa keeps pushing, keeps looking make Williams pay a price for the impudence of getting in the ring with the brunette again, but, she's taking a beating and continues to do so right to the bell. When it rings, it's Mishy wide and up 10-9.

ROUND TWO:

Hudgens settles down. She's bouncin' and misbehavin', jabbing, circling, stopping to pop, then going right back to the war of movement. Mishy pursuing aggressively, perhaps TOO aggressively. Now, it's the blonde who's getting an awful lot of left jab in the face when she's not eating some hard right hand follows. Williams kind of gets control of herself as the round goes along, gets back to the patient stalk routine we've seen so many times in her bouts with Hudgens. But, 'Nessa's legs are ruling the day. She's mostly able to avoid the set piece stuff Mishy wants. Instead, it's all continuous action and continuous movement by the brunette, who's really getting into a rhythm as we go. Final seconds sees an absolutely BRUTAL combination from 'Nessa that leaves the blonde a little dazed. Hudgens all smiles on the way back to the corner. She's grabbed the round wide and evened things at 19.

ROUND THREE:

Hudgens on the move. Williams stalking, but seems a bit slowed by that last combination. 'Nessa taking full advantage, powdering the blonde's face with leather, snapping jabs, stopping for quick combinations, then circling away. Mishy's attempts at cutting and forcing set piece action being frustrated again and again by the athletic brunette who keeps bouncing away before Michelle can get any offense going. Result is a round that's as one-sided as just about any we've seen between these two. It's not just MOSTLY 'Nessa, it's ALL 'Nessa, with Williams seemingly spending all three minutes either eating leather or trudging along trying to find a way to slow the brunette down. At the bell, there's absolutely no doubt about it. Hudgens has pitched a shutout and leads 29-28.

ROUND FOUR:

Hudgens in control, bouncing around the ring, controlling things as Michelle tries unsuccessfully to bring her to battle. Brunette clearly enjoying dominating her old rival, punishing her at every opportunity, even digging a little body here and there or snapping a jab to rack. It's GLORIOUS stuff for 'Nessa until...BOOM! It becomes MORE glorious! Hudgens wobbles Williams with a right hand, then quickly lets the hands go and DOWN GOES MICHELLE! Blonde dropped to her back! Hudgens does a little dance before heading to a neutral corner. Ref counting down on Mishy, who sits up at six, struggles to her feet at nine. She then takes the mandatory, knowing, as does everyone in the building, that the ref is not stopping this thing. Instead, he WAIVES ON 'NESSA, who pummels her rival back into the ropes and tees off on her for the next 30 seconds. Ref watches. But, that's all he does. Blonde makes it to the bell. But, when it rings, Hudgens has a 10-8 round and a 39-36 lead.

ROUND FIVE:

'Nessa going for the finish. She's stepping to Mishy, backing her up, working her over, again digging short hooks to the midsection and ribs on occasion. Williams giving ground, getting off in counter here and there, but that's all she can manage. Hudgens sitting down on everything, including some shots to jug that bring grimaces to her rival's face. BOOM! BOOM? BOOM! Right hand counter, Michelle! Williams lands an absolute beauty on the chin and now it's 'NESSA who's hurt! Hudgens stumbles backward and Williams lands a blizzard of fire that DROPS HER TO HER RUMP! Crowd going nuts as Mishy heads to a neutral corner to watch and wait. Hudgens shaking the head, gets to her feet at seven, and, after another mandatory, this time it's MISHY who gets the waive on. And, she goes to WORK, driving 'Nessa to the cables and then paying her back for the body and rack work, RIPPING short hooks to the ribs and midsection and sending jugs a jumpin' with nasty uppies. Hudgens keeps the guard high, hangs on to the bell. But, when it rings, Michelle's won it 10-8 and pulled back into the fight, now trailing 47-46.

ROUND SIX:

Mishy looking for the finisher. She's all OVER 'Nessa early, as a wobbly Hudgens is unable to use those legs to avoid the attack. Instead, the blonde simply walks her down, using the left to set up hard, committed right hands, backing the brunette up over and over again. Vanessa just trying to hang on, run some clock. She's staying defensive, keeping the hands up, not even trying to hold canvas. For Mishy's part, she's done with the whole "payback to the body" thing. She's going down to ribs and tummy here and there, just to keep her rival honest, but, she's all about the upstairs now, trying to end this thing. Williams can't get that done, but, what she does manage is a complete and thorough clean up. When the bell rings, Williams has pitched a shutout and evened things at 56.

ROUND SEVEN:

Blonde continues to take the fight to the brunette. 'Nessa's legs still not back under her, and that leaves her a stationary target for her hated rival. And, Michelle isn't going to waste an opportunity like that. Instead, she gives the brunette a THOROUGH going over, again concentrating upstairs as she looks to put an end to this thing, but willing to dig a little body here and there as well. Hudgens continues to give ground, and, as the round goes on, at least manages a fighting retreat, countering in spots, slowing down the offensive some. Slowing, but not coming anywhere NEAR stopping. Instead, Michelle continues piling up points and hurt right to the bell. And, when it rings, Williams has taken the round wide and pulled into the lead for the first time since the end of the opening round, up 66-65.

ROUND EIGHT:

Michelle advancing. 'Nessa in retreat. Legs have come around somewhat for Hudgens, but she still isn't able to get back to bouncing and misbehaving. Instead, Williams is lining her up, using that left jab to set up right hands, building nice combinations, giving the brunette a thump...BOOM! Right-hand counter, 'NESSA and Mishy is HURT! Everything changes on a dime! A keyholed counter punch leaves the blonde wobbly-butt and Hudgens lets the hands go and DROPS MISHY TO HER BACK! Crowd going nuts as Hudgens makes her way to a neutral corner. Ref counting down on Mishy for the second time tonight, but, again, Williams beats the count, and, again, no WAY is the ref stopping this. Instead, after the mandatory, he waives on 'Nessa, who buzz saws Michelle back into the ropes and hammers away. Williams, guard high, rolling with, jabbing back here and there. Vanessa determined to finish, but, despite her best efforts, at the bell, Mishy is, like Elton John, still standing. But, with a 10-8 round, it's Hudgens back on top 75-74.

ROUND NINE:

Complete 180 from the beginning of the last round. Now, it's the brunette on the advance, walking down the blonde behind the left jab. Michelle, legs iffy, giving ground, firing back in counter here and there, but mostly taking as 'Nessa cleans up thoroughly at a point where a cleanup may be just as good as a stoppage....BOOM! Right-hand counter MISHY and now HUDGENS is hurt! Crowd going apes**t as the brunette stumbles backward, gobsmacked by a perfectly placed right hand. Mishy all in immediately, winging away and DROPPING 'NESSA WITH A LEFT HOOK! To quote Kesha, "This place about to BLOW" as Williams stumbles to a neutral corner. Hudgens down on her left side, pushing up to haunch and elbow, rolling to all fours, getting to her feet and stumbling back to the canvas! Brunette eyes the ropes tearfully, grabs the bottom strand, starts to climb, but it's TOO LATE! The count passes her by while she's still on her knees and it's OVER! And your winner by KO9 is Michelle Williams!

AFTER:

“Nighty night, loser.”