SPORTS ILLUSTRATED TITLE

Posted by Simguy on Saturday, 02-Oct-1999 02:34:16

Before: grudge match, title bout, and about as much bad blood as a celebrity match up has ever seen. Naomi with the clear edge, knocking Nolin out every time they’ve crossed paths. But Gena Lee perhaps the most improved celeb this year and eager for redemption. GLN in black bikini top, yellow bikini bottoms--Campbell in black push up bra, tiger print bikini bottoms.

During R1: Predictably, both girls stride to center ring, take up wide stances and lean into right hands, only this time it is Nolin striking pay dirt, her fist bouncing off Campbell’s chin as Naomi swings harmlessly over the top. Campbell hurt, legs giving out--she crumples to all fours with a lost look on her face. Nolin pumping her fists in the air, begs Campbell to get up, and is rewarded, Nolin moving in as Naomi beats the count--blonde sets up with her hands inside Naomi’s shoulders, alternating clouting lefts and rights to the mouth while holding the supermodel in place. Naomi propped up in the corner, numbly accepts the beating as her legs threaten to collapse, but the bell sounds to end the round, if not the abuse. Nolin landing a pair of extra cheap shots late, prompting referee intervention.

R2: Gena Lee has Naomi hurt, still shaky, and the blonde eagerly trades toe tot toe, agreeing to take a shot in order to keep testing that chin. Naomi seems hurt by every punch Gena lands, but she has the knack of timing Nolin’s swings, saying in and out, tagging Nolin with single lefts and rights, and slowly chipping away at the blonde’s confidence. Round to Naomi as she nods her head with satisfaction at the bell.

R3: All Gena Lee early as she continues to make the fight, bringing her fists off her hips in wide arcs to slice up Naomi’s loose defence. Campbell hammered around the ring early, lands a blink-of-an-eyes left-right on either side of Nolin’s jaw turn things around in the last minute.

R4: Similar round, with Gena initiating and winning most of the exchanges, until the final minute when Naomi gets bold, looking to finish the round strong. Judges aren’t fooled, and Nolin takes the first 3 of 4 rounds with her consistent effective aggression.

R5: Naomi unleashes a rare weapon for these two: a lanky left jab, lifted off the hip and stuffed into Gena Lee’s face. Steering the gangly blonde, Campbell sets up the overhand right midway through, and Nolin is ROCKED! Gena Lee staggered as Naomi dials in, and Campbell pours it on as Nolin reels. With the left extended to measure the blonde, Naomi leans her whippet body into looping right hands, crushing Nolin;s face against her shoulder with frightening impacts, and Nolin is on the ropes! Campbell striding in, eye glittering with anticipation, harms Nolin with repeated swings over the top, literally beating the blonde to her knees in the final minute. Gena Lee rises to take a series of right hands on the jaw that threatens to stop her when the bell sounds. Campbell going chest to chest with a cut, dazed Gena Lee--she taunts the unresponsive blonde until the ref pulls her back.

R6: Gena coming back with something close to guts. Left eye swollen shut, face puffy and sore, Nolin digs a spearing straight right to Campbell’s slender belly, coming back with an elbow disguised as a left hook to the model’s mouth. Campbell battered to the ropes, gets a thumb into Nolin’s eye, and the ref steps in to warn both women that this sort of thing won’t be tolerated. Nolin finishes out the round holding Campbell’s head  in her left arm, savaging the model’s eyes and face with laces, and punching Naomi’s stomach with repeated right hands to the bell. Nolin continues to saw away at her opponent’s gut until physically restrained by the official.

R7: Brutal disregard for one another and the rules continues as both girls garner stern finger waggles for a variety of fouls this round. Fight grinds down into a series of clinches, punctuated by arm locks, gouges, and takedowns.

R8: Grim smile of satisfaction on Gena Lee’s face as she slugs away at Naomi’s groin while he model groans in cheek to cheek slugging early, Vicious fouling seems to finally break Campbell’s will as she wilts against Nolin, laying in with her, suffering, but getting less and less responsive. Nolin pushing Campbell to the ropes, puts her hands on Naomi’s shoulders against to chop away at the model’s face with alternating lefts and rights, beating Naomi into a dreamlike swoon as the fight degrades to the level of drunken brawl. Campbell dimly aware of her surroundings as Gena drifts her chin, and pauses to allow Naomi’s head time to loll back into position.

R9: Crowd chants GE-NA! spur Nolin on a she stalks her groggy foe to the ropes. Nolin slugging with looping right uppercuts or overhand rights--Campbell seeking to clinch, reeling on the verge of a stoppage and punching just enough to keep the ref away.

R10: Nolin lands a moonshot right hand to Campbell’s temple to spin the model sideways, and Campbell stumbles to the ropes as Nolin walks her down. Meanspirited holding and hitting as Nolin props Naomi up by her shoulders and slugs at her battered face, or digs right hands hard into the model’s stomach. Campbell lurching forward into Nolin from the belly shots, is pushed back, then draped over the ropes by the chin music. Gena in no hurry, clearly enjoying the payback. She pounds Campbell with stupid glee to the final bell. Naomi left standing against the ropes, eyes swollen slits, lips puffy, as  Gena Lee cries tears of joy in anticipation of the decision. Unanimous duke Gena Lee, as she strips Naomi of the SI title.

After: The usual atrocious behaviour from both women leaves these girls hurting and swollen faced, but Gena Lee clearly the better off of the two. Campbell getting the beating of a lifetime, as Nolin takes care to settle some outstanding accounts.

Reposted by Archer 9/20/10.l