Rachele Brooke Smith vs. Kennedy McMann

(The Fighting Academy vs Front Street Gym)

Results: Lookout!; Words: The Grand Wizard

"Yeah, I made a mistake the first time," says Rachele with a shake of the head. "I actually gave this girl TOO MUCH respect. Well, that won't happen again. I'm coming after her. And, I'm taking her out of here."

"The mistake Rachele made the first time was getting in the ring with ME," says a hard-eyed Kennedy. "And, believe it or not, she's making it AGAIN."

ROUND ONE:

Smith goes right after the younger woman. Far from the war of movement Rachele fought the first time, now, she's stepping to Kennedy, backing her up with volley after volley of heavy leather. McMann giving ground, trying to manage with the jab, but, while she's able to land occasionally to slow the older woman down, Smith's mostly able to get past Kennedy's defenses, and, when she does, she's getting tons of work done. The younger woman is never hurt, but, she's taking a licking right from the opening seconds of the round until the final thirty, when Kennedy manages to stabilize her front and begin some ranged boxing. At that point, McMann starts getting the better of things, but, it's much too late to matter. When the bell rings, Smith's got it wide to lead 10-9.

ROUND TWO:

Smith upping the ante even more, comes right across the ring and gets in Kennedy's grill, again backing her up with flurries of heavy leather. McMann working the left, trying to slow this down, but Rachele just all OVER her, keeping her on the back foot, forcing her to cover up again and again. Again, Kennedy's never hurt, but she's being scuffed up in a major way, as Smith has things firing on all cylinders. And, this time, there's no late counter attack from McMann. Instead, the redhead remains on the defensive as the brunette piles up point after point, even getting some body work done late in the round. When the bell rings, there's no question about it, for the second round in a row. Smith's pitched a shutout and extended her lead to 20-18.

ROUND THREE:

And, Kennedy makes an adjustment. Redhead begins using a drop step and circle, and it has the desired effect. It gives McMann an extra spot of time to get the jab on and stop the brunette with it. Then, McMann follows on with hard right hands, building solid combinations that toss Rachele onto the defensive, despite the older woman's best efforts. Smith tries again and again to get out of neutral, but she can't get it done. Kennedy's controlling her with that hard, accurate left hand, creating the terms McMann likes, ranged boxing, even if the redhead has to do a little more moving than usual to get said terms. Final seconds sees a BLISTERING combination from Kennedy that backs up Smith right at the bell. And, when it rings, there's, again, no doubt. McMann. Wide. And Smith's lead is down to 29-28.

ROUND FOUR:

Rachele makes an adjustment of her own. She's working the feet more now, angling, looking to find spots to get off rather than use the frontal assault she's favored for the first three rounds. And, after a fashion, it works. She's getting some offense going and limiting the redhead's opportunities at range. Result is that both fighters get some, but not enough of what they want, and that leads to a good, two-way round with both brunette and redhead working hard to grab a little control...and both failing to do so. Instead, it's back and forth from the opening seconds to the final bell, with plenty of hard leather landing, more being slipped, and neither fighter hurt. When you add it all up, its very, very close, but it's Smith who takes her third round of the contest, pulling back in front by two, 39-37.

ROUND FIVE:

Smith working the feet, angling forward, looking to get to middle distances and get off in combination. McMann moving, using that drop step, working the jab, wants to create ranged warfare, where she has the advantage. Again, both fighters getting some of what they want, and both working hard to get even more of it, while neither is able to gain any real advantage until...BOOM! Straight right hand from KENNEDY! McMann uses a hard, accurate left to set up a BOOMING right hand and DOWN GOES RACHELE! Smith dropped to her back by an absolutely BRUTAL right from the redhead, who wastes no time getting to a neutral corner. Ref counting down on the dazed brunette. Rachele rolling to her belly at six, but that's as far as she gets. The count passes her by and it's OVER! And your winner by KO5 is Kennedy McMann!

AFTER:

McMann shaking her head in the post. "Got to admit," the redhead says, "She surprised me the way she came out. I figured she'd work the legs like she did the last time. Give her credit. She came in with another plan. But, no matter what the plan, she wasn't beating ME. And, there's going to be a LOT of that going around."