Before: As the only fight between Top 10 fighters on this card, this fight would be a highlight in any case.  But with Hayden, Natalie and Sarah all taking tumbles this summer, the winner of this fight might well be in line for a title shot!  High pressure fight and while Shahi’s ability to stand the heat is well established, the x-factor is how Lucy handles things. 

Lucy Hale saying all the right things: “I realize losing to Sarah might cost me a title shot, but I am not going to start basing my career decisions on what MIGHT happen. I want to fight Sarah Shahi because I think it's important to find out just how well I can do. Of course, I am younger and I'll have more title chances than Sarah. I can see where she might be worried, but I'll leave that decision up to her."  Sarah philosophical at the return to the title picture:  “At this level, any fight can lead to a title shot.  All’s you can do is pick good fighters.” 

Lucy in a colorful red and white striped bikini, white gloves, her hair in a ponytail.  Sara sporting her patterned beach-fighting bikini, black gloves, hair windblown wild. 

R1:   Lucy bobbing and weaving, having good success cutting off the ring, Sarah spends the first minute against the ropes, being supple, slipping and shipping as Hale clubs way lefts and rights. Midway through, Shahi out of a closed stance opens up suddenly and NAILS Lucy a cute counter  right uppercut, Sarah sidestepping with a cuffing left on the back of the head to put Hale face first in the ropes. Shahi dancing to midring, waving Lucy in, then jabbing her, jabbing her, jabbing her. Sarah bouncing to her left, cute little snarl as she pounds away from a distance, turning her foe midring, looks like this fight may be another installment in the “fast hands – heavy hands” debate. 

R2: Sarah jabbing to the chest, then shifting her hips to hook the liver, she gets shoulder to shoulder with Lucy as the two beat each other’s bodies with cruel right hands.  Girls working in close, , muscling up to palm the other back a step, edging in with the left shoulder to bump for room. Banging back and forth is competitive. But Hale’s landing the extra punches, getting her girl to step back consistently. 

R3:  Same negotiations, Lucy in that supple crouch, pawing for Sarah, pulling her in, stuffing her full of right hands in the grasp. Shahi circling, darting in and out: she's starting to jab Hale's midsection and face to keep her off. Sarah lands a huge, scything right hand to Lucy's jaw midway through, swiveling the Pretty Little Puncher's head. Single punch power enough to steal another round from Hale, whose fast hands are winning the time-of-possession battle, but losing the effective-punching test to Shahi’s heavy-handed power.  

R4: Lucy makes the fight coming forward, stepping with wide lefts and overhand rights, bobbing and staying compact. Sarah staying right in front of her, clipping right and left uppercuts into the advancing brunette’s chest and chin. Sensational sequences midway through: Shahi tags Hale with the short right as she comes forward, pivots, continuing to bat at Lucy’s head with the quick underhand right, and the Pretty Little Puncher staggers past the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader to the ropes. Sarah opens up to pour it on with both hands, but Hale actually smiles through the bombardment as Shahi wails away, banging back to the body and head with wide punches. In the final minute, Lucy tears into Sarah with her looping punches and crouching advance, catching Shahi in the chest and chin. Hale takes a combination flush on her chin, but then chops with the right to the breasts, and LEFT to the jaw as Sarah backs straight up, PUTTING SHAHI ON HER BACKSIDE WITH 5 SECONDS LEFT! Hale steals the round, and does it 10-8! 

R5:   Lucy hounding Sarah to the ropes, Shahi standing up straight, hands down, leaning back from the heat and clipping the odd little uppercut counter from her waist to Hale’s face. Lucy swarming, practically leaving her feet as she sweeps big left hands at Sarah’s head, turns her shoulders into straight right hands to the stomach, it’s as brutal a beating as the Prettty Little Puncher has ever dished out. Shahi taking it like a mule, curvy legs holding her up, muscular torso soaking up amazing damage as Hale puts in a punch every 3 or 4 seconds, occasionally busting Sarah up with a sudden burst of cluster punching to the body then head. At the bell, a battered and exhausted Shahi stares in dim awe as Hale gets up off her and bounces back to her corner, that was a shutout and they both know it! 

R6:  Lucy the aggressor once again, Sarah’s legs wobbly, she has no choice but to accept the Pretty Little Puncher on her upper chest, then looking to roll-with and counter. Shahi fighting well with her back on the ropes, she’s catching Hale in between punches and scoring clean. Lucy ignoring the damage, pouring on the hurt herself and sheer volume is still paying off for her. Both girls bashing each other to the jawline and ribcage, Lucy busier, probably scoops the round by a narrow margin. 

R7: Series of spicy engagements all around the ring as Sarah gets her legs back under her, winds around Lucy, pounces in from angles as Pretty Little Puncher issues simultaneous chugging receipts. Both girls chipped up in frisky fire fights, then Shahi will disengage, circle, eyes narrow as she seeks to angle-in off Hale's left flank. Almost too close to call, but Sarah’s been able to manage the round for the first time in awhile.  

R8:  Sarah baits a series of traps, fading before Lucy's aggression; dragging the lead foot; walking Hale into short left hooks and sneaky, crisp right hands to chin. Around the minute mark, Shahi finally puts Lucy wobbly-butt with pinpoint strikes, goes over to offence. Sarah flat-footed as she walks Lucy to ropes, pushing her left palm onto Hale's guard or face, then slamming away buggywhip rights to waist. OH that right hand, whacking Lucy in her ribs. crowding close behind left elbow, then snapping off wicked little right uppercuts. It's all too much, systematic punching buckles Hale's knees, sending down into the sand on knees and forearms.  Lucy beats the count, dances out the round, fighters trade grim looks in their corners, as Sarah evens things up going into the championship rounds! 

R9:   Lucy gets the jump on Sarah, ties her up in brutal toe-to-toe slugging midring. Girls scrubbing foreheads, hands up/elbows in, taking turns digging short-clout to waists; cuffing in behind elbows; coming off body to get tidy uppercuts. Backsides ringing, legs churning to hold canvas as girls step sluggishly around, constantly at each other either pushing, rubbing, or head-scrubbing. Down the stretch, Sarah BURIES a left hook to Lucy's gut, cramping her up. Shahi shoves home right to gut, then wedges an insurance uppercut to chin as Hale's slouching forward.  Lucy staggers out of the wrap, Sarah steps-with, landing the left uppercut again, this time with more authority, then starts cranking hooks-to-jaw as Hale's reeling backward! Lucy clattering back all the way across the ring, bounces off the ropes catches another Shahi hook and HALE GOES DOWN! Lucy's lolling side to side on her back, trying to rally, sits up, rolls over right hip to get to one knee but it's OVER!  Sarah Shahi comes from behind for the KO9 in Fight-of-the-Year fashion! 

After: Sarah slamming the door shut on a promising up & comer, vaults herself to Number 1 contender status!  “You’re not going to be able to ignore this, Jessica!  I’m coming back for the belts, and you’re not stopping me!”