Melissa Benoist vs. Katie Cassidy
(Words: Front Street / Results: Lookout!)

BEFORE:

Pair of athletic brunettes, one who grabbed management at the start of her career and another who labored for over half a decade as an indie. And, let's just say Katie hasn't forgotten that. "Six years," she says, shaking her head. "Six years I took what I could get as an indie. And, I beat girls. McCord. Kelly. Bellisario. Dobrev. But, I couldn't get regular work and I was always at a disadvantage against these managed girls. And, finally, after SIX YEARS I EARNED a spot at Empire. And, this girl? She waltzes in here and gets a locker at HMK without ever throwing an FCBA punch in anger! Yeah. I'm a little bitter about that. And, I plan to take it out on Melissa's ugly face!"

"So, Katie's jealous?" says Supergirl with a shake of the head. "Well, she's not the only girl in the world who's jealous of me. Yeah. I got a big opportunity with HMK, and I've started my career on the big stage against top talent like Vandervoort, Bennet, and VanCamp, so, I understand it. But, I can't help that. The only thing I can do is take advantage of this opportunity, and, that's exactly what I plan to do."

ROUND ONE:
 
Boxing. And, more boxing. Both girls rangy. Both have good legs. And, both want to use that length and those legs to do some recon work in the early going. So, we see a lot of circling, a lot of popping of jabs, the odd flurry. But, it's mostly a war of movement as both fighters get the lay of the land and try to take the measure of their respective opponents. Cassidy legging more than Melissa, who often finds herself trying to chase Katie down, Benoist more willing to sit down on punches and lengthen exchanges, but, in general, both girls happy with the terms and happy to be working in open canvas, working up the sweat, and finding out just what the other brings to the table. Final minute sees the action pick up a bit, as the fighters begin exchanging more frequently, but, by the bell, there hasn't been a whole lot accomplished other than the recon and there's not much in it. It's Cassidy close, giving Katie the 10-9 edge.

ROUND TWO:

Benoist wants to close now. Katie happy to leg and jab, but Melissa wants to square up her rival and test her with some power. Benoist showing her own excellent feet, cutting the ring and bringing Cassidy to battle. Katie's game in these situations, but, she's also taking second prize. Supergirl having the better of it every single time. And, then, she REALLY gets the better of it, staggering Cassidy with a blistering three-punch flurry. Katie immediately covers up and begins taking fire from all angles. Benoist all-in immediately, driving Katie before her, trapping her on the ropes, and then going to work in a manner far more veteran than a fighter with a grand total of three FCBA fights has a right to be able to muster. Melissa stays in control, works the body Katie's giving away, then goes back up to the head. She has Cassidy in trouble throughout, and seems on the verge of stopping her. But, the bell rings before that happens. It's Melissa wide, though, and we're even at 19.

ROUND THREE:

Benoist looking to consolidate, but, it's quickly apparent that won't happen. Katie has the legs back and she's using them. She's also using that piston jab to slow Melissa's pursuit. Benoist determined, working forward, cutting, banging. Supergirl working a lot of body this round, creating double benefits. She's scoring, and she's also investing. Cassidy, meanwhile, having the better of things upstairs. That speed left finding the mark and creating openings for her right hand. It's good, back and forth stuff for the first two minutes. Then, it's BETTER back and forth stuff, as the two fighters up the ante in an effort to grab the round. Cassidy sits down and opens up. Melissa responds in kind, and we get some scintillating back and forth stuff. And, this time, Katie holds her own very well with Melissa. Fists and sweat fly for the final sixty seconds, and we get a short staredown at the bell. As for the judges, well, there's nothing at all in it. The round is drawn and we're even at 29.

ROUND FOUR:

Katie back on the bike as the fourth begins. She wants to lead her rival a merry chase, and that's exactly what she's doing. Benoist, meanwhile, again showing a lot of veteran stuff for a fighter with so few FCBA rounds. She stalks very well, very soundly. She keeps the gloves up and the feet moving. And, when she cuts, she gets off immediately, working both head and body and piling up as many points as she can before Katie slips away to open canvas. Cassidy, meanwhile, playing a different game. She's working to score enough points as Melissa works forward to offset the advantages Benoist is building up in the exchanges. The result is an excellent war of movement round that sees both fighters get some of what they want, but not nearly enough for either's liking. By the end of the round, though, it's Benoist who's gotten the better of things, albeit narrowly, and grabbed her first lead of the night, 39-38.

ROUND FIVE:

No renegotiation of terms. Both fighters seem to like where they are, with Katie moving and Melissa stalking. And, again, it's Benoist getting the better of the set pieces and Cassidy in control when they're moving about the pitch. And, these are the kinds of terms in which nothing has to give. Both fighters can keep getting some of what they want, and the result will be determined by who gets more. So, again, nothing has to give. But, something does. Cassidy lands a blistering right hand as Melissa's coming forward, stopping Supergirl in her tracks. And, then Katie gets to work. This is not the sound veteran stuff we saw from Benoist earlier, despite the fact that Katie's far more veteran than Melissa. No, this is a blizzard of leather that's effectively wild. Lots of punches miss, but the sheer volume drives Benoist before it and leaves her leaning back in the ropes in a tight guard. And, Cassidy just keeps pouring on the fire. She rocks Melissa a couple of times, but can't finish. She claims the round wide, though, and evens the fight at 48.

ROUND SIX:

Now, it's Katie who's looking to consolidate, or, better yet, finish. Cassidy's after her rival aggressively right from the start, winging away with both hands and, again, forcing Melissa back. But, this time, it's Katie who gives. Benoist changes the complexion of the round with one counter right, a thumping cross over Cassidy's outstretched left. Katie staggers, stumbles, somehow stays  on her feet...and might have been better off going down. Because, now, it's Melissa who's all in, and she's paying Katie back with interest for the beating Benoist took last round. Cassidy's almost immediately trapped against the cables, and Benoist again pays special attention to the body, hooking ribs and banging belly, bunching Katie up and then rocking her head back and forth with hooks off her guard. An uppercut between the gloves straightens up Cassidy and looks like ending it, but, she's able to grab Benoist and keep her feet. Katie clinches and covers up, desperately running clock, and she's able to hang on. But, now it's Benoist wide and Melissa back on the lead at 58-57.

ROUND SEVEN:

Melissa after Katie in a big way, and Cassidy in, if not quite full, definite retreat. Supergirl working hard for the finish. Not getting sloppy. Staying patient. She's working the feet, bringing Katie to battle, squaring her up, and letting her have the heavy leather. Cassidy gamely countering, but getting the worst of every exchange, and much the worst of most of them. She's willing to trade time for space, but looks to be running out of both as Benoist ranges in and blasts away and GOES DOWN! DOWN GOES SUPERGIRL! Right hand counter from Katie stuns Melissa and a follow on combination drops a stunned Benoist to her back! Cassidy looking anything but steady on the way back to the neutral corner, clearly hoping Melissa can't beat the count. But. She can. Benoist back to her feet at seven. And, on comes Katie. And, it's desperate stuff now, Cassidy winging away with all she has trying to finish. Benoist desperately hurt, clutching and grabbing and covering up. By the final seconds, Melissa's pinned to the ropes, but, again, Supergirl hangs on and survives the round. But, now it's Cassidy in the lead, 67-66.

ROUND EIGHT:

Cassidy forcing the issue now, applying steady pressure to a still-buzzed Benoist. Katie getting off in combination again and again, forcing Melissa to cover up. Benoist trying her best to counter, but she's mostly being suppressed. Supergirl unable to hold canvas. Forced back by the volume of Cassidy's leather. She's game, but she's no match for what Katie's throwing at her at this point. There's not enough in the legs, and Cassidy's taking full advantage. Katie not forcing, though, just pressuring, piling up points and gaining more ground in the war of attrition against her rival. Melissa eventually backed to the ropes and touched up. She begins firing back hard and Cassidy gives ground, takes her back out into open waters and goes right back to work using movement and hand-speed to grab control immediately. It's a rough ride for Melissa, maybe the roughest of her young career so far. She survives it, but it's a shutout victory for Cassidy, who's now up 77-75 with two to go.

ROUND NINE:

Katie back to pressuring. Benoist determined to hold canvas now, though, hanging in in front of her rival despite Cassidy winning exchange after exchange. The results are two-fold. One is that Melissa is able to get more effective offense going since she's not fighting off the back foot. The other is that she's taking more and harder shots from Katie. And, while Benoist is happy to trade the latter effect for the former, especially down two in the ninth, there's an obvious risk in so doing, and said risk rears its ugly head at the halfway point. A straight right from Cassidy staggers Benoist, and Katie follows on with an absolutely vicious barrage of leather that sends Supergirl stumbling backward and then collapsing, face first, to the canvas. Katie wastes no time heading for a neutral corner. She's seen Melissa get off the canvas once already tonight. But. Not this time. Benoist is able to get to hands and knees, arms quivering, but, no further. There she remains as the count passes her by, and your winner by KO9 is Katie Cassidy!

AFTER:

"This is the beginning of a whole new era at bantam," says Katie, eyes shining. "The old guard, McCarthy and Campbell and Pressly and Dushku and Cuthbert and Hewitt and Spears and Lilly and, yes, Kelly, their time is OVER. And, a new group of bantams is on the rise, and that group will be led by ME. I'm going straight to the top, and anyone who gets in my way will end up JUST like Melissa did!"