Jeri Ryan vs. Gena Lee Nolin
(Words: Front Street / Results: Lookout!)


BEFORE:

Not bloody likely you'll see a matchup between fighters with more hardware. These two veterans have a whopping 23 titles in three weight classes between them. But, despite the fact that they've both been in the FCBA since its inception and have nearly 350 fights between them, this is only their second meeting. And, Nolin hasn't forgotten the first. A JMDD knockout loss. And, then some time under Jeri' rack. "August 28th," says Gena with a shake of the head. "Almost a year I've been waiting for another shot at her. And, tonight, I get it. And, tonight, she's going down."

"Nolin thinks tonight is going to be different than the last time," says Jeri with a smile. "Well, perhaps it will be. Because it's not JMDD. So, maybe I won't jug her out after I win. MAYBE."

ROUND ONE:

Surprises start early, because it's actually a tactical first. No one who saw the first fight, knows the reputations of the fighters, or, even listed to the pre-fight interviews, would be expecting to see jabs exchanged, defenses probed, and plenty of footwork. The early assaults everyone was almost sure of seeing don't develop. Nolin doesn't come flying out of the corner at Ryan and Jeri doesn't begin throwing bombs at Gena. Instead, it's good, professional recon worthy of two decorated veteran fighters. Nolin has a bit of reach, and she uses that to her advantage early, but, it doesn't take the crafty Jeri long to overcome same, get to spots, and get leather on the younger woman. It's good, two-way stuff, with business picking up as the round goes on and the two fighters begin sitting down on the punches. Still, though, it doesn't become a brawl and the fighters work for points to the bell. It's close. But, it's Jeri with the early 10-9 lead.

ROUND TWO:

Well, THAT was fun while it lasted. The second starts the way everyone thought the first would. Nolin and Ryan have done the recon, and now it's time to deploy the troops. Or, more properly, fire the heavy guns. Nolin's dropping hard rights off solid left jabs, Ryan's stepping in and hooking body. Gena's tying up in there, shoving off, trying to get space to extend on her punches. Jeri staying in her grill, though, and eventually, that pays off. Ryan lands a short left hook that rocks Nolin, and, immediately, Jeri goes all in. She's banging belly, hooking ribs, going upstairs, then dropping back down. Nolin backing and covering, taking heavy fire. She's quickly trapped on the ropes and given a good working over from a hard-working Jeri. Ryan fires everything in the arsenal to try to get Gena out of there, but she can't do it. Nolin hangs on. She gives up the round wide, and is down 20-18, but she's still standing.

ROUND THREE:

Ryan wasting no time getting after Gena, using the big guns to toss her onto the defensive, back her up. Nolin looking to be in serious trouble. Hasn't shaken off the last round's damage, and Ryan's piling more on top of it. But. This IS Gena Lee Nolin. And, she CAN turn a fight with one punch. It comes as Jeri's stepping forward. Gena plants the back foot and rips a straight right over Jeri's left glove. BOOM! Ryan's HURT! A lesser fighter would almost certainly have gone down and maybe out. Jeri doesn't, but she does immediately cover up, and Gena takes full advantage. Nolin establishes the long range she likes and begins reefing power shots, one after the other, backing Ryan up, staggering her no fewer than three times, and, eventually, trapping her on the ropes. Referee is about to step in when the bell sounds. Jeri lives to fight another round, but this one goes to Gena wide, and the cards now read 29-28 for Ryan.

ROUND FOUR:

Complete reversal of the last round, as it's now Gena who's all about the finish. But, she's quickly denied by Jeri. Ryan's shaken off the effects of the last stanza pretty quickly, and she stops Nolin's offensive immediately. Quick, brutal firefight develops, but, with neither fighter able to gain control, it devolves into trench warfare. Jeri's crowding in close, working body. Nolin now willing to get down there with her. She's banging Ryan's curvaceous form, and, then things devolve again. Rack is taken. And, then, more is taken. Pretty soon, it's all jug mugging all the time, though, that changes in the latter stages of the frame, when both fighters go back upstairs. It's a brutal three minutes of pure slugging, with the fighters determined to grab the initiative, but neither able to do it. When the bell finally sounds, both are mouth-breathing and glad of the respite. It's close to Jeri, who now leads 39-37.

ROUND FIVE:

It's right back into the trenches to start the fifth. It's getting pretty grim in there as the two veterans look to break down the awesome, sturdy body in front of them. Oh, there's still some work upstairs, but that's mostly just an effort to keep everybody honest. It's body work that's the plan, a long war of attrition that both fighters seem confident of winning. But. It isn't long. Because, after about a minute, Nolin lands a vicious right hook to Jeri's left jug that freezes Ryan on the spot. Nolin's immediately all in, staggering Jeri with a series of hard right hands to the head. Ryan covers up, nearly goes down. Gena keeps the pressure on, hammering away with everything she has. Ryan being driven back and finally trapped in a corner where she's absolutely ravaged by a teeth-baring Nolin. Gena determined to finish her rival off right now, and the referee again close to stopping it when Jeri is, again, saved by the bell. It's Gena wide, but, again, Jeri's survived and she still leads 48-47.

ROUND SIX:

Nolin right back at Ryan to start the sixth, and, this time, the offensive is not stopped immediately. Jeri's still wobbly, and Gena is able to grab canvas, driving her rival back with hard right hands to the head. Nolin begins digging some body as well, hooking off the left jab, digging to belly and jug. Ryan in desperate trouble, clearly hurt and just hanging on. A brutal left hook to the right jug briings down Jeri's guard and Nolin then blasts a straight right to the chin that sends Ryan crashing to her back! Gena wastes no time celebrating. She's quickly to a neutral corner, but it's to no avail. Ryan's a mess, but she's back on her feet, and, after the mandatory, ON COMES GENA. And, as bad as it was for Jeri, it quickly gets worse. Nolin bullies her back into the ropes and, with Ryan in a high guard, absolutely obliterates her rack with a series of nasty hooks. Jeri's laying in the ropes in jug shock when the referee finally leaps in and bundles her to safety. It's over and your winner by TKO6 in jug mugging fashion is Gena Lee Nolin!

AFTER:

Ryan helped out of the ring by her seconds. Gena matter of fact, watching her go. "She got me the last time," says Nolin with a hard-eyed nod. "And, tonight, I was GETTING her. I know this wasn't JMDD, but I was paying her back for that with interest. And, I'll tell you what, welters, Big Bad Gena Lee's been away for a little while. But. She's back. And she's coming after those titles again. Don't be in my way. Unless you want some of what Jeri got."