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27 January 2017 Melissa Benoist vs Hailee Steinfeld

Page history last edited by anonononononononon 6 years, 10 months ago

MELISSA BENOIST VS HAILEE STEINFELD
Results: Lookout Writing: Archer
Melissa: 28 YO, 5’8 (1.73 m) 2-3-0 since 2015, Pretty Little Punchers
Hailee: 20 YO, 5’7 (1.70 m) 1-2-0 since 2016, Unmanaged

Before: “I will admit I am nervous about this fight,” Melissa Benoist charmingly confesses to the prefight assembly of reporters and fans. “This will be my first fight for the PLP and I want to do my best. I have to thank my new trainer Catherine Bell for keeping me focused and I sure don’t want to let her down.”

(Standing just off stage with PLP Communications Director Autumn Reeser is the PLP’s newest Assistant Trainer, former champion and Hall of Famer Cat Bell. Cat is smiling and nodding along).

“Well, gee, Melissa,” pipes up Hailee Steinfeld seated just down the table from the podium where Melissa is standing. “Does this mean if I beat you, then you’ll be letting all those people at the Punchers down? Gosh, I would so hate to do that, me being unmanaged and all, I know how that would really, really suck. Maybe they start wondering if they signed the wrong free agent.”

Melissa looks annoyed: “I can assure you—they signed the right one.”

“You must really being feeling the pressure,” Hailee rattles on. “I am mean, gosh, if I lose, whose gonna care except poor little unmanaged me? (Hailee then shifts from a woebegone look to a mischievous grin). On the other hand, if I can beat you, that’ll be an upset since you;’ll have all the advantages of being managed and I’m just a sad little orphan free agent. So you see, I’ll have very little to lose and lots to gain if I can cut you down. I call that motivation.”

“Yes, it would be a shame to lose to you,” Melissa says thoughtfully, then adds in a steely voice: “but that’s not what’s going to happen.”

“Guess we’ll just have to see about that,” Hailee says. “One of us is leaving that ring disappointed—it won’t be me.”

Not exactly explosive, but there is still an air of tension hovering over the bout by fight night. Melissa in a royal blue bikini, matching gloves and boots (light blue laces). Blonde hair in a no-nonsense ponytail. Hailee is in a white with green trim bikini, green gloves and boots (white laces), with her hair in a white and green ribbon braided hair. Both young women giving each other the cold eye during instructions. Then gloves come together with a SMACK that’s heard in the back of the arena. Two fighters give each other a tight nasty grin and march to their corners to await the bell, It rings/

R1: Action commences at mid-ring as Melissa and Hailee start bobbing and weaving as they circle around each firing probing shots in search of openings. Punches landing in a steady fashion from both, but nothing serious at first. The tempo seems to pick up as the seconds tick away and Melissa starts getting overhand rights into Hailee head. Hailee countering with shots to the body, but is working to get at Melissa chin. Then they both move at each other and there is a flashing series of punches exchanged to the body. Loud smacks of leather on sweaty flesh can be heard. Melissa back at Hailee’s head, knocking it back with solid shots to fore bridge of the nose and forehead. Hailee being driven back, but she shows a decent jab and uses to hold Melissa off to the bell. It’s a close one, but judges award the opening round to Melissa Benoist.

R2: Hailee moving quickly at the start of this round, surprises Melissa with a nasty shots to the right ribs just under her extended arms. Melissa knocked off balance and Hailee moves swiftly to get in front of the blonde and put some straight rights and lefts into her face. Melissa bleeding from swollen lower lip, covers up and tries to pull back. Hailee staying with her, now going at Melissa’s stomach, then sliding to the side and giving those right side ribs another pasting and then moving back for some jugg banging. Melissa looking befuddled for a time but at last remembers her jab and gets it going. Hailee now gets the taste of leather on her mouth and is swatted to the cheeks. Hailee dropping back out of range, but then using footwork to try to get Melissa off balance. Melissa keeps her cool and just uses her jab without biting on any of Hailee’s feints, but Hailee maintains her punching pressure to the body and comes away winning the round wide.

R3: Hailee right back at Melissa from the bell. Melissa getting hit to the body (midsection and those right side ribs), but Hailee mixing in some head bangers whenever she can. Melissa then goes on the attack herself and this sets off a counterattack from Hailee. Back and forth they go as they seem to take turns going in, punching and then falling back. Hailee’s using some nice footwork to dodge the incoming and then popping back in strike at Melissa. Melissa trying to smother this by getting in close. Hard punching in close follows, but Hailee getting some solid hooks into Melissa’s belly to make her fall back late in the round. Not much follow up as time runs out, but Hailee able grab a close round for her side of the ledger.

R4: Cat Bell giving Melissa some strongly worded advice between rounds. Melissa nodding and responds at the bell by leaping from her stool and plowing into Hailee with gloves churning like pistons. Hailee knocked back as her body and head are worked over by the all-out bombardment slamming into her. Melissa never giving Hailee a chance to recover, but finally Hailee able to side step her way clear. Melissa turning back runs into Hailee’s jab. Melissa gets banged up for a flurry, but then she fights back in. Hailee trying to make a stand, but Melissa sends her stumbling back with quick series of right hooks to the belly. Melissa bodying up against Hailee as round ends Melissa slow to release Hailee who pushes the blonde back with an angry glare. Referee moves in to restore order. Angry looks exchanged before the two stalk away to their respective corners. Melissa wins the round wide.

R5: Hailee comes out snarling this round and heads straight for Melissa who is looking pretty snarly herself. Wild minute of free swinging, crowd-pleasure fury as punches crash into head and body without either fighter slowing down. However Hailee able to get to Melissa’s chin and send the blonde backwards on rubbery legs, Hailee jumping forward in pursuit, tries to get Melissa back to the ropes, but the blonde rallies behind her jab. Hailee standing in front of Melissa trying to punch her back to the ropes by sheer weight of leather. Melissa covering up to ride this out. Round ends with Hailee breathing hard and stamping her foot in frustration. Melissa just going back to her corner looking relieved she got through the round without a knockdown.
R6: Hailee looking very agitated during break. She clearly thinks she let Melissa get away and is not happy about it. Melissa being quietly counseled by Cat Bell. Bell rings and Hailee shoots off her stool. Melissa ready for her and they meet an explosive exchange of punches. Melissa takes a nasty right to the left eye but swings back with a right of her own that catches Hailee on the temple. Hailee’s knees buckle and she starts to fall forward. Melissa steps back and unleashes her vicious right uppercut. Hailee’s long legs shoot out as she topples backwards and lands with a crash on her back. Melissa walks away with a look of satisfaction on her face, Referee just confirms what Melissa knows—Hailee’s not able to beat the count.

THE WINNER: MELISSA BENOIST KO6!

After: Melissa hugging Cat Bell as they celebrate the win. Then Cat then removes Melissa’s gloves and encourages the blonde to pay a visit to Hailee’s corner. Hailee on her stool with a towel over her head. She looks up defiantly at Melissa.
“You got lucky,” she snaps.

“You just tell yourself that,” Melissa retorts and pulls Hailee to her feet by the arm.

“Noooo!” Hailee cries. “This isn’t fair.”

“I think it is plenty fair,” Melissa says, “Now: March!” (She twists Hailee’s right arm behind her back in an armlock to get the agitated brunette going).

Melissa takes Hailee on a long, slow walk of shame (mostly because Hailee is fighting her the whole way despite the armlock). As they finish the circuit, the exasperated Melissa shoves Hailee into her corner where she trips over her stool and ends up sitting down, glaring up at Melissa.

“You are going to be so sorry you did that!” Hailee cries.

Melissa looks down on her uncertainly. But then Cat Bell comes up next to her: “Pay no attention. She’s a loser. You’re a winner. You just did what winners do. Now let’s go back and celebrate.”

Melissa nods, though she still looks back uneasily at the seething Hailee, as Cat guides her back across the ring.

Interesting rookie contest. Melissa takes out Hailee, but it was close fight. Surprising amount of bad blood between the two, but Hailee lacks the management to build on this. Meanwhile Melissa has reassured her Puncher management that they did sign the right free agent. So now she and Cat Bell can look forward to Melissa’s next fight. (It should also be mentioned that Cat made her Puncher training a debut a successful one, though some observers wonder just what kind of influence she’ll be bringing to her new stable home).