Post by Lookout! Boxing on Mar 31, 2017 at 11:16am
Serinda Swan vs. Adriana Lima (Title vs. Title)
("Queen of the Ice Hotel" vs "MIstress of the Body Saddle"/FCBA Lightweight Champion)
(Words: FS / Results: Lookout!)
BEFORE:
Even if there were no titles on the line, this one would be highly-anticipated, because it matches two of the best and hottest lightweights on the planet. Swan, a fixture in the Tiffany Top Twenty for half a decade, rolls in with a career 72% winning percentage and victories over plenty of name lightweights...including one Adriana Lima. As for the Brazilian beauty, her list of victims is even more impressive than Swan's. But, there are titles involved, as Lima comes into the evening as both "Mistress of the Body Saddle" and Unified Lightweight Champion, while Swan is the current "Queen of the Ice Hotel". The bout, which will take place at said Hotel, will be for both the keys to same AND for Lima's Unified Lightweight Championship, which means, should Swan win, she'd be a dual champion, which is something of a rarity in the history of the FCBA. But, should Lima win, she'd hold three different titles at the same time, something that's never happened in FCBA history. So, you know, other than that, not much on the line. But, if either fighter is feeling the pressure, it's not apparent in the pre-fight.
"The last time we fought," says Adriana with a shake of the head, "I should have beaten her. This time, there will be no escape for her. I'll take this hotel, and there's nothing she can do about it."
"The thing Adriana doesn't get," says Serinda with just a hint of a smirk, "is that the reason I beat her the first time and, the reason I'll beat her tonight, is very simple. I'm just better. And, there's nothing she can do about THAT."
ROUND ONE:
Ice Hotel decked out for the festivities as usual. Cameras spend some time taking in the scene for those watching on the big screen at the PPV site, then focus on the scene in the ring, two stunning brunettes prepared to do battle. At the bell, it's ON. No recon. No tactical stuff. The fighters are after one another immediately, exchanging bombs mid-ring. Everybody's committing on everything, looking to bring power to bear, both mindful of the wildness of their first meeting, in which power punches made the difference. BOOM! A straight right hand from Lima and Swan is HURT! Just a minute and a half into this thing and Lima's got her rival in trouble! Adriana quickly turns the heat up even more, driving Swan to the ropes and battering her as the referee looks in closely. Serinda hanging on in a high guard, rolling with, just trying to get out of the round, and she does. Just. The ref seems ready to move when the bell rings, ending the onslaught. But, it's Lima wide for the 10-9 lead.
ROUND TWO:
Adriana looking to follow up now, and, if not finish, clean up. She's after Swan immediately, forcing Serinda to give ground and cover up. Swan engaging in a fighting retreat, countering in spots, but Lima's the one in control, the one landing the heavy shot, the one who's HURT! A right-hand counter from the Canadian and Adriana's GOBSMACKED! Lima wobbles and nearly goes down and Swan lets the hands fly. Adriana driven before Serinda, hammered back into the cables, where she leans back in a tight earmuff and tries to ride out the Canadian storm. Swan goes body, trying to bring down the Brazlian's guard, but Adriana hanging tough, hanging on, running clock, trying to survive just as her opponent did in the last stanza. And, again, it's a near thing, but she manages it, still on her feet at the bell, if a bit unsteady. It's Serinda wide in the second, and we're all even at 19 after two action-packed rounds.
ROUND THREE:
Now, it's Swan looking to follow up, finish up, clean up. Lima the one on the defensive, giving ground, trying to counter. Swan nothing if not physical, and she's putting that to good use now. She's crowding the Brazilian, levering her with shoulders, opening her up, unbalancing her, and filling all the resultant openings with leather. Lima simply can't get out of reverse, nor can she get any offense going. Swan's just rolling over her, and there isn't anything Adriana can do about it. Then, things get worse. Swan lands a short right hook and LIMA'S HURT AGAIN! Adriana stumbles backward and only the ropes prevent her from going down. Swan immediately on her rival, working her over along the cables once again, body, head, body, back to the head, thumping every legal inch of the lovely supermodel. Lima again hanging on as the referee watches closely, and, yet again, she's able to survive. She's shaky, but still standing when the bell rings. It's Swan wide again, and Serinda's up 29-28.
ROUND FOUR:
Swan rolling. Lima retreating. Things beginning to look mighty bleak for the dual champion. She's getting beaten physically, and she can't seem to slow Swan down. For her part, Serinda methodical, slowly backing her rival up, slowly breaking her down to the body. Slowly. But inexorably. Adriana trying everything to put the brakes on the Canadian juggernaut, but nothing works. Instead, she's forced back, thumped. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. BOOM! Something works! Lima catches Swan on her front foot with a beautiful counter right and Serinda's HURT AGAIN! And, for the third time, this fight's turned on one punch. Now, it's Lima letting the hands go and Swan backing and covering. Crowd at the Ice Hotel going nuts. Crowd at the pay-per-view going nuttier. Adriana now swinging for not just glory but history, looking to find the finisher while Swan, pinned to the ropes, hangs on. And, for the fourth straight round, a girl in trouble proves to be a temporary thing. Swan survives to the bell. And, when it rings, Lima's won it wide and evened a great fight at 38.
ROUND FIVE:
Now Lima's rolling. Swan's wobbly and Adriana taking full advantage. Brazilian on fire as she walks Swan around the ring giving her a beating. Crowd on the edge of its seats sensing history's about to be made here, as the Canadian, unsteady, is taken to the woodshed by the lovely Ms. Lima. Then, Adriana beats Serinda with every piece of wood in the shed, steps outside, locks her in, and implodes the sucker, bringing it down on Swan's head. The Canadian looks ready to go for the last half of the round, and the referee looks ready to step in for the entire time. But, Swan's a proud, stubborn Queen, and she's not going to give up her Hotel without a fight. Again, she ends the round on the ropes taking a pounding. But, yet again, the girl hanging on on the ropes at the end of the round survives it on shaky legs. Lima's pitched the shutout, though, and taken the lead 48-47.
ROUND SIX:
Cue Swan comeback. WHAT? Serinda looked on her last legs in the previous round, but, now she's able to hold canvas, stop the Lima offensive, and bang back on even terms. Seems like the Canadian decided discretion was the better part of valor in the last stanza and played defense for time to shake off the worst of the damage. And, it appears she's done that, because, for the first time all night, we're fighting on absolutely even terms. Both brunettes getting lefts on target and following with hard rights. Both scoring well. Both moving well, despite all the damage inflicted in the first five frames. The champion and the Queen may be scuffed, but they're far from reduced, despite the best efforts of both. Heading for the bell and there's nothing in it. And, as a result, both brunettes turn up the already high heat. Several explosive exchanges take place before the bell rings, but, still, neither fighter able to create any distance. It's a drawn round, meaning Lima leads 58-57, but it's Swan who's gotten back in the fight.
ROUND SEVEN:
Ranged boxing for the first time in the bout. Neither fighter now trying to grab canvas. Instead, both looking to extend on punches and land the big shot that will change the momentum once again. BOOM! Lima lands it! A perfectly set-up right hand wobbles Swan. Adriana goes all in immediately and DROPS SERINDA TO HER KNEES WITH A HEAVY FLURRY! Crowd going nuts both at the hotel and the arena. Lima to a neutral corner, less than ten seconds away from history. But. She'll have to wait. Swan beats the count. The referee gives her the mandatory and waives Adriana forward. And Lima all about making that history now. She quickly drives Swan to the ropes and calls in strikes from every artillery piece in range. She's working head, body, everything she can legally work. Swan hanging on again, rolling with, leaning back, jabbing just enough to keep the ref at bay. Final seconds sees a good right from Serinda that backs Lima up and makes it clear this thing is going to the eighth. But, at the bell, it's 10-8 for Adriana, who now leads 68-65.
ROUND EIGHT:
Lima pressing. She's in charge and she knows it. Swan giving ground, playing defense, fighting in counter, has to know she's in a hole on the cards, but doesn't look capable of doing anything about it. Adriana stepping to, committing on her punches, getting solid leather home, GOING DOWN! DOWN GOES LIMA! It's a blistering right hand from Serinda that lands on the button and the Brazlian is blown to her back! Crowds going nuts again. This is looking like FOY stuff as Swan goes to a neutral corner and watches. Lima up at eight. Listing. Wobbling. Ref thinking about it during the mandatory, but waives Swan forward. And, on comes Serinda, guns blazing. Lima gives ground to the ropes, takes a pounding. Swan invests plenty in the body trying to bring the guard down, but Adriana won't punk. She keeps it high, hangs on desperately, and, for the seventh time in eight rounds, a girl taking on the ropes manages to make it to the bell. Swan's grabbed it 10-8, however, and it's now 78-77 and anybody's fight.
ROUND NINE:
Swan after Lima immediately. Canadian battering the buzzed Brazilian around the ring. All now looking lost for Lima, who's not doing much of anything except taking a pounding. She was seconds away not long ago, and now she's looking used up, barely competing, getting pushed around and battered by the determined Canadian. It's coming down to that physical advantage that Swan enjoys. She's a thicker, stronger girl than Lima, and that's telling now, after eight rounds of punishment. It's Swan's legs that have fared better, Swan's body that's shipped the shell better. And that's what's doing for Adriana. To her credit, the proud supermodel competes as best she can. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. And, it just gets weaker as Swan hammers away for three consecutive minutes, pitching a shutout to even things at 88 with just one round to go.
ROUND TEN:
Swan right to work. She's in complete control now and has to know she needs this round. Lima knows it, too, but can't do much about it. She's in full retreat, unable to hold canvas, legs just not there. Serinda's fading some, too, of course. Nobody can take the kind of punishment these two have handed out and not be somewhat affected, but, the fact is, the Canadian has some left in the tank and the Brazilian is running on empty. Lima's corner screaming at her to get moving, that she needs the round, that she needs to do something. But, again, spirit willing, flesh weak. Again, to her credit, Adriana keeps digging down, but she's not finding anything. With thirty seconds to go, Swan slows the attack. She has the round now and the fight. She's got the lightweight belts in her grasp and DOWN SHE GOES! Lima FINDS something! At the last instant, with under fifteen ticks on the clock, Lima lands a right hand that sends Serinda to a sitting position. Swan pounds the canvas in frustration as Adriana gets to a neutral corner. She sits stunned, shaking her head, watching the referee as he counts. She finally gets her head around the situation and gets to her feet just as the bell rings and the referee waives it off. Place going crazy. A bit of confusion. Did Swan beat the count? Was she saved by the bell? Are we going to the cards, not that it will matter. We are NOT. Official ruling is that your winner by KO10 and the NEW Queen of the Ice Hotel is Adriana Lima, the FCBA's first-ever TRIPLE CHAMPION!
AFTER:
Place going crazy. Chants of "FOY! FOY! FOY!" And "Lima! Lima! Lima!" ringing through the Ice Hotel. Plenty of Front Street folk around to make sure Swan gets the treatment she gave the ladies she vanquished in this hotel. But, they don't need to go into action. Lima's a somewhat gracious host, simply waiving at Swan's retinue to indicate the famed revolving doors, through which Serinda and her entourage quickly exit, allowing Adriana to exult in having regained title to the hotel and added it to her Unified Lightweight Championship and title of Mistress of the Body Saddle. And, while the feed from the hotel is removed from the big screen at the PPV shortly thereafter, the party goes on all night long.