Cassie Scerbo vs. Vanessa Hudgens
(Words: FS / Results: Lookout!)

BEFORE:

The once bitter rivalry now clearly less so, as hatchets have been buried between two of the FCBA's top flyweights. But, they're still two of the FCBA's top flyweights, so, while blonde and brunette are no longer enemies, they are still rivals, and that's clearly demonstrated in the prefight.

"I think NBC did 'Nessa a favor cancelling that TV show of hers," says Cassie with a smile. "It gives her more time to train, and she needs all the time she can get against me. Oh, and it also did the COUNTRY a favor, but that's another story."

"Yes, my show got cancelled," says Vanessa with a smile of her own. "But, at least I don't have to do 'Sharknado 5' to stay on the screen."

ROUND ONE:

Snark ends when the ladies hit the ring. Nice tap of the gloves before things get started. And, then they get started. Hudgens very aggressive early, wants to take the fight to the blonde. Mistake. Cassie plays matador to Vanessa's bull, and very effectively, too. 'Nessa quickly frustrated. Can't find the blonde, who's using that patented quickness to simply not be where Vanessa's punches are. Instead, Hudgens spends the round missing, while Cassie spends it making her pay with superb counters. Vanessa's eating some hard shot by the middle of the round, but ignoring shouts from her corner to settle down and get back into the fight plan. Instead, she chases. And, that is not a winning strategy. Cassie is not going to be caught, even by a fighter as athletic as the brunette. And Vanessa's sloppier and sloppier efforts to do so only result in her taking a three-minute pasting. By the bell, Scerbo's won it wide and she's also got Hudgens steaming.

ROUND TWO:

Vanessa settles down. Now, she's not chasing, but stalking, and this is something the athletic brunette can do well. No, she's not as quick as the spring-loaded Scerbo, who is? But, she IS quick and she's very skilled. She moves her feet well. She knows how to play angles and distances. And, when she's doing all of that soundly, she can get the ring cut and bring Cassie to battle. And, that gives her a chance to play on an even field. Which is exactly what we see in the second. The sound Hudgens is able to give as good as she gets, creating long flurries and nice exchanges that sometimes work in Scerbo's favor and sometimes in her own. But, by keeping the blonde from ranging all over the ring and employing hit-and-run tactics, she turns a runaway first into a two-way second. By the bell, it's close, but Vanessa's gotten a bit more done, claiming the points and evening the fight at 19.

ROUND THREE:

Same pattern as round two. Hudgens has reigned Scerbo in...to a point. And, that's enough to create two-way action instead of all Cassie all the time. Thing is, exchanges with a girl like the blonde carry risk. Because, no matter how good a boxer you are, you can not match that speed. She IS going get more leather in the air faster than you can, so, it's all about technique and how to limit the effects of that. And, when you're a boxer like Vanessa Hudgens, well. You're pretty good at this kind of thing. And, so it is that we get a back-and-forth round, with tons of even exchanges and lots of action. Things don't slow. At all. For three solid minutes. Even in a division that's known for high work rates, this round ranks in the 90th percentile. Leather's flying thick and heavy and plenty of it gets home. And, when the bell rings, it's Scerbo with the slight advantage, advantage enough to take back the lead 29-28.

ROUND FOUR:

Same again. Scerbo wanting to fight on the move, Hudgens wanting to close and 'Nessa being slick enough to enforce terms. Again, though, the blonde giving as good as she gets on same. Until. BOOM! Hudgens times a pretty left hook and SCERBO'S BUZZED! Far from the first big punch of the fight, but the first one to shake one of the fighters and the brunette immediately puts things into overdrive. She's getting off with both hands in a big way, backing Scerbo up, making her cover up. Cassie retreating mostly in good order, but the legs aren't working like she wants them to, and, as a result, the brunette's giving her a pretty good thrashing. Blonde manages to stay off the ropes, but, that's about all she manages to do. Last two minutes of the round are all Vanessa, and, when they end, Hudgens has taken it wide and evened things again, this time at 38.

ROUND FIVE:

Hudgens pressing. Scerbo retreating. 'Nessa aggressive, but careful. Knows well how dangerous Cassie can be playing spider and fly. Scerbo again staying off the ropes, able to back and circle, use the jab to slow 'Nessa down. Hudgens, though, still doing a pretty good job of clean up. She's piling up points, getting plenty of touches, even landing some hard shot, thoroughly in control until...SPIDER-FLY! SPIDER-FLY! Blonde suckers the brunette into a BOOMING right hook and DOWN GOES VANESSA! Hudgens dropped to her hands and knees by a perfectly-placed punch. Scerbo quickly to a neutral corner, watches as Vanessa struggles to her feet at seven and takes the mandatory. Referee going to allow it to continue and Cassie all OVER 'Nessa down the stretch. Hudgens WRECKED and Scerbo pounding that wreckage with the heavy guns. Only the short time saves the brunette, who looks ready to go at the bell. It's 10-8, Scerbo, and Cassie's now up 48-46.

ROUND SIX:

Scerbo now in total control. Vanessa just trying to survive as the blonde measures her for cement overshoes. Cassie clinical in the extreme. Using hard, accurate jabs to start long flurries that send so much shell at Hudgens that even her high guard and educated defenses are helpless to prevent lots of solid hits. Brunette a shambles, wobbling around the ring, looking ready to go again and again. No idea what's holding her up at this point, but, whatever it is, Scerbo determined to break it down. 'Nessa finally backed to the ropes and ravaged. Referee clearly doesn't want to stop this thing unless he has to, but, it's getting to that point. Hudgens doing almost nothing as the blonde gets off again and again, shaking her, staggering her. But. Not sending her down. 'Nessa leaning back in the ropes. Countering when she can. Surviving. That's all she can do. But, she does it. Bell rings. Shutout, Scerbo. 58-55.

ROUND SEVEN:

BOOM! Just seconds into the seventh. It appeared to be inevitable, and it was. A right hand from Scerbo drops Hudgens to a sitting position. Cassie again to a neutral corner, but this time...wait. Seriously? Hudgens struggling to her feet at nine! She beats the count! Referee gives her the mandatory, clearly thinking it over when he does so...and waives the blonde forward. Scerbo hesitates, almost asks him what he's thinking here, then gets back to work, quickly driving the brunette back to the ropes and having at her. High guard again for Hudgens, leaning into the ropes, rolling with, jabbing back only in spots. With about a minute to go, ref has seen enough and DOWN GOES SCERBO! Referee about to step in and finish it and Hudgens puts one past the keeper in stoppage! Brunette puts everything she has into a right hand and it drops the blonde to her rump! Crowd going nuts as Hudgens first can't find a neutral corner and then gets there. Doesn't matter, because Scerbo's already up after pounding the canvas in frustration. Referee gives her the mandatory and waives on Vanessa. Hudgens just firing everything she has at the blonde. Scerbo gives ground, goes to the cables, puts up the defenses and rides out a blizzard of punches from the brunette. 'Nessa still firing away at the bell. She's pulled back two points, and, instead of being down 68-63, she's still alive at 68-65.

ROUND EIGHT:

Worm has now turned. Hudgens finds something more in what looked like an empty tank and takes the fight to a wobbly Scerbo. Cassie in retreat the entire round. It's fairly organized, but, it's also fairly rapid. 'Nessa knows the score, both figuratively and literally. She's down and she needs to recover the stagger the blonde's built up, and she's throwing everything she has into the battle trying to get that done. For her part, Cassie willing to play for time. She's all defense, countering here and there, keeping the brunette honest, but not getting very much scoring done. The way the cards look, however, she doesn't have to. What she's got to do is survive this round and get the legs back, and that's clearly the plan. And, despite the best efforts of the brunette, that's exactly what happens. It's a big round for Vanessa, who shuts out the blonde, but the score is still 77-75 for Scerbo with two to go.

ROUND NINE:

Hudgens again to the offensive, where she has to remain. She's going to drain the tank to the final sips if necessary. Cassie, meanwhile, has solidified her front. She's holding ground now, firing back, and we're getting good, two-way exchanges again. And Serbo's getting the better of them. 'Nessa getting backed up, starting to fade...DROPPING SCERBO WITH A RIGHT HAND! Hudgens again pulls the proverbial rabbit out of the proverbial hat! Just when it looked as if the blonde was taking control, 'Nessa lands a perfect right hand and Cassie's again on her rump! Hudgens watches hopefully from a neutral corner, but Scerbo's back on her feet at seven, takes the mandatory, and waits and Vanessa comes forward. Hudgens does, but Cassie again solidifies the front and begins firing back, giving as good as she gets despite the wobbly legs. Because Vanessa's about all in. Hudgens trying to find enough for one last push, lands a good combination and backs Scerbo to the ropes, then just lets the hands fly. Cassie covers up, leans back into the ropes, looks to ride it out at take this thing to the final round and IT'S OVER! Referee steps in and waives it off! Scerbo and the Bazz corner going NUTS, but the ref has seen enough and he's stopping it and your winner by TKO9 in an instant classic is Vanessa Hudgens!

AFTER:

Ring a madhouse. Bazz people, Scerbo among them all OVER the official. Hudgens, meanwhile, breathless, barely able to stand for the post-fight interview. "Had to dig deep," she says, chest still heaving. "Got to do that against a girl like her. But, that's the difference between us. We're both great fighters. But, I've got just a little bit more. A little bit more guts. A little bit more heart. A little bit more of everything. And, that's why I'm the best and fittest fly in the FCBA.