AMANDA RIGHETTI (34 y/o, 5 ft 8, W: 74, L: 27) vs A.J. Cook (39 y/o, 5 ft 6 ½ , W: 14, L: 14)

(Results: Lookout!, Words: Bonzo)

Before: Cook – a former Medallion, Technetium fighter, now a free agent since 2012 and one of an original crop of strong, athletic lightweights in the realm of Biel, Larter, Peregrym and Nichols – never made it to the top of the division despite a title fight opportunity in 2009 (she lost to Biel), although she’s usually well-regarded for her plucky physicality. Cook’s no stranger to division-hopping to get fights: she fought and dominated welter Milena Govich in 2008 until a lucky punch KO ended her night, but has also squared off against bantam Evangeline Lilly from the same Bonzo gym. In the ring she was last seen in 2016 in two losses to Peregrym and Ambrosio. Her appearance against former multi-time welter champ Righetti now was certainly unpredicted, and is widely considered nothing more than a stay-busy fight for Big Rigs until she hopes to challenge Hannah Ferguson for a shot at the welterweight title soon.

Cook’s pouncing greedy for an upset shot, though, as she makes clear pre-fight: “I’m comfortable in the early 130s, no doubt I am. Rigs has always been vulnerable to sneaky lightweight power…if I remember correctly, girls like Strahovski and Durance chased her off to flee to welter back in the day. I mean: good for her, but the hard truth has always been that Amanda Righetti’s never been good enough to be an elite lightweight, and she’s not masking that with some extra poundage. My combination of fast legs and sharp right hands can bring her down, hell yeah, and I’m not sure Hannah freakin’ Ferguson’s still gonna be interested in busting up her damaged goods then, haha.” – Righetti comes off an important year-end win over Hilary Rhoda, finally ending her losing streak against “the models”, doesn’t mask that while Cook’s no pushover, she’s not expecting this to be a particular tough fight. “Look, it’s a stay-busy fight, I’m not pretending anything else. AJ’s athletic, she’s got a strong core, fast legs…she’s a good, competitive test for my new explosive power, but it’s pretty much a question of when to switch her off. No disrespect, but that’s what it is.” 

R1: Cook forces her lightweight tempo on bigger Righetti early, forming her jabbing mode and letting it rip…AJ moves leftward around her jab in circles, working ‘em lefts to ‘Manda’s ribs, chest, dropping rising uppercuts to redhead guard/chin as Cook brings her mitts together fast, stalking forward, all gutsy, whirlwind blonde. Righetti’s mobile, but clearly a little heavier on her feet: she’s taking it to the tummy, grunting on receipts, weaving out of range here, mostly staying guarded up, blocking punches, throwing alibi jabs. Cook establishes her ground, feeling her quick hands can turn Big Rigs sluggish…blonde wades into big-girl midriff, clubbing Amanda short rights and lefts across the tummy as bigger girl’s shut out of mid-ring ground, shuffling in and out of AJ’s explosive, versatile punching repertoire, actually side-stepping, retreating from Cook’s poke. AJ’s more brazen in the second, third minute as Amanda stays languid, staying in her guard position, stepping around all big-girl but missing her lefts to join the action…Cook dictates tempo, style here, pounding them mitts to Amanda’s stout ribs/waist, pulling down Righetti’s arms inside, brawling ‘Manda across her torso, biceps. Cook dominates from the outside, too, pounding to redhead elbows/arms/lats via fast-attack hooks, wilting Righetti off her stance one or two times. Down the stretch, Righetti’s back hits ropes to the crowd’s astonishment as AJ rolls more short, clouting lefts through to ‘Manda’s mouth, nose, jawline as redhead’s guard grows porous, getting solidly outhit by a motivated, hungry blonde girl! Cook grinning late, shoving more straight fluid lefts to Rigs’s right arm held in guard as ‘Manda finally twitches into one-off power, her abrupt, blunt right hand rolling past AJ’s jabbing arm in an instant, chopping to blonde chin, turning the blonde into spasm-y, faltering confusion just before the bell…Cook’s a shocked beauty, stumbling back to corner on wobbly legs as sudden one-punch big-girl power turns a dominant round close.

R2: Cook feisty, strong, motivated, and shaking off the harm as Righetti tries to jab her way into the fight…girls fall together as Cook walks Amanda into a nice, short, clipping right cross hook that has her baby-stepping into the clinch. Amanda more aggressive now, palming AJ’s shoulders inside, shovin’ her, steppin’ into her, making Cook struggle with her physicality. Righetti forces that body on AJ, falling in behind thick right hands to paunch/guard, then walking blonde down…Cook agile, fast-legged, but she’s getting subdued by Amanda’s welter-ish power as girls trade rights to guts, ribs, block each other via shoulder bumps…messy, physical battle going ‘Manda’s way early, but she’s missing some of her right uppercuts, not really striking AJ clean, precise punches as AJ’s head turns, rises out of ‘Manda’s jabs. Cook’s legginess expands space throughout second, third minute…with Righetti’s jab missing, she can side-step, wander out of range, fast­-attack via splashing hooks to tits, mouth, turning Amanda heavy-footed, broad-legged in pursuit but mostly harmless as she’s unable to close the range or get Cook into a comfortable punching space. AJ wide-eyed, focused, working slingin’ lefts to gut, working up the torso to pound into ribcage, biceps, then driving CRISP right hooks across Righetti’s face! Redhead STAGGERED once, twice: she’s too late turning with Cook, getting picked up drowsy by AJ’s stout, spinning hooks to jawline/cheek, looking cramped, uneasy in earmuff guard, just not finding her rhythm against sassy, defiant blonde yet.

R3: Righetti adjusts her aspect, finally moving her hips/torso better to roll and turn with AJ in circles, matching blonde’s legs now via sudden spurts, little kicks, driving those punches forward, her lefts now bashing to blonde’s guard, keeping it busy. Cook competes toe-to-toe, staying in her position, her left hand slingshot cross hooks still penetrating through to Amanda’s head, reading her jab rhythm quite well…Righetti still steps forward now, though, in relentless fashion. AJ pays the price for her spunk, now that she’s no longer hopping out at ease as Amanda’s jabs start to find her chin/mouth…Cook’s not as leggy in retreat as she is in offense, getting fixed in some spots, then picked up by Rigs’s booming lefts, looking busy instead of elegant now. ‘Manda’s striking out soaring hooks now, all lefts and rights, fitting ‘em nice behind AJ’s arms/elbows and underneath her tits, the weight of shot staggering Cook from side to side. Work rate rising from Righetti…pushin’, shovin’, slowly punching her blonde into grunting on receipt…AJ’s butt inevitably hits ropes down the stretch! Cue ropeside pressure, Rigs, as AJ falls off pace, getting pummeled into the top rope, her earmuff guard taking thick punishment until the bell across various positions.

R4: Cook backing off leggy from Righetti’s jab poke, but refusing to be bullied…she’s hopping, stepping back in strides, then leaning back in, throwing her left shoulder into Rig’s mouth/collarbone, clipping Amanda those left-handed cross hooks over redhead cheeks/jawline, nicely splitting Righetti’s mitts open at one point, then pouncing in via more chop-chop lefts to the nose/mouth, then steps back off a staggered, open-mouthed Rigs! Girls trade viciously: Righetti’s in compact, tight stance now, snatching for AJ’s gut via thick, sloppy straight lefts to ribs – Cook counter-punching her own lefts to Righetti’s jaw, distorting redhead’s face into pain – Rigs exploding into right uppercut to mouth, whack – Cook just missing a right haymaker past ‘Manda’s neck, then landing another vicious short straight left to her foe’s eyes – Righetti clipping back an instant, drifting palms-up right underneath AJ’s chin…wow, girls stagger into range in exhaustion as strong, sturdy legs keep ‘em up! Cook’s brazen competitiveness in two-handed trade has big-girl Righetti in rude shock…last two minutes more BLONDE action, forcing a browbeaten Big Rigs into simmering external positions as fast-hands, mid-ring Cook drives forward straight jabs to Amanda’s guard, ribs, guard, ribs, extending via the left, actually walking down her bigger foe! Righetti’s butt hits ropes for the second time tonight, crowd oooh-ing, aaah-ing, with AJ standing slightly off her, picking out ‘Manda’s busy guard in spots. Bell: strong redhead a little banged up, her upper lip split, not yet getting it done against a VERY motivated blonde underdog tonight.

R5: Righetti jams the double jab onto AJ: pump, pump – Cook getting hit on her forehead early as she leans in to counter-punch, getting hit to the temple, her skull snapping back in ugly fashion, immediately retreating fast from mid-ring terrain on those sliding legs, lunging out with long-ranging counter hooks across ‘Manda’s ribs/flanks from arched back position, tuck, tuck. Cook ain’t stopping the onslaught that way…blonde sitting tight in that earmuff guard, staying all holed up as Righetti’s punches shatter through like a battering ram…AJ’s friggin’ hurt across all fronts! Sudden increase in weight-of-shot, aggression pitchforks blonde onto her heels, suddenly ramshackle, leaping away from the harm – Righetti stalkin’ her big-leggedly, pivoting to follow her powerful jab, finding Cook’s jawline, mouth via the fat right, whup, whup! Stumbling AJ pitches into ropes, torso all loose, legs wobbly, swaying in the ropes…as Righetti steps-to, catapulting those short, direct jabs to blonde’s guard/face, slinging brutal right hooks across Cook’s upper torso, waist, chest as AJ struggles not to be swept off her feet! Blonde stabilizes only in the third minute, keeping those mitts together up top, trusting her heart/stamina to defend her body against Amanda’s shivering fists tapping into her solar plexus, tits – blonde clinches more, clinging to Rigs’ arms, shoulders, taking time off clock yet getting bruised in there, too. Shut out, Big Rigs, finally punching Cook dizzy as AJ stops countering all around, surviving a brutal fifth round…Cook totters to corner at bell, her eyes swelling, looking disoriented as she slumps on her stool.

R6: AJ’s tanks are empty…she’s got nothing left for Righetti’s brutal jab, jab, right hand combinations: Amanda’s whippin’ it, one-two, one-two in a mechanical, drubbing beat­-down! ‘Manda steps-to, driving blonde girl away, bullwhipping poor AJ Cook onto her heels…she’s a-shuddering, sliding back, dimly setting up via left shoulder to Rigs, arms at guard as redhead’s punches pummel into her body, mitts. Just fifteen seconds off the clock – Rigs bares her teeth, leans in with the right hand over AJ’s left arm/shoulder, connecting upside blonde’s forehead with crashing, crushing precision: poor Cook crumples into jelly on impact, her knees folding, head snapping as she plunges onto her tummy, prostrate and fast asleep before she even hits the ground. Cute blonde’s eyes closed shut, her lips slightly murmuring in la la land dreams…redhead just nods in self­-approval, raises her arms in routine celebration…that’s a KO6 Amanda Righetti!

After: Cook a ruined beauty after she’s woke up, tended to, tears welling up fast as last two dramatic rounds prove tough to swallow for hard-edged blonde pride. Righetti acknowledges AJ’s stubborn tenacity post-fight…”Yeah, took me a while to get used to those rapid-fire lightweight hands. I made this a little harder for myself than it should have been, but I knew what I had to do to change course, and it feels good to know that a tough chick like AJ couldn’t even compete after I upped the ante like that. It’s back to welter now, and I hope Hannah still keeps that title later tonight, because I’m in revenge mode, folks.”