Alexis Ren (Champion) versus Taylor Swift (Lightweight Title)

Results: Lookout! - Words: Caspian

Alexis:
(23, 5’8, 38:9 FCBA, VIXENs)

Taylor:
(30, 5’11, 46:20 FCBA, Fates Boxing)

BEFORE:
A lot on the shoulders of the newly crowned champion, Alexis Ren, and indeed, some would call her mad to have offered such a dangerous opponent like Taylor Swift *another* shot at the straps, and this early.

Let’s not forget as well that Fates Boxing has absolutely dominated the Lightweight field of competition ever since clinching the gold back in June of 2019, the combined duo of Swift and DiDonato fending off many a challenger, including Ren herself, one time for the Lightweight title back in August, then Swift stealing the Queen of the Ice Hotel title from under her nose just two months later in October. Let’s just say that it wasn’t a pleasant few months for the Vixen.

"Hmph. Those were just tune-up fights," Ren says scornfully, trying to deflect a question from a reporter about her chances of actually winning tonight, especially after a series of high-profile defeats. “Swift got smoked by DiDonato, and then most recently, it was a pure delight just watching her get smothered out by Kate Upton on the beach. Let’s just say I like my chances of doing the same to her tonight.”

Swift seen smiling in response from the other end of the table, and to be fair, not many would have predicted her to be in this position of privilege tonight, challenging for the Lightweight title so soon after losing it to fellow stablemate Emily DiDonato.

“Yes, it’s true. I said Ren would become the champion ‘someday’. If you recall, this was right after I knocked her out in nine rounds, and then another time right after that episode. I gave her the two worst beatings of her career - hell, even the referee had to jump in and save her back then. So make no mistake, I’m grateful for the title opportunity tonight, Alex, but I’m even more grateful to be able to take another belt off your body.”

Ladies don’t see eye to eye and probably never will - both blondes come from different Hollywood circles and now they’re staring each other down at the center podium, Ren’s three-inch height disadvantage as glaring as ever as she’s forced to look up into Swift’s condescending smirk. Ren for once looks serious in this fight, no insulting jokes or stuck out tongues as she simply dares the ‘Lover’ songstress to bring it on.

Hours later, we’re all set in the ring for ten rounds of Lightweight action. The champion has something to prove tonight despite being the one hoisting the belt over her shoulder: a win over Swift will cement the fact that she truly belongs in the hall of champions, whereas Swift isn’t foolish enough to give up another chance at securing the gold and her legacy. Ren’s wearing a royal blue bikini and red gloves, her dark blonde hair tied up high in a neat ponytail. Taylor, ever modest, dressed in a grey sports bra and white boxing shorts, yellow gloves on either hand. HERE we go with the bell! This fight’s for the Unified Lightweight Championship!

ROUND 1:
Bad blood spilling over as these two rivals get into the thick of the action from the very start: Alexis takes control of this fight early as she spams her jabs all over Taylor’s frame, hoping to overwhelm the taller woman before the half-time mark. But Taylor’s not just a multi-award-winning singer, mind you - she’s a freakin’ former Lightweight champion herself, easily avoiding most of Alexis’ punches with easy weaves of her head backwards and to the side, making the current champ look almost like a fool for trying to pin her down. Still, Alexis’ determination pays off late in the round after she lands a quick one-two combo to the chin and chest, making the crowd go wild for a moment at a possible brawl on their hands. But nope - Swift seen conserving her energy for the long-run, stepping backwards whilst rubbing her chin in mock defiance. Wide round for Ms Ren, who makes a clear statement that she’s here to stay for as long as she’s still standing.

ROUND 2:
Swift however clearly was just toying with her food in the very first round, suddenly explodes out of her corner the moment the second bell rang, and meeting Ren’s offensive with some aggression of her own. Ladies stick leather into each other’s face for a good minute, with Swift matching the champion’s blow-for-blow. Problem is of course Taylor’s longer legs and longer reach, meaning she’s able to out-punch Ren at jabbing distance before Ren can fully close in to punish her back. Alexis as a result takes a groaning left-right-left combo to the face before she manages to get in close enough to return a stinging right back to Taylor’s lips, and ultimately gets beaten backwards again when Swift mixes up her attack with a hook or two crashing into the Vixen’s guard, sending Ren reeling off in shock. Bad news for the champ if she thinks she can win this match with pure aggression alone… As a result, Swift takes this round wide, in a well-deserved comeback for the Fates starlet.

ROUND 3:
Alexis caught seething in the corner this early in the fight, which means bad news for her long-term prospects. The recent brunette will be damned if she ends up losing her first ever Lightweight defense, especially against someone like Swift. Vixen sails out of the corner looking a little more invigorated at the thought of punishing Swift’s smug face, and willing to try out a new strategy to take her rival out. Meanwhile, Swift is being swift on her feet, coming right back at Ren with punches towards the head, the singer hoping to use her height advantage to jab at Ren from a safe distance. But Alexis keeps herself moving as well, utilizing a combination of a solid defense and counter-punches to stun Swift to her lips when she’s least expecting it. Swift realises her mistake by the third minute, but it’s a little too late to shift course, continues spamming her jab-combos into Ren’s arms but takes another blasting hook when Ren simply parried them to the side and then stepped in with a rocker to the side of her head. For now, Ren gets away with murder as she takes the third round right back.

ROUND 4:
Ren continues to abuse the system and an overly aggressive Swift, who perhaps wants the title belt so badly that she continues charging at the champion without much regard for her own safety. The first minute sees a game of cat-and-mouse as the taller woman headhunts at Ren, crowding in close and then looking for clear openings between Ren’s tight guard. Swift goes after her body instead, short bursts of machine-gun punches peppering the abs and chest, which send Ren groaning backwards and cursing her luck for being careless. But that’s exactly how the champ manages to turn the tide in the second half, slapping a hook across Swift’s face to rock her silly, before Ren steps further inwards to BLAST Swift with a floundering uppercut to the midsection. Swift groaning and backing away, allowing Ren to chase after her and snap more jabs into her face.

ROUND 5:
This match hits the middle mark and these girls are still throwing themselves fully at each other (literally, of course), with Taylor now adopting a more cautious stance but Ren still overconfidently chasing her about the ring. Taylor employs some of the same tactics her opponent just used on her a few minutes ago, using her longer legs to create distance whilst planting her feet and letting loose straight hands across space and time. Ren almost gets blown off her feet when one such right hand crashes into her arms as a result, barely slips out of the way as she absorbs the power shot instead. If the champ was intending to get in close enough to punish Swift some more, she’s clearly failed at her objective this time, with Swift catching her flush on the cheek and poking at her lean body till time rounds out.

ROUND 6:
Stubborn Ren is gonna be stubborn Ren, however, as the champ EATS another straight punch sent kissing her lips early in the sixth, her luck running out as Taylor puts thought and power into that lucky punch. Ren’s feet turns to jelly as she wobbles on the spot in shock, her head a prime target for more punches as Taylor raps leather into her facial features willy-nilly. Ren is saved however by the ropes and her own resolve, letting out more futile grunts as she struggles to get away from the action. Swift shows off her merciless side, however, keeps the pressure on Ren in a relentless barrage of punches framing her chin and body, a little reminiscent of her earlier wins after having reduced Alexis to a blubbering TKO mess on two prior occasions. But Ren’s fighting a little smarter this time too, keeps rushing forward to clinch up with the taller woman, arms wrapped around the Swift’s lanky body, which frustrates her to no end. What could have ended in a knockdown attempt this round is foiled, with Ren being shoved roughly backwards by an angered Swift after she’s left with nothing to show for efforts at the bell. From that sly grin on her face, however, it’s clear that Ren’s behaviour was entirely intentional.

ROUND 7:
Swift goes all in as she huffs, puffs, and fires off am early jab-jab-cross to open Ren’s open arms. Ren however, having also received a second lease on life, avoids the follow-up with a deft weave of her head backwards and then parrying a second wave of punches that Swift throws after her retreating form. Taylor almost looks desperate in there as she struggles to land her shots on anything other than Ren’s guard before taking an unexpected stunner back to her face when Ren primes her countershots to matter a little more. Swift gives up the chase in the final minute, rubbing her reddened nose after Ren stuck her glove in there at least three times too many. For the rest of the round, the two women circle one another for breath, loading up occasional shots to the arms but neither girl really doing any significant damage.

ROUND 8:
It’s still too close of a call but both two competitors spend the first half conserving their energy for a final push over the finish line. And if we’re keeping score, Swift is the one who’s still in a comfortable lead, no knockdowns to either girls’ names thus far, which makes the singer simply content to keep her distance and fire off jabs to keep Ren at bay. By contrast, Ren knows she needs to perform a magic trick in the next few rounds or so if she wants to secure her lead and of course, the belt. She wades in a couple of times, testing Swift’s defences with solid jabs and crosses to the arms and body. Swift for the most part still alive and well but scooting away to avoid rather than engage, till a sticking contest erupts in the middle of the ring, as both ladies try to out-punch each other at close quarters: Ren first with a right hand sunk into Taylor’s cheek before taking a grazing shot across the chin herself. The two girls are still growling and groaning at each other at the bell, and have to be separated by the referee when it’s clear they aren’t planning on respecting boundaries themselves.

ROUND 9:
Taylor having caught her breath in the previous round, now ROARING out of corner and looking like a brand new fighter! She surprises Ren with an early blasting hook to the body, then another one sent smack across her face as the challenger seems to have found her mojo! Ren gurgles and goes reeling back to cover up, flying into the ropes at one point and left to fend off another assault directed at her body. The American singer is doing everything in her power to put Ren down for the count here, rocking another double hook combo across the arms before burying more of her mitts into Ren’s tummy. But Alexis is just holding on till she finds a swift opening to get the hell outta there, jamming one of her fists into the chin in order to stop Swift from chasing after her. The rest of the round sees a repeat rout, till Ren comes to a screeching halt, bares her teeth as she LEAPS forward all of a sudden with a superwoman punch! UGH! Her fist bounces off the top of Swift’s forehead, almost sending the blonde’s sinking down to the floor from that impact! My god - these two won’t quit it, will they?? Swift lets out a sharp cry of pain as she’s showered back with follow up blows to her body and arms, Ren just growling with malice as she senses the end approaching, beats the challenger back into the ropes before Swift can deliver a comeback of her own... the referee has to jump in yet again to stop the action when both ladies refuse to stop punishing each other at the sound of the bell. Looks like we’re heading into the final round, folks!

ROUND 10:
More blazing action as blonde and brunette TEAR into each other in this final stretch! Both girls know what's at stake here tonight and the action only ramps up between girls who darn near can't stand each other’s presence! Ren needs to dig deep in order to win this contest unanimously, storms in with her reserves and little care for her own wellbeing as she blasts a straight hand into Taylor's guard, then goes high and low with overhand shots designed to circumvent the challengers defences and knocking her stiffly on the side of the head. Taylor far from idle herself though, returns fire with a snap uppercut sent chopping Ren in half, then another hook crashed into the champion’s arms, drawing mutual grunts from both battle-weary girls as they refuse to disengage towards the finish line. Taylor suddnely leaps in after Ren, hoping to finish her off with a superwoman punch of her own, but Alexis narrowly skirts around the lunging attack just in time, before the Vixen PROPS the pop princess upwards with a smash uppercut sent up into her jawline - TAYLOR GOES FLYING BACKWARDS, her head snapped back and both her eyes squeezed shut with pain! HERE COMES REN, who smashes yet another one two three punches clean into the blonde’s face before the champ steps in and LIFTS Taylor off her feet with an inside uppercut crunching into her jaw! Swift hits the ground with a loud grunt and even louder ROAR from the audience, who acknowledge the first KNOCKDOWN of the evening for Alexis Ren, who looks relieved herself as she sways on the spot by the ropes, whilst Taylor’s absolutely not much better, groaning as she turns her head over left and right, one arm draped over her head on the ground and the other just pawing helplessly at Ren’s feet. The referee performs the mandatory count but the pop princess is OUT like a light! He hits the count of 10 and waves for this fight to be over!!

Official Decision: Alexis Ren defeats Taylor Swift via KO10! Alexis Ren is STILL the Lightweight champion!

AFTER:
Ren lets out a roar of victory from neutral corner, already intending to continue the abuse on her fallen foe as she charges Swift’s prone figure, but gets held back by a flood of ring officials and medical staff, who have crowded themselves around Swift by the ropes, trying to protect the broken challenger both emotionally and physically.

But Ren still pumped with adrenaline, shoving and clawing (and punching) her way through the ring officials, till finally she THROWS herself down onto the wounded blonde, immediately silencing Swift’s grunt of pain and surprise with a resumption of punching her in the face!

Swift heard shrieking and thrashing below, trying to throw the enraged Vixen off her her, but Ren riding her belly like a tamed animal, repeatedly snapping punches into her bruised nose whilst tugging on her dishevelled hair from above.

“Thought you had me, did you, ya little b*tch!” Ren screams down into Swit’s face, apparently not having lost any of her so-called ‘charm’ even after taking on the dignified role of champion.

Finally, Ren is pulled off of Swift by a combination of ring officials, who have to form a human chain link fence in order to escort her back to her corner. Head Trainer Steve Boyd is waiting there with open arms, managing to sit his champion down on her stool and pacify her with a wide smile and tight embrace.

A big win for the Vixen, who now ties Swift with two wins to two. Something tells us this rivalry is far from over, and with any luck, Alexis’ title run is only just getting started...