Kristen Bell vs. Emilia Clarke

Results: Lookout!; Words: Front Street

BEFORE:

Interesting blonde/brunette tilt featuring former champ Bell, who, while she's been looking on the downside for a while now, is still plenty skilled and able to compete at a high level, and Clarke, who's never quite gotten over the hump in the FCBA. And, while both fighters are plenty respectful in the pre-fight, both are also plenty confident. "There's a reason," says the blonde, "That I've worn the belts three times. And, it's because I'm VERY good. As Emilia's about to find out." "Kristen is a champion," admits the brunette. "But. I'm the better fighter, and I'll prove that tonight."

ROUND ONE:

If Clarke's going to prove anything, she's going about it the wrong way. She wants to box early, and that plays right to the veteran's strengths. Krissy playing the angles, moving the head, hands, and feet, getting to spots and getting off, constantly creating poor geometry for the brunette. Emilia works hard, trying to find, trying to square, trying to get something going. But, she can't. Bell too skilled, too slick, and in too much of a rhythm. She's dictating from the opening seconds, landing in combination, tossing her rival onto the defensive again and again. Emilia's never hurt, but she's never in the round, either. Instead, it's Krissy from the opening seconds to the final bell. It's not quite a shutout, but it's about as close as your going to get, as the blonde grabs the opener very wide to take the 10-9 lead.

ROUND TWO:

Emilia gets aggressive. She's stepping to now, getting physical, working in the phone booth, crowding the blonde, working her body, backing her up here and there with sharp hooks and uppercuts. Bell being shoved around for awhile, but, eventually, Krissy adjusts and begins firing back, digging some body of her own. Terms have been completely renegotiated, but they're working for both fighters. Clarke's doing much better than she did in the first, but Bell's holding her own in there. Late in the round, blonde begins using the slide step to change things around. She's turning Clarke, creating some space with the jab, getting back to boxing, taking control again. It's too late to claim the points in the second, which Emilia gets narrowly thanks to her early domination, but it's something to build on, as Clarke evens things at 19.

ROUND THREE:

Bell builds. And, for Clarke, we're right back where we were in the first. Krissy's using that veteran skill and class to create the space and geometry she wants and using THOSE to out-box the brunette. Like in the first, Emilia's working hard, trying to square, trying to get to the spots she needs to be to get off. But, every time it seems like Clarke has the answers, Krissy changes the questions. To her credit, the brunette beauty doesn't get frustrated, or, if she does, she doesn't let the frustration show. Instead, she keeps working hard, looking to find a way to get going. But, she doesn't get that done. Like in the first, from the opening seconds to the final bell, it's Kristen in control. And, like in the first, it's a near shutout, with the blonde taking the points very, very wide and going back into the lead 29-28.

ROUND FOUR:

Bell in control. Emilia working hard, but not able to find a way to counter what the more-experienced blonde is doing. Krissy landing in combination again and again, while the only offense Clarke can muster is the odd punch here and there. BOOM! A BLISTERING combination from the blonde and CLARKE IS HURT! Emilia stumbles backward, Bell lets the hands go and DOWN GOES THE BRUNETTE! Clarke spilled to her back, staring up at the referee as Krissy bounces to a neutral corner. Looks to be all over for a few seconds, but Emilia sits up at five, gets to her feet at eight. Ref gives her the mandatory and WAIVES ON BELL! Krissy all OVER Clarke, battering her around the ring before pinning her to the ropes and having at her for an entire minute. Ref on the verge of stepping in, but Clarke does enough to hold him off to the bell. When it rings, it's 10-8 for the blonde, who's now up 39-36.

ROUND FIVE:

Bell after Clarke in a big way, backing her up with hard flurry after hard flurry, sitting down on everything. Emilia trying to manage, giving ground, jabbing, keeping the guard high, looking for opportunities to counter, but Bell is piling up the points and the punishme...BOOM! Right hand counter, EMILIA and KRISTEN IS HURT! Bell rumblin', stumblin', fumblin' and GETTING DROPPED BY A STRAIGHT RIGHT HAND! Kristen stunned on her back as the brunette moves quickly to a neutral corner. Bell sits up at six, gets to her feet at eight, takes the mandatory, and ON COMES EMILIA. Clarke pouring fire at the brunette now, driving her back into the ropes and BATTERING her with both hands. Kristen in a high guard, hanging on, shaken by a straight right, WOBBLED by a left hook and IT'S OVER! The ref leaps in and it's OVER! And your winner byTKO5 is Emilia Clarke!

AFTER:

Emilia looking a little surprised herself at the quick turn of events. "She can definitely still fight," says the brunette, shaking her head. "Just very, very skilled. Even better than I thought. But, she made a mistake. And, I took advantage of it. I wasn't going to take any chances on her making another, so I went all in to finish and got the job done. But, it wasn't easy. Not easy at all."