Yasmin Verheijen vs Malena Costa
(Lioness Club vs BBU Independent)
(11-7, 11 KO vs 1-2, 1 KO)
Results: BBU: Story: Vassago

BEFORE: Most pundits believe Yasmin Verheijen is the natural Lioness Club lightweight leader entering the 2022 season however she needs to make a real statement if her title ambitions are to be taken seriously. She fell to Alessandra Ambrosio twelve months ago and hasn't exactly rebuild her stock enough for Miranda Kerr to offer her the big opportunity.

Meanwhile Malena Costa wants to escape a glorified journeywoman status that seems to affect her reputation over the past several months. She claims most of the division is simply scared of her potential hence she doesn't get called into most of these fights. The Lioness Club stepped up to the occasion but since Costa was last seen in the ring 24 months ago, it's anyone's guess how she performs here tonight!

Yasmin Verheijen wears a black bikini set & blue gloves. Long dark brown hair tied in a curled ponytail. Malena Costa wears a navy blue bikini set & silver gloves. Long dark brown hair tied in a custom ponytail. The fight is scheduled for ten rounds in the lightweight division.

Round 1:
Yasmin owns the supreme reach and outboxes the Spaniard during the initial tangle where both women settle for the head-hunting efforts. Malena refuses to back off despite taking some heavy licks and lands a noteworthy reply only when she decides to explore the gut-checking route where she makes the Dutch model wince in pain and drives more shots into her breadbasket come the second minute. Yasmin swings over the top and nails the fellow model on the chin but trips back onto the ropes when Costa slams her on the liver area and keeps slicing her downstairs until the clinch finally slows the action down. Both women struggle to break free before Malena enjoys the last laugh when she smacks another left/right cross on the mouth and leaves the younger brunette fuming at the bell.

Round 2:
Malena seeks another slugging success downstairs but her attacks are too predictable and Yasmin keeps her at bay through the supreme reach. Both women circle around each other for a while and Yasmin lands a couple of single shots on target before being forced into a more spirited display; Malena moves around faster on her feet but lacks the big punch and the round descends into a cagey back & forth tussle with more single punches leading the way. Malena lands her desired body assault though and backs Verheijen onto the ropes where she keeps ripping through her midsection to take another round on points according to Denise van Outen in the booth.

Round 3:
Yasmin gets more desperate and flies in with more had shots to force Malena into defensive action. The Spanish model weaves away from the initial tangle but gets smacked up the middle on the rebound and sinks on her heels which allows the younger brunette to cash in with more nasty hits from both flanks. Malena tries to sidestep the heat away but gets caught on the nose and drops onto the ropes where Yasmin bangs in more juice to make up for the disappointing start. She wraps Costa into a head-hunting haze and the older brunette refuses to pack a slugging response in which doesn't exactly look good as Verheijen has to be pulled back by the referee at the bell.

Round 4:
Malena can't find that body assault going and gets whacked over the top as Yasmin finally takes full advantage of her supreme reach. She nails the reeling Spaniard from both flanks and makes sure the older brunette has to yield real estate and swing from the back foot to even look competitive. The attacking display allows Verheijen to rattle her foe and trap her along the ropes where she keeps piling more pressure up the middle. Malena's bendy defense only takes her this long and she sinks on wobbly knees when the Dutch model blasts a left cross on the temple and follows through with a hard right on the chin. Costa tries to clinch the fellow model but gets punked on the boobs instead and stumbles back to her corner visibly out of breath come the bell.

Round 5:
Yasmin goes for another head-hunting blast and Malena is too slow to react; she gets whacked on the nose and wobbles forward with a whimper just so the Dutch model can add more vicious hits. She nails the slumped foe on the chin and whips her on the heels before driving a left hook on the nose. Malena cries out in pain and half-spins to the side dropping her arms low enough Verheijen SMOKES her with a right hand on the mouth. Uh-oh!!! DOWN GOES COSTA!!! The Spanish model hits the deck with a loud thump and rolls on her back with eyes closed! This one is over!!! KO5 Yasmin Verheijen!!!

AFTER: It's hard to tell whether Yasmin meets those title expectations and she's unwilling to call Miranda Kerr out in her post-fight speech. She just wants to have a good time out there and as long as she keeps winning inside the ring, her future will be safe. Easier said than done and Denise van Outen just doesn't see that belt wrapped around the Dutchwoman's waist anytime soon!

Official Result: Yasmin Verheijen def. Malena Costa KO5.