Originally posted by Simguy on 8/19/2005, 8:34 pm.

Before: Both fighter in their debut—both wanting to make that big impression and cath the eye of promoters and fans both. “Rachel’s got a bit of a name,” Poppy admits, “so she’s probably got a bit more to lose than me. I hope to use that to my advantage-I think she’ll be a little tight, so I’m going to jump on her early and see if I can push her around some.”

McAdams drawing some comparisons to a young Neve Campbell for her no-nonsense Canadian style and reputed hard body punching. “I’ve heard the Neve stuff—personally I don’t see it, but the media loves to pigeonhole girls. I want to show well against Poppy, really separate myself from her and prove I’m not all hype, You know—like Lindsay Lohan,” Ouch—Rache making friends and influencing people right off the get go, Somber staredown—both girls stone-faced, touching gloves while making hard eye contact.

Pops in slick ponytail, tight yellow cami-strap tank, bare midriff and yellow cotton panties. Rachel in taupe lace bra, navy panties, hair as in “Red Eye”.

During R1: Rachel establishing to the body—ringing, compact lefts and rights shake poppy either side o’the ribcage—blonde left cringing, momentarily rattled by cudgeling attack. Montgomery proving a warrior—she’s hurt, a little winded, but catching Rachel a sturdy right on the chin and a pair of lifting left uppercuts thick and spanky to sternum. Girls toe-to-toe, dukes at temples as they circle, take turns getting off with stuff, hard punching—Rachel forcing Poppy back down the stretch as girls work up and down in pleasing fashion.

R2: Very professional stuff from a couple of precocious composed well-schooled rookies. Guards high—both can block and counter off the block. Both with a stiff jab, both doubling it up to close without getting countered. Both throw nice and tight to the rib cage, raking each other beneath the bra-line, working the flanks, tuck-tucking in behind elbows. Rachel with a little more varied selection, occasionally dipping the left shoulder and wedging in a tidy left uppercut—and her body punching’s harder: Poppy usually the first to disengage and take a deep breath.

R3: Rachel really pounding Poppy to the body—Montgomery starting to mouth breathe, dukes at her temples as she freezes up grimacing under Rachel’s digging touches. McAdams working out of the high guard crouching and getting off from her front foot, always bringing the mitts back to her eyeline to reset. Rache keeping the right nice and high as she hooks—rookie showing good form and discipline. Poppy getting banged up, pushed around this round—she’s winded from the body blows, doing a nice job of protecting her head, but blonde corner starting to realize they can’t just serve up the ribcage to Rachel.

R4: Poppy outclassing Rachel this round—blonde’s showing tremendous grit, then finding another gear to take the initiative. Good stinging jab; short, drifting right hand; ferocious rising hook at the jug line, bringing McAdams up short. Pops hooking the body, shouldering Rachel back, finding her with the jab and cashing in right hands—blonde really rolling brunette up as McAdams starts to break down. weak job from Rachel: Poppy drops a jolting right hand snug overtop and bludgeons McAdams to one knee! Rachel up chagrined, wobbly butt—she tells ref “I’m OK” with clear eyes, takes her 8, digs in to receive poppy’s charge. Monty disciplined on mop up—not throwing herself at Rachel, recognizing brunette’s got herself together. Poppy just jabbing to stabilize, then roping Rachel to the waist to take a little vigour out of those sturdy legs at the bell.

R5: Rachel sees Poppy’s aggression, raises her. Rache a bit stuff up top—not a lot of head movement, blocking/frame defence for the most part, but she’s very well balanced, getting a lot of leverage on her shots. Poppy busted the jab and startled—Rache able to land a blunt right hand short to chin and rip-dig those ribs a pair of thumping hooks snug behind the elbow. POPPY’S HURT! Montgomery gasping, knees buckling—she keeps her feet but is PUNBISHED to the flanks as Rachel bangs away backs ‘er up. McAdams brawny at the ropes, using her shoulders and elbows to discourage clinches and beating Poppy religiously about her ribs and tummy. Montgomery grits her teeth and fights back late to avoid the shutout—crows enthusiastically responding to bashing give and take.

R6: Rachel squirts a tidy little right uppercut out of a nifty bob, puts a left uppercut behind it, bobs and gets a biting hook and doubles up to hook the liver: Poppy’s ashen faced as she steps back, drops her hands with a stricken expression. Rache scooting forward behind her jab, slanting a straight right hand HARD to sternum, mopping up hooks as Poppy tilts breathlessly forward. Ruff shoulder straightens Poppy up—blonde’s eyes glassy for the first time, mouth open—she’s really hurting, unable to respond. McAdams workmanlike, eyes intent as she digs to the waist out of a brawling crouch, working up-torso to clout at Poppy’s ears: blonde’s guard’s breaking down, she’s taking clean punches. Just gets worse—Poppy starting to get belted onto one foot or the other, reacting late to punches, pushing her own shots: Rachel still crisp, clean, purposeful with her work. Numbing body blows add up, systematically crippling Montgomery—tears willing up as she slowly wilts to her knees beneath a thudding tympani of Rachel McAdams lefts and rights, Rache stepping back, blowing a lock of hair out of her yes and smiling: Poppy hugging her throbbing ribcage, spits out her mouthpiece, can’t or won’t get off her haunches. KO6 Rachel McAdams.

After: Rachel’s joy is Poppy’s despair—zero sum game between debuting beauties leaves one battered and achy, the other triumphant. Montgomery got her shots in and was very competitive—even Rachel admits it. “Definitely—she’s better than I thought she’d be—she’s a very tough girl to fight your first FCBA bout against. After the first round, I knew I was stronger, and after the fourth, when she hurt me, I knew I was tougher. After that it was like—‘we got this girl, go get her,’ you know?” Poppy glum in defeat, very tender-torsoed. “I’ll be back,” blonde vows, “I dropped Rachel and I should have closed her out—I really let her off the hook and you can’t do that in the FCBA. It isn’t where you start that counts: Rachel got the better of me tonight, but two, three years down the road? I’m betting that she’ll be a mid-tier ‘opponent’ while I’m fighting main events against Jennifer Connelly and Kelly Hu.”

Reposted by Archer 5/17/09.