It's the last resort for ex-Spice Girls members as Melanie Brown has witnessed both her bandmates literally destroyed by the opposition. She needs no second invitation to amend those losses though as she's on a personal mission against her rival, Natalie Bassingtwaighte. Both women were judges on the Australian version of X factor in the fall of 2011 and there were numerous reports of a series of catfights and ill-temper run-ins between these two.

"It was all about that blonde tramp, you see", Melanie explains "I was supposed to be the real star on the show and just because it was held on her own turf, it doesn't change anything. She just couldn't accept my superiority! Sure, we had some run-ins here and there, but mothing all that serious. Tonight will be different though. I really want to beat the crap out of her and finally show her she's just a random blonde tramp nowhere near my status".

Bold comments from Melanie who comes off a shocking KO3 loss to relatively underrated Katherine Jenkins last November. However Bassingtwaighte doesn't have much to celebrate lately either; allthough she's placed 5th in the ACB rankings, she's lost four bouts on the spin including one of the upsets of the first Downunder vs Lioness event against lower-ranked Pilar Rubio before finally toughing out a UD10 over youngster Sherri-Lee Biggs in the inaugural ACB PPV.

Natalie Bassingtwaighte wearing a white bikini with red stripes and black gloves. Melanie Brown wearing a black bikini and red gloves. Fight is scheduled for ten rounds in the bantamweight division. Both women stare at each other with visible envy and this should be a really vicious contest with no sympathy shown from either side.

Round 1:
Natalie comes in first, throwing big hook to the head and following up with a low jab to the stomach. Melanie caught by surprise, only grazes the blonde with a hooking response and Natalie quickly pushes her to the ropes with intensive jabbing to the chest. Brown covers up, struggles under the early barrage and Bassingthwaighte really works her over as if she's made a bet on a first round knockout! Sharp hooks from the right continue to make a mess of Mel's midsection, but she bends forward and manages to clinch the Aussie who lowered her left arm too much and enabled Brown to sneak her arm under the elbow. Natalie still peppers her in the clinch though, but ref separates them, letting the local girl off the hook. Natalie clearly upset, steps up again, throwing nasty shots to the face, but Melanie keeps her guard well this time and doesn't allow her rival to dominate the punchfest anymore. Both girls eventually circle around the ring until the bell and Nat looks particulary determined to make her mark.

Round 2:
NatBass comes out again, laces Brown with a flying left hook to the eye, but mistimes her leap and crashes into the stunned rival who leaned forward too much. Mel's head nearly catches the Aussie in the chin and both girls tangle in a clinch and Mel tries to drag her opponent down before land a hook in the breasts. Ref separates them again and Brown finally showing some skills, jabbing the blonde's stomach and catching her in the ear with a nasty right hook. Natalie thrown off balance, jumps to the side but Mel comes after her, landing a sequence of jabs to the ribs and a big hook to the mouth. NatBass blocks that final one though and covers up for good as Melanie pushes her to the ropes with a vicious barrage. She can't break the Aussie though and peppers her with single shots to the arms and body as Bassingthwaighte struggles around the ropes, weaving around and trying to avoid her attacks. Good spell of pressure for Brown, landing several unanswered jabs, but there's little damage caused and she finally slumps into a clinch, frustrated she's been unable to really hurt the blonde.

Round 3:
Both women step up together and land a big hook on each other's heads. NatBass catches Mel in the cheek but gets nailed in the mouth in response. Crowd goes ballistic as they continue to trade vicious punches in the middle of the ring, Mel works on the blonde's chin and tries to lace her around the gloves, while Bassingthwaighte pounds her with a low combination to the stomach. The Aussie leans on the local girl and grazes her nose with the head, Mel visibly upset throws a cheap shot to the kidneys in the clinch. Downunder corner's furious and Natalie moans in pain as Brown shoves her along the ropes and tries to reach her jaw. NatBass drags her as low as possible and ends up with her head underneath Mel's elbow. More nasty jabs to the kidneys from Brown! Ref steps in and gives her a warning. Nikki Visser almost over the ropes in anger, gets shoved down by Elle MacPherson and the two women exchange heated words. NatBass breathing heavily in the ring, hurting after those foul shots from her opponent but gets no respite whatsoever, Mel swarming all over her after the command, catching her methodically with vicious jabs to the midsection. Bassingthwaighte bends down again, gets pummelled to the ropes and takes a massive uppercut to the jaw just before the bell. She literally gets thrown into her corner by that one and looks in serious pain, but as big this round was for Brown, there were couple of rabbit shots that went unpunished by the referee. Visser still livid with those decisions, shouts at the man in charge while MacPherson reverts into giving more tips for NatBass during the interval.

Round 4:
Bassingthwaighte slow off the stool, still looks shaken by the previous round. Brown pounces on her immediately; throws a barrage of punches and catches her in the jugs and tummy. Natalie tries to respons, a flying hook from the left just misses Mel's head but there's more aggression from the local girl now. She pummels the blonde to the ropes with a series of low jabs, Bassingthwaighte unable to move quickly around them and still much slower on her feet. Brown unloads a big jab to the stomach and the Aussie sinks on her knees. She tries to cover up her face, but leaves the ribcage exposed and a couple of sharp hooks make her scream in pain. Brown throws a left hook to the head, but Natalie's legs are gone already and she slides down on her backside along the ropes! Crowd goes wild as the ref starts the count! Bassingthwaighte takes her time before getting up, but eventually beats the count at seven. Melanie quickly jumps on her though and throws chaotic jabs to the head. Looks like she's gotten over her head with that charge and NatBass manages to clinch her in close range. Brown loses the momentum, punches the Aussie in the arms and tries to shove her away but to no avail. Bassingthwaighte desperately holding on to the clinch and ignoring referee's efforts of breaking them off. Brief scuffle in the corner and Nat jumps away immediately after she gets dragged away by the referee. Brown shakes her head and allows the blonde to circle around her until the bell; she looks happy enough with that round.

Round 5:
More forward bite from Mel, she's wasting no time at all in harrassing NatBass and nails her with a couple of hooks to the face early on. Aussie still struggling with her speed, slow to raise her guard, but tries to respond with a crafty sequence to the boobs. Mel closes the distance quickly though and unloads sharp hooks from both flanks to the ribs. Bassingthwaighte moans in pain, rooted to the spot in middle of the ring as she absorbes punishment. Her response is weak, single jabs slide off Mel's arms and gloves. And suddenly a big uppercut to the jaw that goes right through the blonde's guard! NatBass wobbles big time; can't stay upright and as Brown was looking to land another jab, down goes the Aussie shooting her legs up in the air as she hits the canvas! Crowd is a rage of joy as ref starts the count. Nikki Visser shouts loudly "Get up, get up" from her corner and Bassingthwaighte shows some courage! She scrambles herself back on the feet at eight and nods her head in approval. Ref looks her in the eye, there's still some spark there despite the swollen face and numb body. She's good to go, he says! Brown shakes her head "I'm gonna break your jaw for good now!", she shouts in anger but suddenly NatBass jumps up to her and tries to land some hooks to the midsection. Mel covers up well, but gets rocked with a right hook to the eye! She bounces against the ropes and clinches the Aussie, who's moaning loud, but peppering her with low jabs to the ribs. Mel just drags her down and traps her head under the elbow. Break! Mel shoves the blonde away back to center of the ring and circles around her as Bassingthwaighte throws some fake punches. The bell sounds and the Aussie looks to have lost a lot of energy in avoiding a knockdown as she slowly walks back to the corner with her eyes closed.

Round 6:
Coach Gina Wild all over Mel's ear during the interval urging her to go forward at any cost "She won't handle the onslaught and you will break her down eventually, got it?". Mel with a devilish glance at her coach and indeed off she goes into the sixth, literally leaping at the Aussie right from the bell. But Bassingthwaighte responds to the challenge and lands a big hook on the jugs, making Mel wince in pain early on. NatBass doesn't look in the best of shape, but she's going for it! Chaotic jabbing sequence puts Mel on the back foot and forces her to circle around the Aussie, throwing single punches and biding her time. Bassingthwaighte with a forward charge, misses a couple of hooks to the head though and gets nailed in the chest with a stiff jab as her guard still looks questionable. Mel tries to pounce, aims at the head again, NatBass weaves around, ducks away and jumps to the side. More intensive jabbing from Brown, she backs the Aussie against the ropes and throws a solid combination to the midsection. Blonde gets caught a couple of times but responds with a jab to the face herself. Melanie slow to react, gets nailed in the nose and weaves around herself. Both women clinch along the ropes and struggle for supremacy until the ref separates them. It's still a very even slugfest and Bassingthwaighte looks to have survived that early crisis as she peppers the local girl from mid-distance and forcing her to back away. The bell sounds and Mel looks more upset then her Aussie rival.

Round 7:
Brown just won't hold back, charges out of her stool and immediately works around the Aussie's face again. Natalie in better shape now, her kidneys perhaps not hurting that much anymore, but she hasn't damaged Mel all that seriously so far. Both women engage in a frantic punchfest in middle of the ring, nailing each other in the jugs, stomach and face. It's more like a street brawl then a boxing bout! Crowd love it though but get concerned as Bassingthwaighte lands a couple of big hooks to the nose and Mel must blink first, jumping to the ropes in distress. Aussie leaps after her immediately, throwing chaotic jabs from both flanks, punishing the local girl to the body and head. Mel bends down, weaves around, tries to weather the storm, but it;s no good! One of Nat's hooks laces her in the nose and she slumps onto the ropes, sliding down on her backside! Out of nowhere she's sitting on the canvas and NatBass shakes her fist in delight! Ref starts the count, but it's a false down of trouble. Mel's quickly up at five and looks like that brief charge from the Aussie made no impression on her whatsoever. Fight resumes and Bassingthwaighte squares up to her, trying to land another big hook in the nose, but gets blocked as Brown nails her in the jugs in response. They clinch for a moment, but Natalie shoves her rival away and throws another hook, but Mel ducks under her elbow and retreats to center of the ring. Blonde's upset about that let-off and hassles her around the ring, but Mel's lightly quicker on her feet and keeps the Aussie at distance until the bell.

Round 8:
Mel showing signs of fatigue, breating heavily on her stool, having her nose patched up during the interval after being caught one too many times in the previous round. Calm faces in the Downunder corner, NatBass looks to have really overcame that crisis and holds her own against the local favorite. Big chance to go three up on the event and Nikki reminds Natalie to keep her focus and harass Brown as often as possible. "You won't win this one by holding back, got it?". NatBass nods her head and comes out aggressively, jabbing at Melanie, testing her guard with swinging hooks and methodical jabs. Brown not impressed by this showing off, fakes a forward move, turns to the side and lands some low jabs to the ribs. Bassingthwaighte more concerned about the hooks to the head, allows those shots to land but can't quite reach Mel in this round. More weaving from Mel who dances around the Aussie and teases her with lowering her guard alltogether. She finally pauses and throws a big jab to the face. Natalie moves her head away from that one, but remains rooted to the spot and Mel rocks her with a low hook to the ribs. Bassingthwaighte unmoved, charges forward but misses a jab to teh face and suddenly Mel uppercuts her in the boobs and throws another jab to the stomach. Aussie bends down and moans in pain, as Mel pushes her to the ropes with a jabbing sequence and gets some momentum rolling. Another vicious punchfest along the ropes, but this time it's the blonde taking more punishment and covering up in despair. Mel breaths heavily, drops the tempo, but continues to lace the aching Aussie with single jabs, as Natalie tries to clinch. And there's big jab to the nose rocking her inside the final seconds of the round! She screams in pain as Mel blocks her left arm and lands a series of three jabs to the nose and really inflict some pain on the Aussie! The bell sound and both girls nearly fall down as they're separated by the ref. Mel walks slowly back to her corner but NatBass looks much worse to wear, holding her nose and sobbing in pain.

Round 9:
There's blood coming out of Bassingthwaighte's nose during the interval and intensive work from the cutmen is required to stop it. Brown more relaxed, checking all the work done on her rival from the other end. She's up early for the ninth and wastes no time in closing the distance. NatBass slow and tentative can't move away from trouble, has her face full of Brown's leather in a matter of seconds. Big charge from Mel as she nails the Aussie with series of hooks and jabs to the face and body. Blonde covers up her face, tries to protect her nose in particular as it does look vulnerable, but Mel doesn't care and contiues to pound her midsection instead. Bassingthwaighte bends down, takes a lot of punishment, tries to jump away. but Brown's leather is all over her now. She can't clinch either and gets backed against the ropes easily. Melanie continues to land punches, just single ones now, as the Aussie sinks further down on her knees. Another one of countless big hooks to the head finally breaks Natalie's guard wide open and she gets laced twice in the mouth and it's lights out for the Aussie! Down goes Bassingthwaighte, bouncing off the ropes and flat out on her face! Ref steps in and starts the count! Nat tries to push herself on the elbows but can't and lands back on her face again, shaking her head and sobbing in agony. KO R9 Melanie Brown in the last-woman standing fashion!!!

Post-fight:
Melanie too exhausted to celebrate this hard-earned success, bends down on the ropes and slumps down on the canvas herself just beside the fallen blonde. She slaps her in the ass and is finally helped onto her feet by the ref as medics and Downunder entourage attend her rival. Natalie still sobbing in the pain of defeat, has the blood wiped off her nose by Visser "It's OK now, you did your best. We'll get her next time!".

Natalie's unable to walk off the ring herself, gets helped on by Visser and MacPherson, leaving Melanie to hear the announcement on her own. Big cheer from the crowd who finally get their first win of the night, but it was a tight one. Bassingthwaighte showed a lot of courage and survived a couple of close calls before finally going down. Brown's loss to Katherine Jenkins seems partially avenged, but if Downunder ever offers her a rematch against NatBass, it may as well end with the Aussie winning.

Final result: Melanie Brown def. Natalie Bassingthwaighte KO9.
Series result after 3 of 8 bouts: Lioness Club 1, Downunder Boxing 2.