WEEKEND PPV

Posted by simguy on October 4, 2013, 9:17 am

BEFORE: "I've been looking forward to this fight all year!" Special Commentator LUCY LIU says at ringside. "I know people are saying Salma's too old; she's never been the same after Love-Hewitt; she's ready to be taken...but I fought her with that same scouting report, and let me tell you: she's not that shot. Hayek's legs probably aren't 10 round legs anymore, but she's really smart about her energy - fights in short bursts...and her hands are incredibly heavy for her size. And psychology is so important between rivals - and in this match up - the psychological edge goes to Salma. Pene's closer to her prime and she thinks of this as a golden chance for vengeance, but Hayek has always dominated Cruz, and she's coming in super confident. Pene better fight smart - especially early. If she gives into that Latina pride and slugs it out early, Salma could stop her before age can be a factor. If Cruz realizes her legs are the key to this fight, her dreams could come true. Otherwise, Salma can turn this thing into a nightmare for Pene!"

Salma in leopard print bra style bikini; hair in shower-damp ringlets; small black gloves. Pene in black bra style bikini; hair in shower-damp ringlets; small black gloves. Both girls all blazing eyes, snarling lips during instructions, refusing to touch gloves when asked.

R1: Pene out in her Il Finito look: hands high, palms out - little scoot steps to the right; jab-and-slide pivots to her left. Cruz stepping in with an elegant, swirling hook from this stance, parking it in behind Salma's right elbow with loose arm-action; sliding back outside while dragging her left foot in a bucket, issuing pesky check-jabs to harass Salma's pursuit. Hayek bobbing, trying to catch Pene hooks and crosses, but coming up short - timing, range, tempo all dictated by Cruz. Punishment accrues to Hayek: Penelope digging hooks to body with impunity; jabbing up Salma's face; dropping tasty right hands to chin. Hayek wading through it but getting viciously touched up: she's wobbly butt, blinking woozily by the bell. Salma cut in the mouth, eyebrows already scuffed - Hayek partisans begin a "Let's Go Sal-ma! (clap clap clapclapclap) chant, which causes an angry Pene Cruz to shout: "Silencio, Stupidos!" out into the audience.

R2: Hayek continues to bore in on Pene - enjoying a bit more success this round, though Cruz still making it an expensive process. Pene in that loose-limbed, hands-up, palms-out stance - dragging her left (lead) foot as she executes elegant pivots; sweeping in on Salma with that swinging hook to flank, covering the withdrawal with a chippy check-jab. Hayek occasionally getting to Pene's chest and getting off, but Cruz keeping free of the ropes, using the ring as necessary, continuing to work in and out on her shorter foe through 2.

R3: Pene misjudges distance after depositing her hook behind Hayek's right elbow: Cruz sliding back outside, chin up - Hayek lunges into a swinging hook to chin, DROPPING PENE TO HER BACK! Crashing blast swivels Pene's head, leaving her momentarily spellbound...she's all blinking/trembling for her 8 count. ON COMES HAYEK! Salma stubby-jabbing on approach, bobbing on the spot as she lays siege to Cruz. Straight, palm-down right hands to chest/withering hooks chin or ribs beat Pene breathless at ropes. Cruz getting thumped, but proving defiant...she trades-with Salma, fetching her crafty right uppercuts to chin/batting hooks out wide to body. Pene's spirited defence stalemates the fight as Hayek brawls hard but can't close the show. Still a timely 10-8 gets Salma back into the fight.

R4: Pene winded, retreats into ropes, inviting Hayek in. Salma: sets up on Pene's chest; hands right atop left in loose stack at tummy; bobbing on the spot as she belts away wide to ribs/waist, using the left shoulder/elbow to nudge Pene back into position; showing a stubby straight right to chin, catching Cruz again and again. Pene groggy, determined, sitting in ropes, alternating between crossed-arm and earmuff...she's lashing back at Hayek, but to no avail: Salma maintains top position. Midway through, determined left hooks from Hayek thump again and again behind Pene's right elbow...Cruz cries out, easing herself down to knees-and-elbows, putting her head on the canvas and sobbing as Hayek struts away. Gut check for Pene Cruz: many times in the past she's quit at this point, but she climbs ropes, blinks away tears and assures ref she's good to go. Salma wades back in to finish, but encounters stubborn, fierce resistance: Latinas hunker down mouth on shoulder to slug it up in a phone booth. Bell: ref pulling Hayek back...exotic beauties glaring savagely at each other, chests heaving, nostrils flaring as Hayek edges into the lead through 4.

R5: Hayek pressing early, but Pene fades well, circling away, making Salma give chase. Minute mark, Cruz' jab starts to poke Hayek into bobbing compliance...Pene able to get back into that loose-limbed in-and-out rhythm - planting that slinging hook behind right elbow; jabbing to maintain initiative; pasting Hayek well-timed right crosses of opportunity.

R6: GORGEOUS left uppercut for Pene catches Hayek in her crouch, cuts power to Salma's legs and puts her on all fours for an 8 count. Salma blinking, wobbly-butt at ropes, but when Pene wades in, it's CRUZ who finds stubborn resistance where meek compliance was expected. Cruz lashing hooks to Hayek's right flank - often draping the left hand in behind Hayek's right shoulder while delivering clean-up right uppercuts. Hayek bobbing in the pocket, suffering rich shellack, but banging back: short-arm hooks repeatedly score against ribs and chin; stubby right hands routinely jolt Pene's head. Cruz maintains top position despite her corner's shrieking suggestions to back out of there...women brawl each other into an expensive stalemate by the bell.

R7,8: Pene reins in her pride, listens to her corner, boxes Hayek senseless midring. In and out; slick little pivots with that left (lead) foot being dragged along canvas; slinging gancha hooks landing at will behind Hayek's right elbow setting up the rest of Pene's arsenal. Salma with a shabby, disheveled aspect...defensive form still relatively tight, but she's very late on receipts, finding Pene's ribcage only once in a while. Cruz diligent, methodical, cruel - dark eyes glistening as she picks apart her nemesis. Pene not loading up, just letting her hands go free and easy, administering measured doses of punishment, then turning her foe midring. Cruz also finally working Salma's breasts with some consistency - clouting at rack via snik-snak one-twos, or tugging jug via rangy left uppercuts. After 8, Hayek busting up, looking her age...Liu praising Cruz' discipline, execution during the breaks.

R9: Salma clearly shot now...still bobbing, still coming forward, but Pene easily able to dictate distance with her legs. 10 years of resentment informing every Cruz punch: she's taking grim satisfaction at the cracking smacks of small mitts punishing Hayek's face, or digging into the meat of her body. It's all too much...down the stretch, a digging dip-and-rip left uppercut catches Hayek to solar-plexus, bunching her up, then dropping her to all fours. Cruz struts away while drawing a thumb across her throat: she's the most shocked woman in the arena when Hayek beats the count at bell.

R10: Pene wants to finish: Hayek fighting for pride, wanting to go the route. Cruz at Salma with hate on every shot - one-sided lashing bombardment batters Hayek along ropes. Salma not punching back...back of her right hand presses left cheek/left crosses her gut as she slides to her right, just trying to roll the incoming. Cruz huffs and puffs - bending her back into vicious shellack, but she can't get Hayek to quit. At the bell, a battered, exhausted Salma Hayek cries out in defiance, pounding at her heart with her right hand. Cruz seething, tries to continue the pounding as ref moves in. Comes back UD10 Cruz.

After: Salma shaking her head "no", denying the result. This infuriates Penelope, causing women to square up and shriek Spanish epithets as officials intervene. "I yam better than her!" Cruz spits in postfight. "She should just quit fighting. She was putty in my hands tonight! I played with her; I took from her at weel. After all this years, I finally made her understand that Penelope Cruz is the best!"