TESS VALMORE


I knew these bouts were slated for the April PPV but they didn’t make it. I apparently didn’t get the memo that they were going to go last night until Cassie Scerbo called and told me they were going to go. Fortunately I got to the TV in time to watch the bouts. I did predict these bouts

MENDES/SANCHEZ Mendes, now 42 has been around for 13 years, but has only had 48 fights. She had a inactive spell between 2008 and 2012 Sanchez had never had a fight. Mendes was rather lackadaisical in the first two rounds which allowed Sanchez to win both. As the third round began, Mendes now looked focused and that was bad news for Sanchez. Mendes hurt Sanchez in the third. The fourth was not kind to Sanchez who managed to stay in the bout only because the bell saved her. In the fifth, a Mendes uppercut followed by a bye bye punch left Sanchez down and although she tried, she failed to beat the count

FREEMAN/HENSTRIDGE Tractorpull well realizes the shape of the welter division. No matter what some claim, it is returning to the poor state that it was a year ago. Part of the problem is activity. Managers simple don’t put them in the ring and some are independents. The division also counts on older fighters, who once were competitive, but who day is largely past That said, there are some very good fighters in the welters. the elite group. One of the elite group happens to be Cassidy Freeman who is very good and who I have ranked at two. Henstridge is one of those used to was. She was dragged in to give Freeman rounds She lost to Theron earlier this year. If you can’t beat Theron, you are sure as hell aren’t going to beat Freeman. Oh yeah, there was a fight, kind of. It took Freeman about seven minutes of ring time to put Henstridge way Henstridge was lucky to finish the second. About a minute into the third blast to the face and she was finished earning her money for the night.

WINSTEAD/YUSTMAN Yustman is another of the Lioness Club’s elite fighters. I have her ranked as the number two lightweight. Unlike Freeman, Yustman is facing another elite lightweight who can certainly derail her standing, Winstead This was a good fight. Yustman took the first round, however Winstead took the lead by winning rounds two and three. Odette then took over winning the next three rounds and building a substantial lead on the cards. Winstead had a brief comeback in the seventh, but it was to be of no avail. In the eighth a big right hook to the nose put Winstead on the canvas. Try as she might, she couldn’t beat the count giving Odette a big lightweight win

M. KELLY/LILLY I thought this was a 50/50 fight. The current champ against a four time champ. We favored Kelly since she has been more active, however she couldn’t have faced a more dangerous bantam especially when the title is on the line. Kelly got off to a good start taking round one, however by the end of round four we had Lilly with the lead. Kelly evened up the score when she floored Lilly in the fifth. I had the bout still even at the end of seven. Lilly then floored Kelly in the eighth and took the ninth to build a good lead. Minka needed a KO in the tenth. She didn’t get it. Lilly got the decision and the title belts and the new bantam champ

HUDGENS/LOWNDES A lot of bantams won’t like to hear this, but my review fight viewer statistics indicates that Hudgens is the second most popular fighter, right behind Upton. Lowndes is right there with Freeman and Yustman as a Lioness Club elite. I was certainly surprised to see my BFF in the ring. Cassie didn’t tell me she was calling me from ringside, This bout was brutal. I had Hudgens with the lead at the end of four. Lowndes then had a huge fifth round to even up the fight. I think Lowndes had the better of six, but in the end it didn’t make any difference. Hudgens unleashed a vicious assault in the seventh that ended with Lowndes spread eagled on the canvas as the count reached ten Hudgens retains her title