Alicia Vikander vs. Megan Fox
(Words: Front Street / Results: Lookout!)

BEFORE:
 
Two fighters on opposite tacks at the moment. Vikander has started her career well, winning fights and impressing people. Fox, meanwhile, in a lull, having won only three times since failing to wrest the flyweight belts away from Sarah Shahi nearly three years ago. Still Alicia's stepping up in competition, and she knows it. "She's a girl who has beaten good fighters," Vikander says with a nod. "Beating her will be a step forward for me. And, I AM going to beat her."

"She's gotten off to a good start," says Megan with a smile. "Well. That all ends tonight. Because MegaFox is back. And tonight's the night she makes the official announcement."

ROUND ONE:
 
No surprises early. Vikander likes the straight up, European style. She likes the jab, likes to use it to create distance and set up right hands. Fox, on the other hand, leggier. She likes to bounce and circle, snap the jab, move the head and hands, feint, work to create openings in defenses like Vikander's. Result is a game of cat and mouse, with MegaFox moving, moving, moving, staying off center, making Alicia work to get square. Vikander, meanwhile, keeps the guard high and the feet moving, not allowing Megan to break her defenses down and open her up for the quick bounce and flurry that the American likes. There's action, but most of it involves feet and not hands. Punches are thrown, of course, and some land. But, not a lot of damage is done, and there's isn't a lot of scoring, either. When the bell finally rings, it's Alicia who's claimed the round close to lead 10-9.

ROUND TWO:

More of the same. Vikander not exactly looking to cut the ring as much as she's just trying to get the angles right, get to positions where she can get the jab on and work behind it. Fox, though, making that very, very difficult. Megan a lot of motion, using those long legs well. She's not dancing, mind, just moving, legging, feinting with the hands, looking to open Alicia up. And, when she does, she's quick to flurry. But, most often, she can't. Vikander showing slickness and smarts you wouldn't expect from a fighter with as few FCBA rounds as she has under her belt. She's not getting suckered. She's staying with the fight plan. She's working hard. And she's making Megan work hard as well. Down the stretch, we get the best exchange of the fight so far. Fox feints, steps in, and lets 'em go. Vinkander fires back, and both fighters land some accurate shot. The bell ends the exchange and the round, which goes to Megan close. We're even at 19.

ROUND THREE: 

Fox more aggressive now. She's  bouncing forward more, getting off in combination, forcing Vikander to the defensive. Alicia goes there and begins fighting counter. That's to Megan's liking, because Fox is able to push the pace. And, push it she does. Cat and mouse is over, and it's now an assault on fortress Vikander. Alicia backing and covering and COUNTERING WITH A RIGHT HAND! Fox staggered and quickly the roles are reversed. Vikander immediately to the offensive as Megan backs and covers and takes a pounding. Alicia wobbles her again with a right hook. Megan in desperate shape as she retreats to the ropes. Vikander getting off heavy. Fox in an earmuff, head being buffeted side to side as Alicia hammers punches off the guard. She splits it with a straight right and Fox wobbles again. Referee about to step in, but the bell beats him to it! The third is in the books and it goes wide to Vikander, who's now up 29-28.

ROUND FOUR: 

Now, it's Alicia who wants to push pace. She's right after Megan as the fourth begins. Fox keeping the guard up and then tying up Vikander as she closes. Wrestling match develops. Alicia tries to shove free, tries to punch free, tries everything, but Fox keeps hooking her up and hanging on until the referee gives Alicia the break. Now is when inexperience begins to rear its ugly head. Fox knows how to slow her rival down with clinches and tie ups, knows how to prolong them, act like something's happening, fool the ref into letting things go on for awhile before breaking them. Vikander simply doesn't have an answer. She's not finding ways to get free or stay out of ties. She keeps coming forward and getting locked up. And, she gets more and more frustrated as the round goes on, shoving at Fox, and, at one point, actually wrestling her to the ground. Ref almost as frustrated as Alicia. Warns both fighters several times and threatens to take points late. Mercifully, the bell rings before he has to follow through on the threat. When it does, Fox has claimed a sloppy round close and evened things again, this time at 38.

ROUND FIVE: 

Megan living in Alicia's head. Vikander starts the round coming forward behind the left again, only to be tied up repeatedly. Frustration continues to build as the European tries to press an advantage she may no longer have. Fox playing things very smart, hooking body with the free hand in ties, wrapping around Alicia's head, pulling it down, exposing her to short hooks and uppercuts. Vikander getting her butt handed to her on the inside and ignoring shouts from the corner to get back to range and box, as inexperience shows in a big way. And, finally, it costs Vikander and costs her big. In yet another tie, Alicia is pulled off balance and caught with a short left hook. She staggers and Fox follows on with her best combination of the fight, a three-punch beauty ending with a straight right that sends Vikander crashing to her back! Megan turns quickly to a neutral corner and watches the count and her rival. Alicia gets to her hands and knees at seven, but can get no further. She's still on all fours as the referee reaches ten, and it's over! And your winner by KO5 is Megan Fox!

AFTER:

Megan flashing that lovely smile in the post-fight. "This is what I was telling everybody before the fight.This girl has a few wins against second and third tier fighters. But, she's not in the league of some of the girls I've fought, as she sure as hell isn't in MY league. And that's why she ended the night on her knees."