Missy Peregrym vs. Kaley Cuoco
(Words: Front Street / Results: Lookout!)

BEFORE:

No hype needed for this one. Between the two fighters, they have eight title reigns, four each, with both having won belts in two weight classes. Between the two fighters, they have a dozen successful title defenses, six each. Between the two fighters, they have 113 wins against 59 losses and five draws. One is already in the Hall of Fame and the other simply needs the requisite number of fights to qualify. But, none of those numbers are the ones on the fighters' respective minds this evening. The numbers the gorgeous blonde and stunning brunette are thinking about are much smaller. Two. And two. Because, those are the fighters' records against one another. Four fights over six years. A decision for Peregrym upon moving to the lightweight division in 2010. A decision for Cuoco in 2012. A tie-breaking decision for Peregrym in 2014. And, then a decision for Kaley in 2015. Four fights. Forty rounds. Two decisions apiece. Absolutely nothing in it. But, tonight, that would change. Someone would be up 3-2. And, that's what tonight's fight is all about.

ROUND ONE:

When you have two fighters who know one another as well as these two, you don't expect surprises. So, it's no surprise that there's no surprise in the first round. The two fighters get to work. Missy wants to close behind the left. Kaley wants to keep distance with her own left, then pounce forward for quick flurries. And, again, both girls know the other's schtick so well that neither really gets much offense going early. Missy's attempts to work forward are met with stinging jabs from Kaley, who forces the distance. Cuoco's efforts to pounce and flurry are countered by Missy's solid left, which keeps Kaley from getting in position to get off. But, despite the defensive nature of the round and the offensive frustrations of both fighters, some work DOES get done. Both fighters get plenty of jabs home and even the odd right hand lands. It's close at the bell to Kaley, who grabs the 10-9 edge.

ROUND TWO:

Kaley gets rolling. She's slipping past Missy's jab now, pouncing forward effectively, getting off in combination, creating forcing Missy to retreat, which, of course, is absolute poison against Kaley's style. Cuoco calling the tune now, taking control of the fight. Missy just taking leather. She can't stay off true, can't get any offense going, can't hold the blonde off. Kaley taking full advantage, upping the pace, thumping away in the exchanges, getting everything she can out of the current favorable situation. Missy, meanwhile, trying to stabilize, but can't get it done. She's not hurt, but she's on the back foot and can't get off. Cuoco forcing Missy back, back, back, and finally getting her against the ropes. Peregrym taking heavy shot now, trying to fight her way off the cables, but can't get it done. Final 30 seconds a nightmare for Missy, who now looks buzzed, as Kaley bangs away right to the bell. It's Cuoco wide as a scuffed Peregrym goes back to her corner trailing 20-18.

ROUND THREE:

The reason Cuoco made sure to take full advantage last round is because she knows, from experience, that Missy isn't simply going to allow her to continue to dominate the fight. And, Kaley is correct. Peregrym comes out for the third a ball of determination. She's not going to go backward, she's going to come FORWARD and she's going to work some of Cuoco's tight body. Kaley tries to slow these advances, like she did in the first, but Missy will not be slowed. the brunette is going to force the issue, and, despite the heavy fire she takes doing so, force it, she does. Now, it's Kaley going backward, but, in a fighting retreat, and the brunette coming forward, banging both head and body. Blonde responding in kind, and we end up with some of the sharpest exchanges of the fight so far, with the final seconds the highlight, featuring a blistering exchange that the referee has to stop by leaping between the fighters a few seconds after the bell. It's a second close result in three rounds, and this one goes to Missy, who cuts the blonde's lead to 29-28.

ROUND FOUR:

Peregrym forward again, taking withering fire from the blonde. Kaley setting the feet, firing away, looking to catch her rival a big one as Missy continues to force the issue. And, a big one DOES land, but it's the Canadian who lands it. A short right hook that wobbles Cuoco's knees and forces her to lean forward and grab Peregrym to avoid going down. And, Missy is on FIRE! Peregrym shoves Kaley off and gets to work, thumping away with both hands, driving the blonde back to the ropes and absolutely HAMMERING her. Peregrym sitting down on everything now, looking to finish as Cuoco leans back in the ropes in an earmuff, covering up and taking, doing barely enough offensively to keep the referee at bay. Kaley puts that awesome body of hers on sale, and Missy buys in bulk. She's ripping the ribs, thumping the tummy, Cuoco screaming into her gloves as the punches land, but refusing to drop the guard. Mercifully, the bell rings, ending the punishment, but, it's Missy wide, and after 44 rounds, there's nothing in it. We're even at 38.

ROUND FIVE:

As Kaley did early, Missy has an advantage, and she's going to press it. Cuoco's still wobbly, and Peregrym takes it to her from the opening seconds. Cuoco's in retreat, taking fire, unable to do much more than snap out a jab or two to try to slow the brunette down. But, Missy isn't going to be slowed. She keeps rolling forward, rolling up Cuoco in her wake, forcing her back, making her take fire. Kaley works to stay off the ropes, but can't get it done. She's trapped about half way through the round and given a thorough working over. Again, the blonde's leaning back in the ropes in an earmuff, selling body cheap. And, again, Missy is buying. Peregrym works upstairs some, too, but it's clear now the plan is to break her rival down, destroy the blonde's proud body with a torrent of leather. Again, Kaley screaming into her gloves as punch after punch hits the ribs and the abs. But, again, she hangs on despite it all. At the bell, the brunette's pitched a shutout. And has her first lead of the night, 48-47.

ROUND SIX:

Brunette right after her blonde, coming forward strongly. Missy sensing Kaley may be coming to the end of her rope. Wrong. BOOM! And, that quickly, the fight changes on a dime. Cuoco gets her feet planted and lands a crunching counter that catches an overly-aggressive Peregrym on the way in. Missy stops cold, wobbles, nearly goes down. Kaley follows on with a vicious barrage that, if the blonde was operating with her legs fully under her, would almost certainly have finished things. But, she isn't, so it doesn't. But, it does leave Missy steppin' in fence post holes and easy prey for follow on flurries that force the brunette ropeside. Which sets up the inverse of the last round. Now, it's Missy hanging on in a tight guard and Kaley piling on the punishment looking to finish her rival. But, just like in the last round, the girl on the receiving end manages to hang on. At the bell, it's another shutout, this one by Cuoco, and we're even again at 57. Forty-six rounds. Nothing in it.

ROUND SEVEN:

Now, it's the blonde after the brunette early. Missy giving ground, taking heavy fire. The legs aren't there, and the blonde knows it. Kaley sitting down on everything, getting Missy squared up and then DROPPING HER WITH A RIGHT HAND! Peregrym sent to all fours by a nasty straight right, but, just when it looks like she's going to stay down, she pushes back to her feet in time to beat the count. After the mandatory, the ref waives Kaley forward and Cuoco goes to work in a big way, battering Missy with flurry after flurry of heavy stuff. Peregrym looking ready to go and DOWN GOES CUOCO! Now, it's Missy with the crunching counter that punishes an overly-aggressive Kaley and it's the blonde on her hans and knees at the brunette's feet. Missy stands hopefully in a neutral corner, but, it's not to be. Kaley beats the count and the referee waives Peregrym forward. Missy all in late, giving the blonde a pasting, but Cuoco hangs on until the bell rings. Judges score the round even after a knockdown apiece, and we're at 67-67. Forty-seven rounds. Nothing in it.

ROUND EIGHT:

Missy tries briefly to consolidate, and is met with some decent resistance from the blonde. At that point, things settle down quite a bit. Both fighters are reduced now. Both are buzzed and scuffed. Both are also looking arm weary. The result is a very slowly-paced round, with both blonde and brunette doing a little jabbing, a little moving, and not much else. Both are clearly hoping for an opening for a big punch, but these are veteran fighters who are good defensively. And, absent some offense to open those defenses up, finding space for something big turns out to be impossible. So, instead of big, we get small. Jabs. The odd right hand. Some tie ups. And, not much else. It's as if, by mutual agreement, the fighters decide to take this round off. As a result, when the bell rings, no one's been able to claim the points. The judges score it even again, leaving the scorecards at 77-77. Forty-EIGHT rounds. Nothing in it.

ROUND NINE:

Pace begins to pick up. Two reasons for that. First, the fighters are somewhat refreshed after the slower eighth round. But, more importantly, both know this thing is close and time is short. Now would be a good time to win a round, so, blonde and brunette set out to do just that. Missy wants to work forward behind the jab. Kaley's landing her own left to slow that down, maintain range, and set up her own quick forward pounces. Missy weathering those storms pretty well, able to hold her own in the resultant exchanges. Again, neither fighter able to gain an advantage, despite some pretty good work. Then, everything changes again. Cuoco bounces forward...and it's BLONDE GIRL DOWN! Another excellent straight right from Missy catches Kaley right on the chin and Cuoco is blown to her back! Blonde looking up at the ref, head lolling side to side as he counts. She rolls to her belly at six, pushes to hands and knees at eight, and COLLAPSES BACK TO THE MAT! It's over! And your winner by KO9 in tie-breaking fashion is Missy Peregrym!

AFTER:
Missy looking more than a little worse for the wear in the post-fight. She's puffy and scuffed, exhausted, still a bit buzzed. But, she manages a smile. "Heck of a fight," she says, still breathing hard. "Knew it would be a war in there. Always is with her. But, like I said, I'm the better fighter. And, tonight, I showed everyone why."