Sophia Bush versus Anna Silk
(Words: ABC / Words: Lookout!)

Pre-fight:
Two gorgeous brunettes fighting for elite Bantamweight status find they have to go through each other tonight, as former Bantamweight champion Anna Silk does battle with former JMD champion Sophia Bush.

Sophia Bush had a good run in JMD the second half of this year before deciding to turn back to chasing some Bantamweight divisional glory. Having won and defended once the JMD title, Bush seems to have garnered a little confidence, and now seeks to try her hand at another former champion; Anna Silk.

Silk hasn’t had a great run since her title run last year, having lost all three bouts since giving up the title to Allison Mack. Mind you, those losses were to Olivia Wilde, Elizabeth Gillies and Lea Seydoux.  Anna Silk will be hoping to get herself back into winning form against the spirited Sophia Bush to prove that she isn’t out of the elite circle just yet.

Both talented fighters are coming off of a loss, for Silk her second of the year, and for Sophia her only loss of the year, her title loss to challenger Jessica Nigri. Anna has had some time as an elite Bantam, and now Sophia has set her sights on reaching that height for the first time in her career. Can the former champ Silk regain some respect, or will the revived Bush finally get her dues?

Round 1:
Anna and Sophia are circling cautiously, trying to get a read on each other as we begin the bout. Bush tries a few testing jabs first up, but Silk has no problems guarding and even jabbing back a couple of her own that mostly land half-heartedly on Sophia’s arms and chest. Bush tries to push a little harder, but Silk is still steadfast in her defensive efforts, blocking strongly and timing the counter jab well to keep Sophia at bay. Then a hesitant Sophia gets caught guessing, and Anna slams a quick straight into the centre of her pretty face, instantly opening up her own chances for aggression.

Silk takes slight control, but even as she pushes for offense, Bush does manage to shuffle and evade most of what is sent at her. Nothing too damaging occurring in the first, but a solid defensive effort from each, and Silk probably looking the slightly sharper overall.

Round 2:
Sophia comes out looking determined and gets stuck in right away, upping the aggression some more with heavy hooks into Anna’s midsection, and Silk is certainly feeling those shots, backing up and trying to cover. Bush happy for her to guard low, snaps the jab up high, smarting cheek and stinging eye, and then cracks a right cross through Silk’s beautiful left cheek that has her reeling!

Anna getting the guard working again, even popping protective jabs as Sophia stalks her prey, but Bush confidently slams some hooks to ribs, earning some almighty groans and laboured breathing from Silk. A couple of Anna’s jabs find pretty Sophia face, but Bush content to absorb those and bang away at Silk’s fit body. A few smarting shots tag jumping jugs and Anna is really wincing by the end of the round, not looking quite as sharp as her counterpart now.

Round 3:
Anna coming out in the third looking keen to take the aggression back, perhaps catches Sophia a little by surprise, slamming leather into taut abs. Bush bending forward with a grunt of air, and now Silk cracks a hook through the side of that gorgeous face, rocking Sophia and sending her staggering away, eyes blinking madly.  Silk pursues and Bush raises the guard in front of bruised left cheek, expecting the repeat follow ups. But, Anna is clever, and drops pumping fists a little lower, socking those former JMD champion jugs about her chest, getting wild yelps from Sophia. Bush’s jugs are jumping as she backs into the ropes and Anna seems to be having a blast as she lights up the ABC golden girl’s perky pair.

Sophia soon forced to lower her guard, and Anna clubs her tummy a couple more times to double her over once more, before whipping a right uppercut through Bush’s pretty face. With a spurt of blood, Sophia flops back against the ropes, arms draped over, eyes glassy, nose dripping crimson. It looks terrible for the previously peppy, confident brunette, and Anna sets herself for the kill.

Ding ding! Sophia is saved by the bell and Anna Silk is frustratedly ushered away from her victim as Sophia just leans back, chest rising hard, mouth agape like a fish trying to breathe out of water.

Round 4:
Anna looking to end things as she rushes in for the fourth, and Sophia desperately hanging on with stout defence. Silk headhunting at first, but tight guard held up high takes most of the impact and protects that swimming head of Bush’s. Anna then aims to replicate her winning strategy, pumping leather into Sophia’s firm midriff, driving the air from her and bouncing the sexy brunette on the spot.

Sophia jabs out a defensive left that pops onto Anna’s jaw, and Silk responds with a whopping right club across her opponent’s left jug, careening it across her chest. Sophia yelps loudly and Anna grins as she goes back to work, hammering softening abs and bruising ribs seemingly at will.

Bush tries to fight her way off of the ropes, snapping a couple of punches that smart Silk cheek, then sidestepping along the ropes and twisting away, but Anna follows keenly, snaps a left jab that Sophia catches high on her guard, then pops a right hook to abs, and then the left finds Bush temple and sways her effectively into the corner where Sophia becomes trapped once more.

Anna lights up jugs and abs some more as Sophia turtles her bruised face behind the leather in desperation, and manages to see out the fourth round, though looks very ginger as she stumbles to her corner to have a quick rest before the fifth.

Anna takes a seat looking very confident now, though she is glaring across at her opponent as if to say, ‘why the hell won’t you just go down?’

Round 5:
Sophia looks sore, but we know she’s a warrior. Then again, Anna is making her look more like a farmer with a pitchfork right now. Silk comes out for the fifth again looking confident and determined to finish this now, and why not, she has had Bush reeling for two full rounds and Sophia is clearly laboured in movement as she stomps out of her corner to begin the round.

Anna wades in with headhunting hooks, and Sophia ducks and weaves, evading both! Then a classy counter attack with the left jab to the centre of Anna’s face and a following right hook that crushes left jug!

Anna is a little shocked, one glove trying to guard hurting jug and the other staying on the offense, determined to take her prey down. But, the hunted looks ready to do some hunting, and Sophia blocks the right glove, transitioning then into another counter, swinging hard and heavy shots to Anna’s face, bruising that left cheek that took some early punishment and sending the former champ reeling backwards towards the ropes, her guard trying to reform in front of her.

Anna backing away, a little confused by the sudden turn of events, and Sophia suddenly looks more dangerous than she has all night, flooding forward with pursuing lefts and rights that batter Anna’s breadbasket and drive her against the ropes as she huffs and tries to swing back.

Bush ducking and leaning out of harm’s way in between killer shots and this is an absolute display of talent from Sophia right now that has taken Anna completely by surprise. Anna can’t seem to land a thing, even defensively, and Sophia is hammering that midsection, occasionally mixing it up to bouncing jugs and bruising face.

Silk takes a beating throughout the fifth and looks nothing like the confident assassin that dominated the first slab of this bout. Sophia looks exhausted, but there’s a slight smile there now, and there’s nothing to soothe the pains of battle like the sound of wincing and complaining from the other side.

Round 6:
Anna not interested in standing for that again, rushes Sophia as soon as the bell rings for the sixth, aggression seeming to be the story so far this bout. Bush decides to change the rules now though, seemingly having found her groove and a little confidence, and as Silk swings the hammers for Bush’s pretty head, Sophia takes deft evasive action again, showing tremendous mobility, and counters with a cracking uppercut that splits Anna’s gloves and snaps under her chin.

Silk stumbles backwards, wobbly, head shaking, cobwebs apparent. That shot was flush and effective and Sophia pounces instantly crushing left jug as if she were still the JMD champ, making Anna howl, and follows with a left cross that snaps Silk’s head sideways. Completely open now, Anna lets out a soft whimper, recognizing that look in Sophia’s eyes. Bush puts the final piece of the combo together, the right glove coming over in haymaker fashion, not at all interested in precision, but a pure power punch, and those that can attest to the power of Bush’s glove know that this isn’t a good place for Silk.

Sophia’s brawling right club bangs hard against Anna’s temple and the lights are out before the former Bantamweight champ even hits the canvas. She does sprawl across the mat though, eyes closed, and the roaring crowd leaps to its feet.

Your winner, by KO6, Sophia Bush!

Post-fight:
Sophia Bush has done it. She has taken down the former Bantamweight champion, Anna Silk, and now sits at a 50/50 record. Which may not sound like much of a feat, but the ABC beauty was 5-14 prior to signing with the stable. In just over a year, the feisty brunette has gone 11-2 to bring herself up to a respectable 16-16 as she sets her sights on a big 2017.

Not a happy day for Anna Silk as she slips further from the glory she seeks to recapture from when she won the title in 2015. It seems more elusive now than ever after a decisive series of beatings this year, going 0-3.

In the ring, Sophia is all smiles, waving to the adoring fans and high-fiving victoriously with Jennifer Connelly and crew.

She approaches the struggling Anna Silk, who is being tended to by her medical crew. They don’t seem too concerned as Bush strides over, wearing her trademark respectable smile. She checks in on Silk, making sure all is okay, which the medical team confirms, and then she’s back to the middle of the ring for the victory announcement and more waves to the appreciative crowd.

All in all, a very handy win for the resurging Sophia Bush, and another tough loss for the perhaps fading Anna Silk. No doubt both women have tremendous talent in that ring, and it will be very interesting to see how each fares in the new year as they both seek a spot in the Bantamweight’s elite.

“I’m pumped,” a grinning Sophia Bush said in the post-fight interview. “I feel like I’m in a great position to push myself into the elite portion of the FCBA roster. I know it’s tough at the top there and a title shot is a big ask, but hey, a girl’s gotta have dreams, right? My original aim coming to ABC was to reinvent my FCBA career and make myself a relevant fighter in the league. I couldn’t have even dreamed of winning the JMD title. I’m ecstatic with how my new lease in the ring has gone, so I need a new aim; top of the Bantams. I know that’s big, but I’m not gonna die wondering. 2017 is make or break year. I’m going for it all.”