Kate Upton versus Michelle Ryan (Welterweight Championship)
(Words & Results: Lookout!)

BEFORE: Michelle has come in strong to this title shot on a vow to clean up the welterweight division and Kate seemingly has done the same, with both fighters promising to bring a fresh vision for the league's most beleaguered division. However, 2016 has seen a resurgence for the welterweight division, culminating here in a first-time champion and a first-time challenger competing for the biggest prize in boxing in what should be a very thrilling bout.

“There is plenty of deadwood in the welterweight division, which I've been working to prune all year and Kate took a pretty different path to the title, but she and I definitely believe in the welterweight division. What we and I don't agree with is on who should lead this new welterweight division, because I know it's going to be me! I've worked hard to get to this point and not to take away from Kate, but I know I'm better than her. Kate will have more chances at the title, but tonight is my shot and I'm going to take it. That title is coming home with me.” Michelle says defiantly at the podium.

Kate Upton looks confident at the podium as she smiles, “Michelle has definitely earned this title shot and that is something I can't take away from her. What I will have to take away from her is the title itself, because that is going to stay around my fitter waist. I've worked really hard to get to this point and I am not going to let her take it away from me. There is no freaking chance that is going to happen and as much as I respect Ryan, it's going to be me who is going to keep going with the welterweight division, NOT her!”

Both girls passionate about the future of the welterweight division as they come to the ring, with Kate in a black bikini and matching gloves – hair in a fighting ponytail; Michelle in a dark green bikini and matching gloves – hair loose around her face. Both fighters touch gloves as the ref asks for a clean match and time will tell if he gets one as the bell rings...

R1: Michelle very aggressive early, coming out with a determined jab and stepping in sharp. Kate is batting down Ryan's punches and stepping back, roaming to either side as she tries to take away Ryan's offense with stroking hooks to the stomach, jumping in to land some hard-hitting shots and then blocking high as she steps to the side. Down the stretch, Michelle coming on fast, but gets caught by a surprising feint from Upton as the blonde lunges in with a clouting left hook and a short right hand to the face – with Ryan staggering back on her heels in shock as she tastes the speed and power of Upton at the end of this round.

R2: Upton putting on a confident run and gun clinic, with the blonde roaming right or left, just sliding smoothly in either direction as she uses lead left hooks, slashing right hands and then sidestepping to escape. Ryan with her hands up high, elbows in and demonstrating good defense from the brunette as she manages to blunt the incoming shots, but she finds herself getting outclassed through two as Kate gets her offense in!

R3: Ryan stays composed, however, despite dropping two rounds and instead, starts dropping that jab out of her high defense and breaking up Upton's rushes. Kate getting halted surprisingly, with Michelle able to hook off of the jab, just slipping in the righ thand and backing her foe up with firm, clean combinations. Late in the round, it's Ryan coming in off of her front foot, licking up double hooks into Kate's breadbasket with a smooth, graceful delivery and it's Ryan smiling, but Upton doubled over, taking tough shots this round.

R4: Upton goes flat footed, hammering her way into Ryan's ribcage with tight, bouncing lefts and rights, with Ryan backed up a few steps, but still standing her ground as she answers with looping left hooks and chopping right hands to head and torso. Upton keeping her right hand up high and left across her abs, bobbing up and down, coming out of the crouch with hooks once again to force her foe back towards the ropes. Ryan stabilizing as they approach the ropes, just batting hooks wildly, chopping in a short right hand over the top and suddenly, UPTON GOES WOBBLY BUTT!! Ryan taking over, just hooking Upton in the midsection as Kate staggers to her left. Michelle bracing with her left elbow as she snaps short, clubbing blows to belly and Upton covering up, slumping to the ropes. Ryan in an even better mood this round as her fists bash away at bronzed blonde abs and body to take another round...

R5: Now it's Kate slugging and Michelle boxing, which is a role reversal that works in the brunette's favor. Michelle shockingly slick as she sidesteps backwards, scuffing up Kate's face via the jab as she brings the blonde's momentum to a halt. Michelle leans in off of her front foot and drags her back foot as she hooks away to tummy. Midway through, it's a gorgeous sequence for Ryan as she catches Upton with a lean-away left hook to her cheek and Kate stumbles off balance, freezing for a moment as Michelle capitalizes with a crowd pleasing burst of rights and lefts to the tummy. Kate stumbling forward and Ryan picking her up with a short left uppercut, just letting Upton spill to the ropes. It's a gutsy final minute for Upton, in more ways than one, just seated and stunned on the ropes, forced to suffer as Ryan squares up to work her over to her body, with her fists shredding Kate's abs and just delivering lathering abuse on her opponent. Kate's legs refuse to give way, but it's a 10-8 round to Michelle without the knockdown!

R6: Ryan off of her stool with cruel intentions, hounding her foe to the corner and works on beating her foe down. Upton forced to cover up in the pocket, seeing the incoming rush and blocking and rolling effectively to counter it. Kate sliding along the ropes, frustrating her brunette rival with an extremely tight defense, but is able to change the bout late with the two girls trading hooks in close. Kate manages to connect cleanly as Ryan's legs give way, suddenly stricken and stumbling, with Kate looking brawny as she bullies her girl to the ropes. Kate rough with her palms, just shoving and shouldering her foe into position, then digging to the waistband with spanking leather. Ryan trying to push Kate off, a bit glassy-eyed and confused this round as blonde fists just dig into brunette midriff with reckless abandon!

R7: Despite how last round ended, Ryan comes out fast to be the aggressor once again, trying to measure Kate for the jab and hitting hard, but Kate slipping along the ropes, moving her head well, sliding into low crouches and coming up with her shoulder to bump into Ryan's body to jostle her out of position. In the second minute, both girls are trading fast, hooking and crossing with tight, elbow-in deliveries, but it's Upton who manages to beat Ryan to the punch – literally – with a shattering series of punches with her face being spanked back and fourth. Ryan is swooning now, with Kate thumping her shoulder hard into Michelle's chest to take her off balance and then delivering a crushing right hook that swivels her head. It's a perfect looping blast to end Ryan's night as Michelle is sent sprawling on her back, all knocked out and Kate Upton regains the welterweight title via KO7!

AFTER: Kate grinning as she pumps her fist into the air, taking down a very determined Michelle Ryan to keep her title. Kate reaches down to help up a woozy Michelle, stacking her up in the corner as Upton grins. Kate giving warning glances to Ryan's corner people as she implores them to stay out of the way, backing up as the crowd is on their feet, knowing what's about to come. Kate raising her hands up into the air, lips curling into a confident smile of anticipation, cupping her jugs for a moment and then running forward for a hard splash against Michelle Ryan in the corner for a little post-fight celebration. Kate's feet are pounding against the canvas, jugs-a-jumping as she leaps up into the air for a SPLASH and Ryan can only watch in horror as her body comes sailing in, but at the last moment, Kate's blonde tresses are caught by somebody from behind as she is sent CRASHING down to the canvas for a ring-shaking thud.

Both the crowd and Upton are in shock as fellow welterweight Hilary Rhoda stands over Kate Upton, coming in quickly to straddle her as Kate is laying on the ground, dazed and confused. Kate blinking up, vision a little bit blurry, but it is restored to see Hilary leaning over her, Rhoda's rack heaving towards her face as Hilary is glaring down at her.

“Kate, I know you think you're the best model around, but here at Girl's Friday, I am not about to let you humiliate my stable sister, Michelle Ryan. You've really been a trailblazer at welterweight, but trust me, there are other girls and to be honest, better girls to follow in your footsteps. We are going to walk right over you and if you aren't careful, we are going to smother you right out of the running, Kate...because you are not going to be the Top Model anymore!”

Kate has been recovering from the sudden fall as her vision and head clears, eyes narrowing throughout Hilary's speech as she suddenly screams and plunges the fingers of her left hand into Hilary's brunette tresses to tug HARD and unleashes a right slap to knock her foe off of her as Kate is snarling, “Don't you ever threaten to put those inferior jugs of yours in my face again OR threaten to TRY to take the top model spot away from me. Because that is all you would do – freaking try – you jealous brunette bytch...” as the two of them are rolling around on the canvas, just exchanging hair pulling and slapping, with Hilary shouting “Your time on top is going to be over, Kate!” and Kate declaring defiantly, “It certainly freaking isn't – definitely not by you, Hilary!” as the two of them curse and clout one another, taking turns on top as they each try to smother and slap the other into submission.

That is until a wave of referees come in to work to pull the two apart, which is no small feat, given that these are two of the taller and curvier ladies in the league. These two are locked in tight, each of them being tugged apart with strands of the other's hair, kicking and screaming at one another as the two of them manage to get free and LUNGE at one another again. But, the refs, earning hazard pay in the process, manage to intercept them before they connect again as they are pulled away in the opposite direction. Michelle Ryan, recovering and grateful, helps to guide Hilary out of the ring and Yvonne Strahovski arrives on scene to help calm Kate down as she leads a victorious but furious Upton in the opposite direction.

However, with matches and rivalries like these, the welterweight division is definitely headed in the right direction and it should be very intriguing to see how the division continues to improve in 2017!