BEFORE:

"So," says Tracy with a smile, "It's rubber match time. And, I've been looking forward to this since she beat me last August. It was the first time I'd ever lost at Asylum in FIVE tries. And, as much as I like and respect Leven, tonight will NOT be the second."

"Obviously," says a hard-eyed Leven, "Tracy is a tough nut to crack. The good news is, I've cracked it before. And, I can do it again."

ROUND ONE:

O'Dell: "Back at ringside and that's 'Blitzkrieg Bop' by the Ramones, and that can only mean that Bazz's own Tracy Spiridakos is headed to ringside..."

Cassie: "And, as Tracy pointed out, she's done very, very well here at Asylum, with wins over Rambin, Dennings, and former champion Grace Park..."

McCarthy: "That's just because none of THOSE girls are any GOOD. Spiridakos isn't anything special. She'd be nothing but a THIRD banana at Sceej, behind Munn and, of course, the Greatest Fighting Playmate of All Time!"

Tess: "I haven't seen Brenda Song tonight, have YOU, BFF?"

Cassie: "No, Tess, as a matter of fact, I HAVEN'T. And, as I have access to this arena any time of the day or night, Brenda could be just about ANYwhere right now..."

McCarthy: "Are you THREATENING me, you LITTLE..."

O'Dell: "Now, calm down, Mac. We've made it to the final fight without having to see whatever piece of sludge HBO has cued up in case it has to pull us off the air, so, let's see if we can't get all the way home, shall we? Spiridakos into the ring and helped off with the robe by the Bazz corner crew. She's wearing that white two-piece we've seen before, and that's 'Stray Heart' by Green Day you hear behind us, and that means 'The Houston Solution', Leven Rambin is coming down the aisle..."

Tess: "Rambin was in need of a big year last year, and she pulled one off, winning her first four fights and claiming some nice scalps like Frege, Ratajkowski, and, of course, Spiridakos before falling to Poppy Drayton in her final bout of the year..."

Cassie: "But, as we've been saying all night, there's opportunity for Front Street's younger bantams this year, and Leven needs to keep rolling if she wants to take that next step. But, she'll have her hands full tonight."

O'Dell: "Rambin into the ring and helped off with the robe. She's wearing that bubblegum pink two-piece Tess hates..."

Tess: "AWFUL color. Just AWFUL..."

O'Dell: "And, the ladies are about ready. Time for some picks. Tess favors Tracy. Mac?"

McCarthy: "They're both overrated. Spiridakos!"

O'Dell: "Cassie?"

Cassie: "I agree with Tess!:

O'Dell: "Here we go. Leven sets up at range and goes right to the jab. No surprise, as Rambin's one of the tallest, rangiest bantams in the FCBA. Spiridakos willing to work out here too, for the moment at least. She's giving up a little reach, but not so much that she can't use some good foot movement and angles to get where she needs to be to land solid shot."

Cassie: "Tracy's a very athletic girl, and, like ALL Bazz fighters, she's in great shape. She moves well, and she can move ALL NIGHT."

O'Dell: "Spiridakos bobbing the head, slipping punches, taking that one step forward then getting off. Leven using the long left hand very well, dropping in rights behind it. This is excellent stuff between two of the rising young bantams in the FCBA and the crowd definitely into it early, lot of buzzing going on out there."

McCarthy: "It's Philly. Standards here are LOW."

O'Dell: "Thirty seconds to go in the first. Rambin putting together a nice combination there. Tracy answers back with a solid flurry of her own. Lots of action in this first. High work rate as both fighters want to get things established right away and they've both done that. There's the bell. Close one. Rambin."

Tess: "And, in a fight between girls who are clearly closely matched, every point can be huge. Leven gets the first one and leads 10-9."

ROUND TWO:

O'Dell: "Bit more aggression from Tracy this stanza. She's bobbing forward to middle distances, getting off some heavier shot. We've all seen what Spiridakos can do with that power of hers. There are plenty of reasons she has only one loss here at Asylum, and her physicality is definitely one of them."

Cassie: "No question about it. Tracy's got power to match about anybody in this division."

O'Dell: "And, she's using it to back up Rambin right here. Leven, though, stepping in, firing right back. She's not going to allow Tracy to take control of this thing. Good exchanges now, one after another, as both fighters are looking to impose a little will and neither willing to allow that to happen at this point."

Tess: "Some really solid shot landing here, Jenny!"

O'Dell: "No doubt of it. GOOD right hand from Leven sends sweat flying and TRACY FIRES BACK WITH A COMBINATION! Leven backed up a couple of steps. Doesn't appear hurt, but it got her attention. Ten seconds to go in the second. One more BIG exchange and there's the bell. Another close one. Tracy."

McCarthy: "And, we're even at 19."

ROUND THREE:

O'Dell: "Things going back to a more even keel in the third. Leven making with that left jab. Tracy bobbing and weaving, getting to middle distances and getting off in combination. This is more good stuff from two good bantams, ladies. There's no question that both of these girls know how to box..."

McCarthy: "Then Rambin had to learn when she was at Lookout!, because she isn't learning anything from Campbell and HER crew."

O'Dell: "Spiridakos very, very slippery. She's a physical girl, as we've talked about, but she moves very well, too, and you're seeing that now. Leven, though, accurate with that left, and, when she lands it, she can follow on in combination to score points of her own. Both fighters getting some of what they want again in this round."

Tess: "And, that's the mark of a good fight. Nobody in control. Both girls getting some stuff done."

O'Dell: "Thirty to go in our third straight competitive round. Tracy slipping in a little closer now and going body. Leven responding in kind until the girls get tied up and the referee steps in to break them apart. Five seconds to go. SHARP exchange right there and that's the bell. Another close one to Leven."

Cassie: "And, Rambin back up a point, 29-28. No surprise this is close. None at all."

ROUND FOUR:

O'Dell: "Right back to the familiar pattern. Leven working at gunnery range, and Tracy looking to get just a hair closer to get off in combination. Again, both girls scoring points, both getting in rhythm, both putting punches together well. Nobody able to take control, get on the lead, throw the other girl to the defensive."

Cassie: "GOOD RIGHT HAND, TRACY!"

O'Dell: "AND A BETTER ONE FROM LEVEN! Rambin a right-hand counter and Spiridakos is hurt! Blonde calling in the reserves now as she fires away at the listing S.S. Spiridakos! Tracy backing and covering, landed her best punch of the fight and got GOBSMACKED with the response from Rambin..."

McCarthy: "Just how MANY lucky punches are Weirdo's hookers going to land tonight?"

O'Dell: "Tracy backed to the ropes, rolling with punches in a high guard. She's firing back when she can, doing a great job defensively, making a clean up difficult. Leven landing plenty, though, piling up quite the edge in this stanza. What she wants is a finisher, though, and that's going to be denied. Five seconds to go. Good right hook, Rambin, and there's the bell. Leven wide."

Tess: "But, Tracy lives to fight another day, even if she's now down a pair, 39-37."

ROUND FIVE:

O'Dell: "Rambin wants to press the issue now, but Spiridakos not having any! Tracy holding ground, banging back, stopping the blonde's offensive in its tracks. Rambin going right back to range now, wants to get back to boxing, but the Bazz bantam not having any of THAT either. Tracy wants to bring the physical!"

Cassie: "And, when she does that, lace 'em up tight."

O'Dell: "GOOD right hand, Spiridakos. Backs Rambin up. Leven giving a little ground, popping that left hand, not looking to bang with, but Tracy working inside, banging body, and SHE HURT RAMBIN WITH THAT RIGHT HOOK! Blonde's legs do a shimmy and now Spiridakos letting the hands go!"

Tess: "That was a NASTY punch. Surprised Leven's still standing..."

O'Dell: "Won't be for long if Tracy has anything to say about it. Spiridakos hammering the blonde back to the ropes, where Rambin sets up for a seige, and that's exactly what she's going to get. Bazz beauty banging away, looking to finish this thing right now. Leven hanging on as the referee looks in. Fifteen seconds left. Tracy a BIG right hand that shook the blonde again, but there's the bell. Rambin survives."

McCarthy: "And, she still leads 48-47, but she's looking more than a little wobbly on the way back to her corner."

ROUND SIX:

O'Dell: "Sixth underway and Spiridakos continuing the assault. Leven's legs not all the way back, and Tracy taking full advantage. Blonde giving ground in front of the brunette offensive, as Spiridakos gets her clean up on. Rambin countering in spots, but that's about all she can do, as Tracy's controlling things in a big way."

McCarthy: "Time to put this Dancing Hooker away, and that's just what Spiridakos is thinking."

O'Dell: "Definitely is. Rambin on the back foot, can't hold canvas as Tracy continues banging away. She's committing on her punches, sitting down on everything, looking for one more big shot that will put an end to Leven's evening. GOOD right hand there from Tracy and DOWN GOES SPIRIDAKOS! Rambin with that right hand counter and she drops Tracy to her knees!"

Tess: "Where did THAT come from?"

O'Dell: "That's what Spiridakos has to be asking as she looks up at the referee. Count at three. Four. Five. Six. Tracy to her feet. She'll take the mandatory. And on comes Leven. Rambin forward slowly, getting some heavy shot home but not damning any torpedoes. Sound, careful stuff for Leven as she backs Tracy up with hard shot. Just a few seconds left in the round. No time for the blonde to finish, but she has stolen this round. There's the bell. 10-8, Leven."

Cassie: "And, we were thisclose to being even on the cards. Instead, it's Leven 58-55, and my girl Trace needs to get moving."

ROUND SEVEN:

O'Dell: "Rambin carefully pressing the advantage now. Tracy still a little unsteady. She's giving ground grudgingly, making the blonde pay a price for every inch of canvas. Leven willing to pay. She's got a lead and the brunette on her heels now. Spiridakos moving a little better as the round goes on. Able to stay off the ropes, turn Rambin..."

Cassie: "An, that's key right now. You want to move laterally, not just backward."

O'Dell: "And, Tracy now able to do that. Leven still having the better of things, but Spiridakos beginning to stabilize her front, and, with the deficit she's facing on the cards, she's doing it none too soon. Tracy now holding ground, and Leven no longer pressing forward. Instead, they're back to working at range."

Tess: "Nice recovery for Tracy. She's getting back into the fight."

O'Dell: "That she is. Fighting on even terms as we roll into the final minute of the round and THERE'S A RIGHT HAND FROM LEVEN! Tracy hurt again! Spiridakos covering up. And DOWN SHE GOES! A NASTY flurry from Rambin and Tracy is dropped to her back! Rambin to a neutral corner. Count at three. Four. Five. Six. Spiridakos rolls to her belly. Seven. Eight. Tracy pushes to hands and knees. Nine. To her feet...NO! It's too late! Referee waiving it off. Spiridakos can't quite beat the count and it's OVER! And your winner by KO7 is 'The Houston Solution', Leven Rambin!"

McCarthy: "Yet ANOTHER lucky punch. UnbeLIEVable!"

AFTER:

O'Dell: "Let's go up to the ring and Tess Valmore!"

Tess: "I have our winner, Leven Rambin, and, Leven, that was some fight in there..."

Leven (nodding): "Always is when we get together. She's top notch, and, if you get in with her, you've got to bring everything you have to have a chance."

Tess: "And, you brought it."

Leven (smiling): "Yeah. I did. Gotta, you know? This was a big opportunity for me to prove I could step up to the upper levels of the division, and I had to take advantage of it."