8. Devon Windsor versus Romee Strijd

(Words: Vassago, Results: Lookout!)

Devon:
(23, 5’11, 2:1 FCBA, Free Agent)

Romee:
(22, 5’11, 2:1 FCBA, Free Agent)

BEFORE:
These are the two losing semi-finalists from the New Blood Welterweight tournament held earlier this year but in the so-called mean time both Romee Strijd and Devon Windsor have racked up a couple of important victories. While the Missouri native uppened Valery Kaufman and Ming Xi, the Dutch blonde scored back-to-back KO1 wins over Brooke Hogan and Olga Kurylenko which immediately elevated her into serious contention for future stardom. One simply can't buy this kind of raw power and Strijd is regarded as a dark horse to win the entire War In Heaven event now - at least according to several pundits, BLONDE! Magazine specifically included.

Romee Strijd wears a pink bikini set with navy blue trim and blue gloves. Long blonde hair tied in a sleek ponytail. Devon Windsor wears a crimson bikini set and white gloves. Long blonde hair wrapped in a loose bun at the back of her head. The fight is scheduled for ten rounds in the welterweight division.

ROUND 1:
While Romee enjoys the pundits' support, Devon is still the home country girl here in Florida so the crowd gives her a rowdy ovation when she jumps from her stool and swings straight at the highly-touted Dutchwoman. Romee isn't well known for her footwork around the ring but the equally lanky blonde still gives her a great deal of trouble when she mixes up the jabbing approach with a quick switch on the body to fend off the Dutch power assault. Strijd looks a little sluggish in the opener and it's pretty clear she doesn't pursue the third KO1 performance in a row as the War In Heaven stakes reach a higher level. Still, Devon's pacey display fails to punish the otherwise cumbersome Dutch opponent even if she lands several crisp punches up the middle to drop Strijd on her heels come the bell.

ROUND 2:
It's all Windsor again in the second as she cracks several clean punches to split Strijd's high guard before tackling her to the ropes in a feisty injection of pace. Romee still can't stretch her elbows and must yield real estate; she dances around the ropes but actually gets pinned to the them in wake of Devon's repeated jabbing efforts. A couple of nasty hooks then find Romee's temples and bend her awkwardly against the cornerpost which allows the American to rally with more point-blank range strikes. Ugh! Strijd's head rocks back & forth underneath the onslaught and she gets stacked in corner for good with Windsor picking her off in landslide fashion. If only the St. Louis native had more power at her disposal, she could have really send the tournament dark horse packing! However Strijd escapes the difficult time with only a couple of bruises around the eyes and even her BLONDE! Magazine fanboys claim that Devon deserved a better reward following that dominant performance.

ROUND 3:
Devon thinks she can truly whitewash the high-flying Dutch girl but misjudges her approach to open the third and gets countered with a brutal hook on the left eye. Romee delivers the nasty punch without any visible effort and these are the ones that hurt the most under certain circumstances. Ugh! Devon sags on her heels and wobbles into another uppercut blow that sends her spinning into the ropes. My oh my, that silences the Florida Keys crowd briefly and Strijd methodically moves in to punish her along the ropes. Windsor ducks and weaves around on her feet but she's no match to the Dutch blonde's power supply and gets shoved into the ropes come the final minute with Romee drilling her tummy from both flanks. That's a truly painful eye-opener for the American who can only give the Dutch foe a proper bytch stare at the bell.

ROUND 4:
Windsor might have lost the momentum but she hasn't lost her aggressive spark and jumps at the recovering Dutch babe only to find more nasty counter-punching assault unravelling her carefully build advantage. Romee finds her range again and dominates the close range dust-up during the opening minute which reels the American backwards and makes her think better off it. The problem is, Devon has come to that conclusion a little too late and Strijd hassles her across the canvas to match the fellow blonde's footwork contrary to the previously witnessed evidence. Devon really struggles to put up a fight when forced to punch from the back foot and ends the round stacked against the ropes with the Dutchwoman wrecking havoc in her midsection.

ROUND 5:
Devon holds back another offensive charge but this only hands Romee more working space even if that devastating power still lacks steering control. Still, the Dutch babe does more than enough to leave the American weaving on her toes in a desperate effort to avoid the highly-touted hooking connection. Alas Devon just isn't best suited to a lanky defense display and trips over her own feet while trying to escape the Dutch leather rush. She wobbles to the right where she gets caught with a brutal hook on the mouth and Strijd knocks her butt-in-ropes with another jabbing series straight up the middle. Windsor tries to punch herself out of danger but misfires badly and eats more quick strikes upstairs that sinks her on jelly knees come the bell. She sports significantly bruised lips here - a clear evidence of Romee's upgraded punching skills lately.

ROUND 6:
It's almost like Devon's discouraged by the fellow blonde's recovery and she just can't keep her arms high enough when Romee fakes an inside approach and a body tackling maneuver. Devon falls for the trick and gets exposed over the top where she gets NAILED with a vicious cross on the jaw that almost breaks a bone right then and there!!! Booyah! Windsor fish-tails to an instant demise and shrieks out her surrender while still holding on to upright position... but that's only a temporary sight as the St. Louis native CRASHES FLAT DOWN ON HER BACK with a loud thump moments later! Ugh! That's the classic sack of potatoes display and another highlight reel punch from the fearsome Dutch operator!!! KO6 Romee Strijd!!!


Official Decision: Romee Strjid defeats Devon Windsor via KO6!


AFTER:
The Key West crowd is briefly silenced by the instant departure of their beloved compatriot but the fight took a turn south for Devon Windsor ever since the third round. She allowed Romee to battle through the opening hiccups before unloading the full power supply she's flashed a couple of times before already. It's no longer suitable to call her winning run a fluke and maybe even the resident Tractorpull Magazine critics will learn to appreciate her performance down the stretch. While Doutzen Kroes was supposed to lead the Dutch light/welter invasion into FCBA, Romee has emerged as the hottest national prospect overnight and intends to snatch the upset wig of all wigs in the War In Heaven quarter-finals next month. Yes, it's the Fighter of the Year chief candidate Adriana Lima coming up next!