Yvonne Strahovski versus Mary Elizabeth Winstead
(Lightweight Championship)
(Words & Results: Lookout!)



BEFORE: These two first met in 2008 and after all this time, the rivalry is still going strong. Winstead continues to feel disrespected by Strahovski, who clearly underestimated MEW going into their first match and numerous matches afterwards as Yvonne has continually been frustrated, stymied and beaten by her brunette rival much more than Strahovski would ever like. In fact, at this time, the rivalry currently appears to be tied up between the two and tonight, will be the tiebreaker - the most recent of many between the two.    While Yvonne has been acknowledged by many as one of the best in league history, nobody can explain Winstead’s continued ability to humiliate her rival in and out of the ring. Except for MEW that is! 

“Vonnie is a lot of things. She’s absolutely beautiful, one of the “great” blondes in the league, a fantastic athlete, and absolutely one of the best in the league. The simple fact is I’m the better fighter. When it comes down to it, I want it more. I want to be better than her and I am. I want the title and guess what? I’m taking it. Vonnie has had everything handed to her and nobody thought I would be successful in the league. I’ve had to freaking work for it, so the only thing Vonnie’s pampered ass is going to be handed tonight is another beating. I love her to death, but I also love ruining that proud body of hers and it’s going to be mine again tonight!” Mary declares proudly, beaming as she explains the secret of her success over the years.

Yvonne fuming, arms crossed across her chest as she issues her rebuttal: “There is nothing that Mary is better than me at. Everybody knows I’m the better fighter, better athlete, better woman. I’m stronger and I’m going to prove that tonight. In so many of our fights, Mary has talked about having more heart or tonight, you can hear her BS about wanting it more. That simply isn’t true. NOBODY wants to beat Winstead more than me and there is NO chance she is taking my title away from me. If I keep losing to Winnie, how can I be the best? I have never been given anything in or out of the ring, but Winstead’s body is going to get owned tonight. Since I took the belt from Kendall, I’m going to cement the belt with real fighters from now on and guess what? That doesn’t include you, Mary.” 


Mary outraged by the snub and obvious affront to her fighting prowess as she lunges over the table in a surprising display of athleticism as she tackles Strahovski to the floor, knocking over the podium in the process as the two of them engage in a top-tugging brawl more appropriate for an apartment than the press room, but the two of them don’t seem to notice or just as importantly, care. You can almost feel the anger between them as they are finally separated, hair disheveled, sweaty, tops and bottoms torn and hard-hearted glares exchanged between them, along with many choice taunts.

Come the night of the fight, the two of them come in hot, in more ways than one. Yvonne wearing a bright yellow sports bra and bikini bottoms with matching gloves - blonde hair in a battle bun;. Mary in a dark blue sports bra with bikini bottoms and matching gloves - brunette hair in a fighting ponytail. Mary glowering enviously at the lightweight title in front of her as Yvonne hands it off to a ref, contemptuously informing MEW that it would be the closest she would get to it all night. The two continue to snark at one another, but despite that, they remain professionals as they are able to touch gloves and head to their respective corners leading into one of the biggest fights of the night. As the bell rings, the match begins….

During R1: Yvonne leggy - loping to either side, looking Mary over. Winstead more grounded - prowling, crouching. Both girls keep dukes up, elbows in: Yvonne's torso more rigid as she hops around, ponytail tossing; Mary glaring, crouching, showing a flat-footed, supple-torso approach. Both girls show well-schooled, if robotic jabs: Mary standing up, stepping into hers, knocking Yvonne's head back early. Strahovski also with professional poke, stepping and driving to Mary's mouth. When they close to distances inside jab-range and attempt to flurry - both have a tendency to slap and push, becoming amateurish. Mary's pressure decisive until late: Strahovski gets off a sharp one-two in dying moments, scoring bingo on the chin, dropping Mary to her buns. Bright smile Yvonne at bell: she's stolen the round as fuming Winstead gets up, dusts herself off.

R2: Mary spooked; Yvonne probably the hardest hitting foe of hers and proved it in the first. Strahovski stalking at the hop, eyes bright as she walks her opponent down. Winstead weaving low to her left, getting under Strahovski's straight one-two; Strahovski dipping to HER left, digging a rigid, slender-limbed hook in above Winstead's right hip as Winstead is stooped forward. Both girls moving relatively slowly but pleasing to the eye, taking care to place punches and execute text-book form when they can. Winstead keeping arms in as she torso-weaves: she answers Strahovski's rigid hook-to-hip with an occasional left uppercut to midsection, testing flat blonde waist. Good, committed digging: both girls rosy cheeked, angry-eyed as they take slender-limbed inventory of the other's svelte torso.

R3: Mary weaving in, bending low - taking Yvonne's hook in the right flank, but now actively answering up the middle. G pumping single right hands into Strahovski's midsection - standing up, drawing right elbow back, plowing the punch home: Winstead baring her teeth, snarling prettily as she scores repeated tummy strikes. Discouraging effect on rival Aussie: Yvonne frowning, giving ground: she's drawing elbows in, protecting her middle more than punching now. Mary able to come forward, step in her jab to Strahovski's face: blonde scuffing up under increased brunette aggression.

R4: Mary jabbing VERY effectively - knocking Yvonne's face back, forcing her into gangly/stumbling retreat. Strahovski disorganized from firm brunette poking: Winstead walking Strahovski down, jabbing her into confused peek-a-boo stances, then plugging lanky at Yvonne's tummy. MEW drawing her elbows back, then driving dutiful, slender-limbed lefts and rights to Yvonne's waist. Winstead glaring, eyes hard as she works to Strahovski's willowy midriff - brunette ponytail tossing side to side with the rigid digging. Strahovski whimpering, backing to ropes: tears stain her cheeks when she emerges from her earmuff to hook at Mary's waist in reprisal, then Yvonne covers up quick as Winstead's loading up. Orderly turn taking - Mary reducing Yvonne on the apron: both girls covering up to receive rather than attempting to punch-with. Winstead much the better of the two, steadily applying herself to Yvonne's waist, buckling blonde knees by the bell. Winstead wheels on her heel: PONYLASH! Yvonne blurting in outrage as brunette breath-of-blonde whispers across her eyes; Winstead grinning wide en route to her corner. During the break - Strahovski cries quietly as enswell is rubbed hard under her left eye.

R5: Yvonne grits her teeth - works a rigid left uppercut up into Mary's sternum; compliments it with a scraping left hook in behind Winstead's right elbow in early action. Mary pouting, but taking her punishment: when it's her turn, she's plugging those exaggerated, pumping body blows into Yvonne - backing her up - then jabbing her face as Strahovski retreats into effective poking range. Strahovski firming, more combative - tears flow freely when Winstead beats her middle, but blonde lass proving plucky. Gouging left uppercut to Mary's solar plexus has HER snivelling - both girls bravely persevering despite rude treatment. Strahovski loading up her right hand, then thrusting it to MEW's head: bendy-backed brunette still slipping underneath that shot, robbing Yvonne of her best weapon. Round ends with a stricken Strahovski helpless at the ropes, mouth wide open as Mary plugs a trio of those awkward right hands flat-knuckle to tummy. Strahovski blinking back tears, hugging herself back to her corner: Mary beaming, owning her rival through 5.

R6: Spirited jabbing midring as both girls stand ground, step in, and score to offending faces. Strahovski proves more determined, forcing Mary to step back at last: Yvonne hopping forward in her stance, looking for more Winstead. Yvonne leans into her first long, sloping right hands ticketed for Mary’s midsection: she's either scoring loudly to lean brunette beef, or pasting G on the hairline if Winstead tries to duck down. Mary disorganized, confused - she's backing away in disarray, getting her face knocked about by Yvonne's constructive jab. Strahovski so pretty with her little brow furrowed, bringing her mitts back to her chest, hopping forward with that animated ponytail: she's more and more aggressive with Mary. brunette sputtering - sliding along ropes, frequently covering up face-in-gloves and stooping forward: Strahovski upright, digs crook-armed left hooks in above exposed hips as lanky Mary cries out into her palms. Bell: Yvonne has to be pushed back; she won't stop hooking at helpless Mary as Winstead sits weeping butt-in-ropes.

R7: Winstead's head straight back from Strahovski jabs: blonde extending nicely, prodding Mary backward. Strahovski drawing the right hand back, stepping in and slinging it forward: telegraphed perhaps, but packed with willowy leverage when Yvonne steps into it. Second minute sees Yvonne drive home a single right to Mary's dainty chin - punching brunette a quarter turn to her right, staggering her. Winstead dazed, slaps back a right and a girlish left: her form's abandoning her when she's hurt. Mary upright, slapping awkwardly with both hands with her eyes closed, head turned slightly to the right. Strahovski all eyes-wide, extends left to Mary's chest to range-in, then drives in that straight, slender right, once again connecting to point of brunette chin. Winstead badly knocked - she stumbles about, then flops heavily to her backside-and-elbows. Mary snivelling, rolling over right hip to her knees...but she pitches face-first into ropes, sprawling over bottom strand. It's over...Mary can't beat the count: Yvonne takes it KO7!!

AFTER: What a match between these two as this proves that these are two of the most evenly matched fighters in the ring, with Yvonne amazingly taking the lead in the rivalry tonight with a come from behind win against Winstead. It will continue to be a matter of intense debate between them, but tonight with the title and her legacy on the line, it’s clear Yvonne wanted (needed?) it more! 

Yvonne coming over to her brunette rival as the two of them are sharing cool stares, surprising her rival with a big hug as the referee stands nearby with the belts. Ignoring the ref as Yvonne whispers into her foe’s ear, being caught by a few nearby reporters and fortunate fans, but later confirmed by Mary as Strahovski offered an equally shocking: “Thank you, Mare. I know we don’t get along in the ring, but you’ve been an amazing friend outside of it and a fantastic rivaly inside of it. You’ve always pushed me to be better, to make myself the best in the league but that’s not something I can do *with* you. In order to prove who is superior, I need to show you the league isn’t big enough for the two of us. When it comes down to who is better, there can only be one.” Mary’s eyes widen a bit as she wonders at the rollercoaster nature of Strahovski’s commentary, when Yvonne suddenly cinches up on the hug and shoves her foe backwards into the turnbuckle hard! 

Winstead has the wind knocked out of her with a loud rush of air exhaling past her lips as she grunts out, reaching up for the top ropes to keep herself upright for a moment as Strahovski lungs forward, looking to keep her opponent winded with a quick knee shrugged up into her abs, just above her waistline. Winstead doubling over, but Strahovski using a firm grip on her brunette ponytail to straighten her up as Strahvovski mounts the ropes and her opponent, sliding her slick abs forward over her foe’s face momentarily as she raises her other hand into the air, holding up a finger to proclaim who is “Number one!” 

Strahovski flexing her abs against the shocked face of her rival, listening to her muffled squeals as she slides her tummy back and forth with confidence. Smearing her foe’s face with tummy sweat, Yvonne grins confidently as she pumps her fist and listens to the crowd chant her name, closing her eyes for a moment as she soaks in the cheers and of course, ignores the boos of the many faithful fans of MEW. It’s an important moment for Yvonne as she hops off the turnbuckle after a few more grinds of her glistening abs across Winstead’s features and transitions from an index finger declaring herself ‘number one’ to a middle finger, right in Mary’s face, communicating QUITE a different message as she accepts the lightweight title in her other hand. 

Yvonne saunters through the ring, holding the belt over her head with one hand as she pats her tummy with the other hand, declaring loudly for the assembled fans, press and pretty much anybody who will listen: “I’ve got a ton of respect for Mary, but I think that’s been a one-way street. Mary has been taking advantage of our friendship for years in the ring, but when I step into the ring from now on, I won’t be looking at a friend. I have to start looking at her as a roadblock, as the biggest obstacle to me getting what I want and while I took the lead tonight, I also sure as hell start taking my dignity back. Mary is not going to stay in my way any longer and if she does, I’m going to get what I want, which is seeing her cry because I’m that - much - better!” 

Harsh words AND actions from Strahovski as these two have been battling frequently over the last ten years and appear very well prepared for another ten, if tonight’s war was any indication! How Mary will respond to this, how Yvonne will follow up and what the future holds between two of the league’s toughest lightweights should be well worth watching. And here we thought that these two had a rivalry BEFORE tonight - what is going to look like now? Given their history, I’m sure we won’t have long to find out at all!