Kelly Rohrbach versus Odette Yustman

Kelly:



Odette:
(32, 5’8, 34:18:1 FCBA, Lioness Club of America)


(Words: Caspian / Results: Lookout!)

BEFORE:
“I liked Odette’s performance at the Lioness Pride party. She hasn’t been in action for quite some time so it’s always pleasant watching her take the dog out. It looked like Cuoco never stood a chance, right from the start,“ Kelly with an encouraging wink at Odette’s corner, but very quickly adding a caveat and word of warning. “But if she thinks I’m just another blonde who’s gonna roll over for her, she’s in a for a rude awakening.”

Odette for the most part equal parts respectful, equal parts refusing to back down. 

“Kelly’s new to the scene, so she’s probably ignorant about how things work around here. She’s talking to a former Ice Hotel Queen and TWO-time Lightweight champion of the f*cking world,” Odette raising her voice into the microphone, getting worked up over her own past achievements. “Kelly’s good in the ring - I’ve seen her work against people like Palvin and Krsmanovic. But let's face it - she couldn't hang with Decker and she certainly won't be able to hang with me.”

Girls still testy as they face each other down for the cameras. Kelly in baby blue bikini, yellow gloves, whilst Yustman going for classic black with dark purple gloves. Noses almost touching, ladies and gentlemen, with neither girl willing to back down, both smirking like they’re sure they’re gonna win this. This is a match to determine the future of the Lightweight division! In the ring, the referee waves a hand and here we go!!

ROUND 1:
Both girls showing equal experience from the get go - we’re all professionals here, they seem to say - there’s a right way of starting the fight and by gosh we’re gonna follow the rules of the establishment. They trade jabs for the first few minutes, testing each other’s defenses and willing to take things slow and steady. Kelly snapping one or two jabs into the nose, but then in the few seconds gets tagged in the cheek one two three as well, in repeated back-and-forth cycle. The fact that these girls are both former champs of the same title makes it even more curious why they have not clashed before. Late in the third minute the reason becomes more evident: similar styles clashing in the ring doesn’t always make the most exciting matches. Both these girls are fighters from afar and not known for brawling, and I suppose we’ll see what happens when we have two defensive fighters meeting head on, with neither willing to push the offensive. 

ROUND 2:
That prediction quickly goes out the window when Odette rushes the blonde early in the next round. Wide-eyed and taken by surprise, Kelly only manages to block/parry the first few punches thrown her way but can’t stop the follow-up jabs that land firmly on her body and tap at the chin. Blonde goes reeling back from the attack, unsure of about how to proceed. Odette smiling, not following her as she smells a trap easily. Girls resume their mutual dance but Kelly clearly already at disadvantage with her getting caught off-guard by that blitzkrieg. Late in the third minute the blonde tries to redeem herself, charging at Yustman and hoping for similar result. Lioness star clearly anticipated the blonde’s reckless move however,, side-steps her and continues planting leather into her face and side as Kelly sails right past. Rohrbach needs to learn important lesson here: though they might both have similar fighting style, Odette’s experience clearly not to be underestimated.

ROUND 3:
It’s the third and we’re back to throwing punches from afar. Girls meet in the center and circle each other early, familiar dance of death with the exception of Kelly’s slight variation in quicker, faster energy, for those keen enough to notice. The blonde throwing punches a little faster, a little more in quantity, making Yustman work for the exchange and defend herself a little more judiciously as well. Kelly advancing slowly, step by step, one-two combo fired into the guard but a third punch lands hard on her tummy, driving Yustman back more. Odette getting out-punched here, notices it a little too late, tries hitting back with blows to the chin but it doesn’t seem to stop the blonde’s aggression. Yustman almost driven to the ropes, when she breathes a sigh of relief as the bell finally rings on them both. Kelly breathing hard but dang - she clearly deserved to win this round with some strategic aggression employed.

ROUND 4:
Odette must be none too pleased at having been out-played in the last round. Here she comes with avengeance, somehow swapping targets and choosing to focus on the blonde’s body from afar. Kelly stunned by the early flurry of jabs piercing her tummy and chest, but again perplexed with Odette who doesn’t follow through and capitalise on her weakness. She tries the same tactic of slow advance on her, but it’s effectively neutralised when Yustman just stings a jab at the jug or the stomach whenever she gets in too close. Girls adapting deftly here to one another’s tactics - a proper fight we expected and a proper fight we’re witnessing! Third minute and Kelly’s thrown back on the defensive, the body attacks becoming too painful to ignore. Another two-shot combo lands on the belly and bends her forward in pain - perfect opportunity for Odette, who steps in quick and HOOKS a brilliant right hand clean into Kelly’s face! UGH! Hard blow sends her staggering to the side, and STILL Odette doesn’t come in for the kill, full confidence that she can win this grueling contest in the long run!

ROUND 5:
Rohrbach starting to doubt herself, gritting teeth and growling under her breath as she comes forward in the fifth, now determined to brawl. Odette of course holding back, almost-pristine body upright as she uses her feet to avoid the early punches, a grin of pure condescension on her face as she watches Kelly’s futile efforts. Kelly misses with another hook to the head and Odette POUNCES - two jabs slam into the nose, knocking her head back. She comes in close, banging a left-right hook off the body, relishing the grunt from Kelly’s lips as evidence she has the blonde in her clutches, doesn’t anticipate the counter-weight until it’s too late... Kelly BRAWLING in the clinch like a wild cat - first uppercut knocking the head back with a SNAP, then more wild swinging at the Odette’s chest and side of the head, banging her about physically like a tree trunk caught in the wind. She wasn’t expecting resistance at this point… now finds herself caught in the center of the hurricane and at its mercy. Odette controlled by the blonde’s bigger frame, can’t stop the right hands from plunging in and out of her body, alternatively slamming into her chest and chin. The repeated abuse DAZES her, and a final hook BLASTS her clean off her feet… She goes CRASHING down to canvas on her side! KNOCKDOWN for ROHRBACH!

Crowds as loud as they’ve ever been in this fight, the slow start now culminating in all out roar of support for both girls. Odette still alive, crawling towards the ropes, but eyes watering, lips quivering from the realisation she’s on the ground. Kelly obviously jubilant but trying to hold her enthusiasm in until her arm is officially raised by the referee. For now she obediently waits in neutral corner, waiting for the referee slowly counting out the former champ, who’s still writhing on the ground. He hits count of ‘8’ and Odette’s still barely off her knees… Not be a good sign, as the brunette’s body shaking and shivering... The crowd chanting along with the ref’s count, encouraging Yustman to find that last surge of strength to recover just in time before the ten count! 

Yustman getting a standing ovation for her valiant recovery, but honestly, the brunette doesn't look like she deserves it, her back firmly glued to the ropes, arms hanging listlessly by both sides. Only reaction is when ref asks her if she can continue, and she gives a small nod, barely noticable if not for her zoomed in features on the giant LCD screens.

There's one minute left on the clock folks, and Kelly Rohrbach already primed to make full use of it, CHARGES HEADFIRST at her prey! Odette like getting hit by a freight truck as their bodies collide, with Kelly’s gloves immediately traveling south and digging deep into her tummy and chest, then continuing to plow and plunder with reckless abandon all the way up north, culminating in plenty of jug shots and then hitting the chin silly! Referee JUMPS in to save the former champion, who finally falls back down to her knees, cradling her midsection, forehead bent low kissing the ground! It’s over in shockingly early fashion!!

Official Decision: Kelly Rohrbach defeats Odette Yustman via TKO5!

AFTER:
What a convincing win for the blonde, who for a moment can't seem to believe it herself. We were expecting this bout to go all the way folks, and we guess that it was probably that lucky punch to the face - just at the wrong place and time - that sent Odette down the path of no return.

Hey, at least there's some mutual respect between the two competitors, similar to the start of the fight. Kelly helping Odette up slowly with both arms cradled under her armpits, then the two girls embrace in the middle of the ring, whispering congratulations on a brief but hard-fought battle.

Kelly goes on to set her sights on… who knows what? Her previous run at the title belt didn't end too well, and she’s hesitant to make the same mistakes twice. 

“Lima or Decker,” the blonde grins through her sweat-slicked face. “They both don't look so invincible anymore. Maybe it’s time for some payback.”

As for Odette, this setback may prove costly for her future. Already sidelined in recent months by her more prolific Lightweight stablemate in the LCA stable, she has to now make her mark in her own unique way.