Evangeline Lilly versus Brie Larson (Bantamweight Title)
(Words & Results: Lookout!)

BEFORE: It’s a battle between two of the rising stars of the MCU, with Evangeline Lilly (The Wasp) taking on none other than Brie Larson (Captain Marvel) tonight. The hype is pretty significant between the two and the intensity level is high, with both of them positioning to be the dominant female in the MCU going forward. But, the respect level between the two of them is also pretty high as neither of them have anything negative to say about the other in all the interviews leading up to the fight. It’s clear there is an underlying friendship, built on the bonds of filming together and their shared experiences in the MCU, but that doesn’t stop either of them from wanting to beat the other down. Both of them have put in a lot of work in the gym lately and it shows. Brie wearing a ‘Captain Marvel’ patterned sports bra and shorts, with black gloves and hair in a battle bun; Evangeline wearing a ‘Wasp’ patterned sports bra and shorts, with black & yellow gloves - hair in a fighting ponytail. The bell rings as the two approach each other, touch gloves and circle one another cautiously as the match begins...

R1: Tap-tap…tap-tap-tap…tap…tap-tap…Evangeline pumps her jab heartlessly, banging away on Brie’s left eye, stepping smartly clockwise, Larson snarling, batting at incoming stick with her right palm, dipping side to side - she’s getting scuffed up, nibbled, knocked as she tries to close. Lilly leading Brie a merry chase, circling with brisk heel-and-toe footwork. Larson increasingly frustrated, rushing - she pays the price late as she walks into a biting counter-hook from Vangie. Brie stepping back in stupor, hands dropping - Evangeline pounces with a hard right on the mouth, skidding left off the brow and DROPS LARSON TO HER BACKSIDE AT THE ROPES!’ Brie shaking her head, climbing boozily up the strands - she’s shook, staring hurt at the bell.

R2-3: Brie shakes it off, comes at Evangeline with rampaging right hands - Lilly trying to fade misjudges the rush and takes a series of clubbing shots of her skull/ear. Lilly driven ropeside: Larson POUNDING away to belly with digging lefts and rights, working up torso to bang that body and clip LIlly’s chin. Lilly windblown, getting herself together And regrouping behind hooks - furious two-way slugfest erupts as girls dig in and slug it up. Minute mark, girls trade short, blunt right hands and EVANGELINE’S BACK KNEE BUCKLES TO THE MAT! Brie smoldering in satisfaction as she hops away - Lilly up, shaking her head in disgust. Brie in after 8, shoving her left to Lilly’s body, then trading hooks up top - Larson engaging Evangeline in hot trade, toe-to-toe. Evangeline hurt, but punching hard - dukes up at her temples as she crouches, opens up with hooks. Larson similarly crouched in behind her mitts, hooking Evangeline’s waist and face - challenger beating her way past Lilly’s guard while Evangeline’s getting blocked. Lilly’s knees buckle after long sequence of back-and-forth goes Larson’s way - Vangie slides to her left along the apron - Larson paralleling, stepping-with, glowing with bully’s confidence. Final minute of R3 a savage methodical beatdown: Brie dukes at chest, crouching, ripping rights and lefts to the waistline, pounding her way up torso., rattling Evangeline up and down. Lilly tucked in behind her mitts, but getting banged up - she droops to one knee, throbbing with punishment as Brie nods, says “Yep!” as she spins away.

R4: Evangeline punching-with - more or less flat footed, trying to explode up out of a well-defended crouch to catch Brie hooking. Larson GETS HURT! Chin-tugged - she sprays a hook, wanders away and nearly sits down as she falls into the ropes for support. Lilly on cold-eyed - she squares up, knuckling at Brie’s guard to ptrep her, then HOOKING the flank; setting her hips and ripping the right hand in above the left hip. Brie groaning, knees bending - she gobbles a Lilly right uppercut/left hook and falls in to clinch. Rest of the way a gutty Brie Larson rally - she’s woozy, badly rocked, but trudging forward and rooting Lilly out of her stance. Evangeline legging back outside and working the perimeter - she hit Brie some damn good licks, but can’t impose her will fully in the fourth.

R5: Hard, hard punching - girls touching up guards, laying in mouth on shoulder, bumping and jostling to set up ripping hooks, blunt right hands. Not a lot of shoe-shining: these girls are setting their hips and getting into each other beefy, mitts digging wet to taut tummies, clanging off temples, picking up chins. Banging two=-way trade even to the midway point when Brie puts a right hand flat to the pit of the Evangeline’s stomach, putting Lilly wobbly butt. Evangeline open mouthed, tilting forward behind her mitts: Brie lights her up a GORGEOUS left uppercut, picking the face up drowsy, spinning the head around. All Larson the rest of the way - she bodies Evangeline to ropes, sets up wide and beats her down THICK to the ribs. Bell: Larson still hammering at torso - ref has to tug her off by her elbows from behind.

R6: It’s settling in to be that kind of night: girls just choosing to dig in, get strong, punch hard and look to outlast the opponent. Both operating out of high-guard crouches, bent at the waist, heads and gloves in close as girls take turns getting off. Evangeline with a nasty series of hooks under Vannie’s right elbow weakens Larson at the knees again - Brie backs off with a woeful look, sitting hurt in the ropes as Lilly assumes the dominant position. Evangeline’s turn to lather on the hurt - tight, biting punches - more lefts than rights, but a nice steady tattooing. Larson wilting forward shabby, giving yup her back: Evangeline not too proud to swab kidney as it comes available. Warnings after the bell - ref reminding girls to keep it clean as fighters exchange smoldering glares.

R7: Tousle-grinding, shoulder-bumping give and take - Larson steadily pounding Evangeline around the ring. Corner shrieking at Evangeline to leg it out and create space, but she’s willfully laying in with Brie, trading tit for tat. Sharp, snappy punches spank off robs, clout temples, clip chins. Girls in a kind of mutual daze - methodically, mindlessly putting mitts on meat. Brie busier, stronger, putting together more hurtful sequences - she forces hard eye contact with a wilting rival at the bell.

R8: Evangeline stubborn, trudging into Brie with rights and lefts - Lilly with her forehead on Vannie’s shoulder as she dips to the body. Larson huffing and puffing, grimacing as she looks to sidestep, pushing Evangeline behind her left elbow to turn her. Lilly being a little bulldozer in there, walking Brie down, looking to fight off Larson’s chesy - she’s shutting down, working her over as fight wanders from spot to spot. Down the stretch, Larson open-mouthed, pushing at Lilly and stepping away - she walks Lilly into a tidy little left uppercut - whiplash head movement on Evangeline as she gobbles 100% Brie on the shot. Lilly undone, sputtering - reaching out hurt - Larson’s eyes light up as she clocks Vangie a right hand upside the head, catches her again as Lilly’s toppling to her right and EVANGELINE GOES DOWN! Lilly sprawling on her back, blinking in confusion - Brie Larson stomping away bellowing, just stole an important late heat from her opponent.

R9: Evangeline unbroken - she shakes off the hurt, trudges into Brie with thick, pumping rights and lefts to body: Larson groaning, gets backed into her corner, riding her left hand behind Lilly’s head. Girls tucked in close - Brie trying to pull Evangeline’s head down, Lilly banging away at biceps, jugs, tummy - great scrounging roughhouse from Evangeline on the inside. Minute mark, Brie visibly wilting - constant pounding has her fading badly - she tries to make it all go away with punching. Crowd roaring as Larson starts dipping side to side, pulling haymakers onto Evangeline - Lilly bobbing in the pocket, fitting her punches tidy onto Brie’s chin in between. Tight right hand bounces off Brie’s chin - Evangeline ducks down and to her left on follow through: LARSON GOES DOWN! Brie dropping straight down, crumpling to her haunches, chin drooping to her chest as she lolls up against the ropes - SHE’S OUT COLD! Stunning KO9 - Evangeline Lilly!

AFTER: What a match and what a win for Lilly as she delivers her first title victory in stunning fashion against a very spirited challenger. Larson still struggling to stir on the canvas as Evangeline waits for her to recover, coming over to help her to her feet as the two of them exchange what appears to be a heartfelt hug. Both of them holding onto each other for support as well it seems, extremely worn out after quite a competitive and hard-fought contest, sweaty and whispering words of encouragement. The crowd cheering at this display of classy behavior from both fighters, although the crowd have had plenty of occasions to cheer catty behavior throughout this PPV as well.

The fans seem to enjoy both in equal measure, but are especially vocal towards this contest as Evangeline brings Brie to the center of the ring with her. One hand clutching her belts and the other gripping Larson’s hand as she raises them both, the fans on their feet cheering to celebrate both fighters here tonight. The two of them exchange one last hug before Larson leaves the ring, with Lilly getting to enjoy her moment in the spotlight. It was an unexpected win last month over Bella Thorne leading to this unexpected title run and Lilly realizes this could well be her last run with the title, as she didn’t think she’d have this opportunity again. But, she plans to soak up every moment of it as she beams, giving credit to Brie as she drinks deeply from a water bottle, “That girl is not just the future of the MCU, she is definitely going to be part of the future of the FCBA as well. Took everything I had to take her down and she can hit so hard. I definitely want a rematch with her sometime, but tonight, I’m going to go out and celebrate. Moments and matches like these should never be taken for granted…”

Well fought and well said!