(Results: Lookout!, Words: Caspian)

3. Guests: Paige VanZant vs Keira Knightley

Paige:
(27, 5’4, 4:1 FCBA, GBS)

Keira:
(36, 5’7, 19:32:2 FCBA, Free Agent)

BEFORE:
A little embarrassment on her face as Paige VanZant entered the press hall earlier, that stunning upset loss to Danielle Campbell back in February having blunted her momentum and offered the ex-UFC fighter her very first defeat in the boxing ring.

“You keep on moving forward, you know? You don’t give up. I thought I made that clear when I left the UFC that I was going to make this work. Campbell - well, I underestimated her, I’ll be honest about that - thought she was just some pudgy actress who was afraid of getting hit in the face. Look at her now - she’s challenging for the Flyweight title later this month. I honestly wish her the best of luck. And as for Keira, you can be sure I ain’t making the same mistake twice.”

Yup, Keira Knightley still looks like a princess for her age, the British actress not having won a fight since 2019, but that hasn’t stopped her from being active.

“Boxing isn’t the only thing I do, you know? And while I might be getting a little too old at this stage to be chasing title belts, I still have plenty of pride each time I accept a fight. Oh, I’ve heard about VanZant. I know she tried to make a name for herself back in the UFC. Now, she’s trying to do this boxing thing. The problem is, I DO have more experience than her, and if her last fight was any indication, she’s in for some trouble tonight.”

An interesting match-up indeed as ladies square off on stage, Keira coming in three inches taller but of course, almost a decade older than her athletic blonde counterpart. Paige however faced off against much taller and meaner opponents before back in her UFC career, steady hands hovering close to Keira’s chin before both fighters actually shake hands, wish each other luck.

No bad blood here with this contest, only an interesting contrast of styles as they return to their backstage locker rooms for final preparations. Hours later, VanZant’s already in her fighting colours in a corner of the ring, white sports bra and boxing briefs with golden highlights as she raises a red glove high to the crowds. At the other end, Keira looks fantastic for someone about to turn forty very soon, wearing a black sports bra with her toned midsection shown off and glistening for the audience. She’s wearing long black tights and bounces white gloves off each other as her name is called. There’s the referee’s wave of the hand and HERE WE GO with ten rounds of Bantamweight action!

ROUND 1:
VanZant falls back into her confident fighting groove, scooting in fast and then lighting up Keira’s face with early punches. So much for the Brit having more confidence and experience than her counterpart! Knightley’s grunting as she’s forced to weather the storm early, using her arms to block most of the incoming jabs but still groaning as a couple of shots land stiff upon her abs. Paige methodical, focused, wants that comeback win badly as she beats on Keira’s frame across the ring and back, and thus far, Knightley has no answer, the occasional streaking cross coming back close to land but VanZant easily ducking or swerving off at the last minute to avoid. A late mutual blitz has both women landing punches to each other’s bodies in tandem, but it’s a little too little, too late for Knightley, who took a beating this entire round wide.

ROUND 2:
Paige screams in to continue the abuse, but finds Keira keeping her distance this time, moving fast backwards to avoid her early attacks. Paige managed to surprise her opponent in the first round, but Keira now keeping her guard locked tight over her face, only peeking out in between combos to stun the shorter girl back with rocked fists to the lips and nose, Knightley rightfully exploiting her own reach advantage to punish the ex-MMA fighter. VanZant honestly is fighting at a disadvantage here, can’t use any of her patented kicks or Rear Naked Chokes to get the job done, has to do more in order to get in close and throw down with the British actress. By doing so, she comes under constant fire, with Keira doing her best to keep her off with rapid jab combos streakin’ in towards the head. Close round goes by the Brit by the end of three minutes, with Knightley’s light at the end of the tunnel looking a little brighter.

ROUND 3:
More of the same as Paige lets out grunts after taking a sudden knocking hand between the eyes, Keira having stomped in quickly to exploit, bashing another one-two left-right combo into the blonde’s nostrils, which further knocks her head back. Paige’s stand-up game has always been suspect, especially after falling to Britain Hart in her bare knuckled debut. Thereafter, Paige fights a defensive war, reforming her guard and moving sideways instead of attacking straight from the front, but still has some trouble dealing with Knightley’s expert reach. Keira pours in the abuse to make up for lost ground, slow steps forward before shooting her jabs and straight hands in like a broken torrent, bashing on the arms repeatedly and pushing VanZant backwards. Paige huffing, grunting, weaving side to side to save herself. If she loses to yet another actress, this time an aging one with a record of losses in a row, she’d never be able to sleep at night. For now, VanZant survives, rocking Keira to the body with another dull hook to close the round. She’s relied on her fighting instincts and footwork thus far to avoid a late blitz from Keira, but can she do it for another seven rounds?

ROUND 4:
AND HERE COMES VANZANT! Keira tried one last rush inwards at the bell but got blitzed backwards by a mutual shower of hands, with Paige deliberately wading in at the same time to surprise her with a sudden flurry sent straight to the nose and lips, drawing loud gasps from the actress and sending her reeling back! Keira expecting another easy round to her name but gets sorely mistaken here, her early punches brushed off the tougher fighter as VanZant keeps herself close on her foe’s heels, blasting more hooks into the sides of her body before alternating with clean shots into the side of her head, constantly sending Knightley reeling into the ropes or stumbling off to the side. Knightley’s trying her best to regroup and battle back, but she’s semi-dazed for the rest of this round, keeping her right hand extended and constantly jabbing at Paige’s head, but it’s almost useless to stay the blonde till the bell rings, with VanZant hungry and looking to dominate some more!

ROUND 5:
Keira’s wilting away fast, still wincing as the bell rings for the fifth. It’s clear those early punches to her noggin’ and body have winded and stunned her badly, and things aren’t looking too rosy for the Pirates of the Caribbean starlet indeed. Sound of the bell and Paige ROARS in again, resumes her punishment with a low punting fist right to Keira’s breadbasket, which draws a low gurgle from her lips before a follow-up uppercut catches her clean on the base of the chin! KEIRA’S IN TROUBLE, stumbling back and looking dazed!! Paige rocks another one-two combo to the middle of her face before a tight uppercut to the jawline sends her reeling back and OFF HER FEET! DOWN KNIGHTLEY GOES, crashing onto her back just a couple of feet away, completely sprawled out and woozy! Referee takes one quick look and decides there’s NO need for the count to ten, waves the rest of this fight off!

Official Decision: Paige VanZant defeats Keira Knightley via KO5!

AFTER:
What a brutal knockout from VanZant, who succeeds in her mission tonight, both at putting Knightley away in such decisive fashion but also making a statement to the rest of the division that she’s back and ready to rumble. No doubt the ex-MMA fighter would like another crack at redemption at Danielle Campbell some time down the road, but who knows what might happen as the blonde stakes her comeback?

Rumour has it she’s got another bare-knuckled rematch lined up with past rival, Rachael Ostovich, whom she’d beaten in the UFC octagon back in 2019. Will the results be similar this time when the two ladies only have their bare knuckles to brawl? Perhaps Paige’s recent experience in the ring will help! Tune in again soon for further updates!