Florence Pugh vs. Dove Cameron

(Results: Lookout! Words: Wiz)

BEFORE:

Matchup between two girls who've seen management toss gasoline on their careers. Pugh hadn't had a single FCBA fight before she was signed by the League of Mighty Women in January, and, since then, she's run off half a dozen straight wins. As for Dove, well, she was 5-13 career when Hawkeye and HISC came calling. Since then? A dozen straight wins. But, something's gotta give tonight, and Florence is positive what it's going to be. "She's had a nice little run," says Pugh with a nod, "But, she's the SAME girl who lost all those fights before she got management. And, tonight, she'd going to start losing AGAIN."

"This girl," says a hard-eyed Dove, "Is in for an awakening. It won't be rude, though. It will just occur in the middle of this ring when they have to REVIVE her skanky ass!"

ROUND ONE:

Ladies doing some recon early. Both like to move and do so well, and that's what we see as they range around the ring, moving the feet, circling one another, probing. Here and there, someone pops forward and gets a solid flurry on target, but most of the time is spent testing defenses, looking for openings, banking information that can be used later in the round. Nobody's really gaining much of an advantage on the cards, and it's Dove who seems to realize that as we head into the last 45 seconds or so. Cameron turns up the heat just a bit, becomes busier, gets a a little more done, and the result is exactly what she hoped it would be. Dove scores enough late to grab the points from the British beauty, and walk back to her corner with the early 10-9 advantage.

ROUND TWO:

Pugh's seen enough. And she goes on the attack, surprising Dove and backing her up early. Before the American knows what's happening, she's on the back foot, and, not long after that, she's trapped on the ropes and taking raking fire from the British blonde. Cameron's not hurt, but she's definitely taking the worst of things as Florence finds the range and then begins calling in artillery strikes. Eventually, Dove finds her way off the ropes, but Pugh's continuing the offensive, taking the fight to the American, forcing her onto the defensive over and over again. Late in the round, though, Cameron lands a NICE right hand that stops Florence in her tracks. It doesn't hurt Pugh, but it gets her attention, and she slows her roll for the rest of the round. When the bell rings, however, Florence has the points wide and we're even at 19.

ROUND THREE:

Chastened a bit, Pugh dials down the aggression and Dove dials hers UP. Result is a round very similar to the one we saw in the first...only with the fighters looking to score more in this stanza. There's plenty of movement once again, with both blondes in motion almost constantly, picking spots to stop, pop a quick flurry, and then slip a rejoinder before getting back on their respective bicycles. Once again, there's very little in it as we get into the final minute, but, this time, Florence isn't falling for the "late rally to steal the points" trick. Instead, as Cameron dials up the aggression, Pugh matches her and we get some of the sharpest exchanges of the fight. And, for all the leather that's exchanged, no one is able to gain any advantage. Thus, when the bell rings, there's nothing at all in it. It's an even round and we're still even on the cards at 29.

ROUND FOUR:

Both fighters on the move and BOOM! Seconds after the round opens Florence lands a BLISTERING right hand and Dove is HURT! Cameron stumbles back into the ropes and nearly goes down and now Pugh is ALL IN. She's laying in punch after punch, completely ignoring the body the American is putting on sale to work exclusively upstairs, looking to finish this thing. Dove in deep, deep trouble. She's taking fire from everywhere and she's desperately hurt...but, she's hanging tough, keeping the guard high, jabbing back here and there, doing everything she can to ride this out, make it to the bell. The odds are stacked against the American, but, she defies them, doing just enough to keep the ref at bay. When the bell rings, Cameron's a wreck, but she's still on her feet. Florence, meanwhile, has pitched a shutout and leads 39-38.

ROUND FIVE:

Pugh forward and EATS A RIGHT HAND! Dove playing a little possum? No way to know, but she KEYHOLES a right hand that sends the British beauty wobbling backward! And, now it's Cameron who's all in...though she DOES seem to still be suffering some ill effects from the previous round...so, maybe she wasn't hiding in the weeds after all. Either way, it doesn't take long for Florence to find herself right where the American was in the previous round, rope bound and taking heavy fire. Again, the ref is on high alert, but, like Cameron before her, Pugh plays solid defense and hangs on desperately, doing enough to prevent both the ref and Dove from putting an end to the proceedings. But, it's grim stuff for Pugh, who takes a beating right to the bell. When it rings, Dove has countered Florence's shutout with one of her own and we're even again, this time at 48.

ROUND SIX:

Cameron pressing the issue. She's forward aggressively, backing up Pugh with flurries of hard leather. Florence firing back here and there, but can't stabilize her front. BOOM. Right-hand counter, PUGH and DOVE IS HURT! Cameron caught nearly flush with a brilliant right and the American is STEPPIN' IN FENCE POST HOLES! Pugh quickly over to the offensive, letting the hands go and DROPPING DOVE WITH A LEFT HOOK! Crowd going nuts as Florence heads to a neutral corner. Cameron on her hands and knees at five, struggles to her feet at seven. Ref gives her the mandatory and waves on Pugh! Florence all about finishing now, backs the American into the ropes and begins SHELLING her. Dove again hangs tough, rolling with, blocking, doing enough offensively to prevent the stoppage. And, once again, she's able to frustrate Pugh's efforts to finish. But, when the bell rings, Florence has taken the round 10-8 and leads 58-56.

ROUND SEVEN:

Pugh now the one pressing the issue. Dove in reverse, giving ground, staying on the defensive while the British beauty gets off lusty. Cameron throwing back here and there, but not making any attempt to stabilize and get into a fire fight. Instead, she's willing to play for time, wait for the legs to get back under her and...BOOM! Right. Hand. Counter. DOVE! Cameron PLANTS a beauty on Pugh's chin and FLORENCE is ALL WOBBLY BUTT! Cameron POUNCES, throwing everything but the kitchen sink against a sinking HMS Florence Pugh and, after an absolutely VICIOUS right hand, DOWN. GOES. PUGH! Dove raises her hands in victory, staring down at Florence, who's looking, glassy-eyed, back up at the American. The ref orders Cameron to a neutral corner and begins his count. Pugh, gamely rolls to hands and knees at eight, but that's as far as she can get! It's OVER! And, your winner by KO7 in an absolute BARN BURNER is Dove Cameron!

AFTER:

Cameron looking a wreck, nose bleeding, eyes swelling, lips puffy. But, none of that has chastened a girl who might just be the hottest fighter in the FCBA at the moment. "She threw everything she had at me," says Dove. "Everything. And, you know what? It. Wasn't. ENOUGH. And, it's NEVER going to be enough. Because I'm tougher. I hit harder. I'm quicker. I'm just BETTER. That's what it comes down to. I'm just BETTER. And, not just better than HER. Better than everyone in this division. So, polish up that gold. Because, I'm coming for it!"