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Priyanka Chopra vs. Evangeline Lilly (Princess of the Ice Hotel)
(Results: Lookout. Words: Wiz)
BEFORE:
Rematch of an excellent 2019 bout, this one at the Ice Hotel for the title of Princess, currently held by the only woman to ever hold said title, Priyanka Chopra. And, the Princess well remembers that 2019 bout, one that came during a rough patch in her career and made said patch even rougher. "Yes," says the hard-eyed Princess. "She got me the first time. But, this is a different Priyanka Chopra, one who's going to kick her a**!"
"Know what the difference is between me and Priyanka," asks Evangeline with a lovely smile. "One of us is in the Hall of Fame and has a pile of lineal titles...and the other one is Priyanka Chopra."
ROUND ONE:
Lilly stepping to early, and Priyanka willing to play that game. Both of these brunettes are sturdy, hard-hitting bantams, but both have plenty of skill to go along with the power. And, don't let the fact that there's plenty of exchanging at middle distances going on fool you, there's lots of skill on display. Subtle movements of head, hands, feet, as the ladies play the geometry, set up punches with feints and shoulder movement, create openings and then fill them with leather. It's not ranged boxing, but it's not phone booth banging. It's something in between, and both brunettes are doing it very, very well. There's not much in it the entire way, and, when the bell rings, it's razor's edge stuff, but Priyanka has taken the points to pull into the early 10-9 lead over her rival.
ROUND TWO:
More work at midrange as the power-hitting brunettes work a bit more body this time. Vangie starts things on that path, hooking ribs and tummy, and the Princess responds in kind. At times, they close distance and work in the booth, and, in those instances, the body work increases, but, soon enough, they're back to midrange, boxing well, committing here and there, piling up points and hurt. And, once again, there's not a lot in it. Both veterans are getting offense in, and neither is managing to take any sort of control or even create any sort of separation. Late in the round, though, Lilly turns up the heat, landing a pair of hard flurries that put the reigning Princess on the back foot and keep her there to the bell. And, it's enough. Enough to claim the points for Evangeline, who evens things at 19.
ROUND THREE:
More midrange stuff, with both brunettes landing solid shot and playing solid defense. It's been a good, two-way fight so far, as expected, and it appears only one thing can change tha...BOOM! Right hand, Princess Priyanka! And Lilly's legs give a shimmy! That quickly, Chopra's ALL IN, firing away, driving the Hall of Famer back into the ropes. But, Vangie's nothing if not crafty. She's clinching, gumming up her rival's offense, slowing her down. Chopra shoving off, going back to work, hooking some body, but Lilly grabbing on, hanging on, forcing the ref in to break the pair apart. Priyanka showing her frustration, shouting at the ref to take a point. He's unwilling to do that, however, and the Canadian's gambit works. She gets to the bell and seems to have shaken the worst of the damage. It's Big Choppy's round wide, however, and the Princess now leads 29-28.
ROUND FOUR:
Priyanka's frustration boils over...to her detriment. The Princess is overly aggressive, winging away at the older woman, while Vangie simply slips and counters, gives a little ground and counters, moves laterally and counters, all while the Indian beauty is mostly high or wide or both. HISC corner shouting at their fighter to settle down, but Chopra's not listening. She's determined to clean up Vangie, but it's not going to happen. Lilly's got the legs back, and she's playing matador to bull here, parrying Big Choppy's offense while scoring plenty. By about the final minute, the Princess settles down and we get back to two-way midrange stuff. On those terms, Priyanka holds her own quite well, but it's much to late to matter in this stanza. It's the Hall of Famer's round wide and we're even at 38.
ROUND FIVE:
Lesson learned for Chopra, who's now under control as we start the fifth. We're back at midrange, but Big Choppy's thrown in a wrinkle, she's doubling and tripling the jab now, and it's disrupting her rival's rhythm. All of a sudden, the Canadian's having trouble getting her offense going. Oh, she does at times, but, only at times. Most of the round sees Chopra landing that accurate jab again and again, then dropping right hands in behind it, forcing Vangie to the defensive. Over and over again. By the final minute, Priyanka's really getting it going, backing up the older woman and landing some HARD right hands that definitely get her attention. Lilly's never hurt, but, when the bell rings, there's no doubt about this one. It's Chopra and wide and the Princess is on top 48-47 at the half.
ROUND SIX:
Lilly adjusts and quite nicely, too. She's keeping the hands up, picking off those jabs, then countering. And, the result is that we're back on mostly even terms. Chopra's still scoring in spots, and Lilly's scoring in others. It's, once again, good, two-way stuff, the kind of stuff you'd expect from two very good veteran fighters. Once again, there's not a lot in it most of the way. It's back-and-forth stuff, as both fighters try to sustain momentum, but neither can manage to do so. Instead, everyone has their moments, but no one has enough of anything to establish an advantage. Until, once again, Lilly turns on the jets late, landing a trio of sharp combinations that send Big Choppy to the defensive, efforts that are just enough to push her into the lead and allow her to claim the points narrowly, evening things at 57.
ROUND SEVEN:
Back to midrange. Both fighters are having success here, so no one's going to try to change the terms, at least for the moment. BOOM! Right hand, Lilly changes EVERYTHING! Vangie sends the Princess reeling and then DROPS HER with a three-punch combination! A stunned Chopra flat on her back as the Hall of Famer bounces to a neutral corner to watch and wait. It's plenty dicey, but Chopra manages to make it to her feet at nine, and the referee, clearly thinking about it while giving her the mandatory, waves on Lilly! Evangeline ALL IN now, pummeling her rival back into the ropes, working over that body with hooks, then going back upstairs looking to finish. Ref on a hair trigger, but Chopra does just enough to hold him off. At the bell, the Princess is still standing, but Lilly's taken the round 10-8 and leads 67-65 with three to go.
ROUND EIGHT:
Lilly looking to finish now. She's stepping to, backing up Big Choppy, working some body here and there, but mostly head hunting, all in the service of ending this thing now. BOOM! Right hand, PRIYANKA! A SCINTILLATING counter from the Princess leaves Vangie STEPPIN' IN FENCE POST HOLES. BOOM! Straight right and DOWN GOES LILLY! Place going NUTS as Chopra's turned this thing around on a dime and put the challenger on her back. Priyanka to a neutral corner now, but her hopes of immediate victory are frustrated as Evangeline gets to her feet at eight. Again, the ref thinks about it during the mandatory, but, again, he decides to let things continue. ON COMES BIG CHOPPY. She bullies Lilly to the ropes and then has at her. Vangie again trying some clinching, but Chopra punching free. Ref looking in closely, but, before he can act, the bell sounds. Lilly's standing but looking a wreck, and Chopra's got a 10-8 round of her own to even us at 75.
ROUND NINE:
Nothing sloppy from Big Choppy now. She's learned her lesson and is clinically walking down her rival, working her over to both head and body, slowly backing her up. Lilly managing to stay off the ropes and counter in spots, but that's about it. BOOM! Right hand, CHOPRA and DOWN GOES LILLY AGAIN! Vangie dropped to her back. Priyanka striding to a neutral corner, arms raised. But. Again, hopes of immediate victory are dashed. Somehow, Vangie beats the count. But, she's all wreckage now and the Princess knows it. Chopra charges, winging away, forcing the challenger into the ropes, shaking her again and again with hard shot to the head. Finally, the ref can watch no more of this and HE LEAPS IN to bundle Lilly to safety! It's OVER! It's OVER! And your winner by TKO9 and STILL Princess of the Ice Hotel, Priyanka Chopra!
AFTER:
As Priyanka Chopra approaches Evangeline Lilly after the match, given the history between them personally and their stables, you better believe the Swan Lake tape is in right away. But, nowadays, nothing stays hidden for long, right?
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