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22 Nov 2007 Rachel Nichols vs Minka Kelly

Page history last edited by Archer844 14 years, 11 months ago

Posted by simguy on 11/22/2007, 8:41 am.

Before: "Minka's making a big mistake," Rachel insists at the podium. "I'm nobody's stepping stone. I'm learning my craft and I've had some setbacks - but I've won a lot of minutes from some damn good fighters and posted a couple of upsets - I'm not just meat-in-a-swimsuit waiting for Minka to beat on. I'm gonna carve this kid up and show my quality - as far as I'm concerned, I'm still right there with Winstead, and I'm a good top 20 prospect. Who's Minka Kelly? A tramp!" Kelly with all the feisty optimism of the well-financed debuting fighter - she's strutting into this fight with a lot of confidence. "Rachel is a good fighter," Minka allows, "but that's exactly why I want to showcase on her. I'll control her with my jab and punish her from outside - I'm going to show my class and really announce to the world that I'm somebody you want to see fight. I see me fighting Charlize Theron next year, so I'm not stubbing my toe on Rachel: she's got to go!" Kelly in midnight blue bikini, white mitts. Rachel in scarlet bikini, white mitts.

During R1: Kelly long and strong with the jab, but leaving it out there - Rachel quickly keying on the mistake to drop right hand pull-counters over top. Kelly adjusting with step-outs, circling to her right to get away from Nichols' right, then walking Rache into firm, gouging left hooks to sternum (pitched in off Minka's front foot). Nichols feeling brunette power to the body, taking it well - she crouches to receive Kelly's bodyblows, then quick-snaps her hook to Kelly's head, driving her backward. Rachel steadily forward - weaving supple under Minka's jab, hooking and crossing at Minka's mouth, steppin-with as Kelly steps straight back. Down the stretch, Minka upright at ropes, looking a little frazzled, dukes at her chest: Rachel leaning in, strafing willowy brunette with crisscross lefts and rights, pelting away chest and face for points.

R2: Rachel has her girl sussed out, presses the attack. Minka backing up, flapping out the jab and pushing right hands off her heels - not getting much steam on these don't-hurt-me punches. Rachel sliding in, weaving low, threatening with wide hooks and short, chopping right hands - blonde really tightening up her stroke and punching with professional ardor here. Long right hands catch Minka's mouth, alarming her - she's backpedalling, looking anxious. Rache jabbing to the body as she stalks - carefully spoiling Minka's timing on counters - brunette really getting derailed and disrupted. Midway through, Rachel feints, comes across a quick-slamming right to chin: Minka's lit up, draping back into ropes, eyes blinking out "I'm hurt". Minka sliding along ropes to her right - her right elbow skidding along the top strand: she hits turnbuckles, forms earmuff as Rachel steps-to. Nichols hard-eyed squares up strong - left hand palm-pushing Minka's forehead to set up chopping right in tight. Quick, businesslike left uppercut brushes Minka back; chopping right off the shoulder busts her chops. Poor Minka loose - rolling in the pocket, gloves up but limp, not stopping Nichols abrupt pokes. Rache putting 'em together - uppercuts and hacking hooks, chopping right crosses and buggy-whip overhand rights. It's all too much - Minka beaten in stages to her haunches - cowering against turnbuckles as ref pushes seething Rachel back. KO2 Nichols as Kelly blubbers sadly on her haunches, unable to rise.

After: Rachel glowing - she steps-to and takes care of business, clearly showing a real gap between a promising newcomer like Minka and herself. "The fights are paying off," Rachel avows in postfight, grinning. "Even the losses - ESPECIALLY the losses - I've learned so much that when a Minka Kelly gets in with me, I feel like I'm in total control." Kelly lumped and busted up, but composing herself - tall brunette can look to somebody like Rachel Nichols for inspiration as she rallies from this welcome-to-the-FCBA stoppage.