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| #Post#: 5774-------------------------------------------------- | |
| Fight 16 Dakota Fanning vs Sydney Sweney | |
| By: BadAssBunnies Date: July 11, 2025, 9:24 am | |
| --------------------------------------------------------- | |
| [font=trebuchet ms]Sin City Slugfest VI[/font] | |
| [font=trebuchet ms]Blind Fold Match[/font] | |
| [font=trebuchet ms]Dakota Fanning vs Sydney Sweeney[/font] | |
| https://i.imgur.com/KXwakch.png | |
| [font=arial]Fighter Profiles & Tale of the Tape[/font] | |
| [font=arial]Dakota Fanning[/font] [list] | |
| [li][font=arial]Age:[/font] 30 (born February 23, 1994)[/li] | |
| [li][font=arial]Height:[/font] 5'4" (163 cm)[/li] | |
| [li][font=arial]Weight:[/font] 121 lbs (50 kg)[/li] | |
| [li][font=arial]Reach:[/font] 65" (163 cm)[/li] | |
| [li][font=arial]Background:[/font] Dakota is an accomplished | |
| actress known for her roles in various films and series. While | |
| not publicly known for athletic pursuits, her dedication to kick | |
| boxing suggest a strong work ethic and mental fortitude.[/li] | |
| [li][font=arial]Style:[/font] Likely to rely on agility and | |
| strategic movement, using her reach to maintain distance and | |
| capitalize on counterattacks.[/li] | |
| [/list] [font=arial]Sydney Sweeney[/font] [list] | |
| [li][font=arial]Age:[/font] 27 (born September 12, 1997)[/li] | |
| [li][font=arial]Height:[/font] 5'3.5" (161 cm)[/li] | |
| [li][font=arial]Weight:[/font] 119 lbs (54 kg)[/li] | |
| [li][font=arial]Reach:[/font] 62" (160 cm)[/li] | |
| [li][font=arial]Background:[/font] Sydney has a background in | |
| combat sports, including boxing and MMA training, which she has | |
| pursued for roles and personal fitness.[/li] | |
| [li][font=arial]Style:[/font] Aggressive and powerful, | |
| utilizing her combat training to deliver strong punches and | |
| maintain pressure on her opponent.[/li] | |
| [/list][font=arial]Pre-Fight Odds & Analysis[/font] | |
| Odds: Sydney Sweeney (-120) vs. Dakota Fanning (+115) | |
| Analysis: Sydney's combat sports background and physical | |
| strength give her a very slight edge in this matchup. Dakota's | |
| reach, speed, agility and strategic mindset could counter | |
| Sydney's aggression if she effectively manages distance and | |
| timing. | |
| Strategic Considerations[list] | |
| [li][font=arial]Dakota's Approach:[/font] She should focus on | |
| maintaining distance, using her reach advantage to land | |
| counterpunches and avoid close exchanges.[/li] | |
| [li][font=arial]Sydney's Approach:[/font] Utilize her strength | |
| and combat training to close the distance quickly, applying | |
| pressure and aiming for powerful body shots to wear down | |
| Dakota.[/li] | |
| [/list] [font=arial] | |
| Round 1:[/font] | |
| The bell rang � and the crowd held its breath. The blindfolds | |
| had only come off seconds earlier, and when Sydney Sweeney and | |
| Dakota Fanning locked eyes for the first time in the center of | |
| the ring, the realization hit both women like a thunderclap. | |
| They immediately knew that they were from rival stables and | |
| without any encouragement they each knew what was expected of | |
| them. Completely destroy the other woman. No words were | |
| exchanged. No smirks. No glares. Just pure, focused fury � the | |
| kind that can only simmer beneath the surface until it explodes | |
| in a slugfest. | |
| And Sydney exploded first. With a grunt, she launched herself | |
| forward like a bullet from a gun, her gloves snapping up in | |
| front of her face, her movement crisp and deliberate. Dakota, | |
| caught slightly flat-footed, managed to get her guard up in | |
| time, but Sydney was already in her face, cutting the ring in | |
| half, walking her down with utter confidence. | |
| Hooks to the ribs, uppercuts into the solar plexus, and a short | |
| overhand right that clipped Dakota on the ear and made her | |
| stumble back two steps. Sydney was bullying her � plain and | |
| simple. Dakota tried circling, tried keeping distance, but the | |
| busty juggernaut kept her grounded with relentless body work. | |
| Her gloves thudded into Dakota�s sides like a drumline. | |
| Dakota�s jab flicked out in retreat � not meaningless, but not | |
| enough to slow Sydney�s charge. A couple landed flush, but they | |
| were range-finders, not damage dealers. Sydney kept slipping | |
| them, ducking low and digging to the body. Two minutes in, it | |
| looked like Dakota was already getting overwhelmed. | |
| Laura Marano was in Dakota's corner and shouting instructions � | |
| �Stick and move! Circle out! Don�t trade inside!� � but Sydney | |
| was pressing, pounding, punishing. | |
| Then, with under a minute to go, everything changed. Sydney | |
| stepped in with another right to the ribs � but she over | |
| committed. She leaned just a little too far forward, her weight | |
| coming off balance. Dakota, retreating, paused � and let fly. | |
| A lightning-fast straight left. It wasn�t heavy. It wasn�t even | |
| part of a combo. It was a desperate, instinctive, | |
| textbook-perfect counter punch. Sydney�s eyes widened as it | |
| landed square on her chin right on the button. Sydney's head | |
| jolted back. Her knees buckled. Her arms froze. And just like | |
| that, the unstoppable force collapsed. | |
| Sydney fell straight to her backside, blinking at the lights | |
| overhead, mouth slightly open in shock, her legs splayed as if | |
| someone had yanked the power cord. The arena exploded in | |
| disbelief. Dakota stood frozen, eyes wide, staring down at the | |
| woman she had barely been surviving against for most of the | |
| round.Sydney blinked, shook her head, and slapped the canvas | |
| once before pushing herself up to her knees. The ref was | |
| counting. | |
| �Four... Five...� | |
| �Six... Seven...� | |
| She took a breath, then stood at Eight � arms up, jaw clenched, | |
| nodding to the official. | |
| �I�m good,� she growled, cheeks flushed with embarrassment. | |
| The ref gave her a hard look, then waved the fight back on. | |
| Dakota surged forward, her corner screaming at her, �SUGAR T!TS | |
| IS DONE! FINISH HER!� | |
| But Sydney wasn�t out of it � not by a long shot. | |
| She circled, gloves tight, footwork firm, and weathered Dakota�s | |
| last push. Dakota, trying to close the gap, didn�t have the | |
| speed or power to capitalize. She let her hands go, but Sydney | |
| covered up, clinched, tied her up, and burned the clock as | |
| Dakota pounded away with everything she had until the bell rang. | |
| Dakota raised her arms and Sydney took a step back her left leg | |
| almost collapsing still reeling from the after effects knock | |
| down. | |
| The crowd was split � some screaming for Dakota�s miracle punch, | |
| others in awe of Sydney�s early destruction. Both corners were | |
| frenzied. Dakota�s team shouted with glee, slapping her | |
| shoulders, yelling about how she just stole the round. Sydney�s | |
| crew got ice on her neck, barked about staying composed, and | |
| reminded her she had nearly knocked Dakota out for two full | |
| minutes. | |
| Back in their stools, both women stared across the ring � | |
| breathless, bruised, and now very aware of exactly who they were | |
| up against. This was far from over. | |
| Score: 10-8 Dakota Fanning (with knockdown) | |
| Damage: Dakota � swelling left cheek, sore ribs starting; Sydney | |
| � still groggy after the knockdown | |
| Round 2: | |
| The bell rings and Dakota Fanning, still energized from the | |
| unexpected knockdown she delivered in the first, looks to build | |
| on the momentum. She bounces lightly on her toes, gloves up, | |
| trying to keep Sydney Sweeney at bay with a flurry of fast | |
| combinations. | |
| Dakota lands a couple of crisp jabs that snap Sydney�s head | |
| back, drawing gasps from the crowd. She seems to be finding a | |
| rhythm�in and out, circling left, popping the jab. But Sydney is | |
| done playing games. She narrows her eyes, keeps her chin tucked, | |
| and absorbs the shots with minimal reaction. Then, like a loaded | |
| spring finally releasing, she explodes forward. | |
| A brutal right cross detonates on Dakota�s cheek, rocking her | |
| back on her heels. The blonde�s head snaps violently to the | |
| side, and her knees wobble. The crowd roars. Before Dakota can | |
| retreat, Sydney is already inside, punishing her midsection with | |
| a thudding left hook that buries itself into Dakota�s ribs. | |
| Dakota grunts, mouthpiece flashing as she doubles over slightly. | |
| Her gloves drop. Sydney doesn�t hesitate. She steps in and fires | |
| a savage right uppercut, launching Dakota�s head backward. The | |
| punch lifts Dakota�s feet an inch off the canvas before she | |
| crashes to the mat on her back, her limbs sprawled, blinking up | |
| at the lights. The crowd is on its feet. | |
| The ref is immediately down, counting. | |
| "One! Two! Three!" | |
| Dakota blinks, eyes fluttering. She rolls to her side, then to | |
| her knees. She grabs the middle rope and pulls herself upright | |
| by the count of eight, but she�s clearly dazed. Her ribs are | |
| heaving. Her cheek is swelling. | |
| The referee looks at her closely, asks her to raise her gloves. | |
| She does�barely. The ref waves the fight back on, and Sydney | |
| storms forward again. But Dakota, to her credit, survives. She | |
| backpedals, clinches when necessary, and throws just enough | |
| counter jabs to keep the ref from stepping in. Still, the round | |
| is all Sydney. The bell finally rings, saving Dakota from | |
| further punishment. | |
| Back in their corners, Dakota�s team scrambles to work on her | |
| ribs and cheek, shouting encouragement while applying ice and | |
| checking her vision. Meanwhile, Sydney�s corner is calm and | |
| confident, pouring water over her back. | |
| Damage: Dakota � bruised cheek, sore ribs, heavy breathing; | |
| Sydney � slight redness on jaw. | |
| Score: 10-8 Sydney Total 18-18 | |
| Round 3: | |
| The bell echoes through the arena, and surprisingly, Dakota | |
| Fanning comes out looking sharp. The earlier knockdown doesn�t | |
| seem to have broken her spirit. With her guard tight and feet | |
| light, she establishes distance and begins working her jab | |
| slipping back and staying just out of range. Fast, clean, and | |
| accurate. Sydney backs away. Takes in a long deep breath then | |
| resets. | |
| Dakota flicks two stiff jabs into Sydney�s face, both landing | |
| cleanly and snapping the blonde�s head back. Sydney blinks, and | |
| suddenly the faint mouse under under her left eye begins to | |
| swell. The crowd reacts with appreciative murmurs�this was not | |
| what they expected. Not what Sydney expected. | |
| For the first thirty seconds, Dakota controls the range. She | |
| steps to her right, peppering Sydney with jabs and the | |
| occasional straight right. It�s not fight-ending power, but it�s | |
| effective and controlled and she is scoring in bunches. Sydney | |
| resets, narrowing her eyes, lets out a feral groan and starts | |
| closing the distance. | |
| Then it shifts. | |
| With a sharp feint, Sydney gets Dakota to freeze just enough to | |
| step inside and dig a brutal left hook to the body. The sound | |
| echoes�a meaty thud against soft flesh. Dakota�s mouth opens in | |
| a silent gasp. She tries to move, but Sydney throws her against | |
| the ropes. A right hook to the ribs. A left to the liver. An | |
| uppercut splits Dakota�s guard and jolts her head back. Now | |
| she�s covering up, leaning back, trying to spin away�but Sydney | |
| is in predator mode. | |
| A left hook crashes under Dakota�s left arm then an uppercut to | |
| the chin sends sweat and spit flying. Her knees buckle, but she | |
| stays up. Sydney drills a right into Dakota�s stomach, forcing a | |
| wheeze from her lungs. Then a left to the temple. A hook to the | |
| body. A cross to the nose. Dakota�s defense quickly begin to | |
| unravel. | |
| Sydney has her pinned in the corner, and with each shot she | |
| throws, Dakota seems to shrink a little more. The crowd roars as | |
| Sydney pours on the pressure�a 5-punch combo: hook to the ribs, | |
| cross to the cheek, uppercut to the solar plexus, jab to the | |
| nose, hook to the right breast. Dakota finally clinches, but | |
| even there, Sydney is punishing. Short rabbit punches to the | |
| ribs. A sneaky uppercut to the chin and a left cross to the | |
| side of the boobs. Laura is screaming foul as he ref steps in to | |
| separate them. Dakota stumbles slightly as they part. | |
| With less than thirty seconds to go, Sydney barrels in again, | |
| throwing punches in bunches. A looping right cross lands flush | |
| and turns Dakota�s head violently. Another uppercut follows, and | |
| for a moment it looks like she might go down again�but somehow, | |
| Dakota holds. | |
| The bell rings, mercifully and Dakota staggers back to her | |
| corner, ribs heaving, face red and puffy. Sydney returns to her | |
| side with a satisfied nod. | |
| Score: 10-8 Sydney Sweeney | |
| Damage: Dakota � swelling eye, bruised ribs, starting to limp | |
| slightly; Sydney � minor swelling jaw � swelling under her left | |
| eye. | |
| Total:28-26 Sydney | |
| Round 4: | |
| The bell rings and there�s fire in Sydney Sweeney�s eyes. She�s | |
| found her rhythm now, and Dakota Fanning knows it. Dakota | |
| emerges from her corner looking unsteady�her body aching and | |
| sore, still heaving for air after the brutal punishment she took | |
| in Round 3. Sydney wastes no time. She launches forward like a | |
| predator, gloves up, chin tucked, feet gliding smoothly as she | |
| cuts off the ring. Dakota tries to stay long, flicking out a | |
| desperate jab, but Sydney parries it with ease. | |
| Then the real punishment begins. A deep, sickening thud echoes | |
| through the arena as Sydney buries a left hook into Dakota�s | |
| ribs, just under her bra line. Dakota gasps, her knees buckling | |
| slightly. She tries to retreat, but Sydney is relentless. | |
| Another hook�this one lower�slams into her right side, folding | |
| her over. Sydney drives a straight right into the pit of | |
| Dakota�s stomach, just above the waistband. It lands flush. | |
| Dakota throws an overhand right but Sydney duck and buries an | |
| uppercut under Dakota's right armpit then drives a hook into her | |
| navel. | |
| THUD. | |
| Air blasts out of Dakota�s lungs. Her mouthpiece flies out like | |
| a cork from a bottle, bouncing across the canvas. Her jaw hangs | |
| open as her hands instinctively cradle her belly, eyes wide with | |
| pain. Sydney backs her into the ropes and leans in, her chin | |
| brushing Dakota�s shoulder, her body weight pinning her there. | |
| Then she starts chugging away�left, right, left, right�fists | |
| pounding the same spot on Dakota�s midsection again and again. | |
| This isn�t boxing. This is pure punishment. | |
| Dakota�s arms drop. Her legs lock. Her body sags. | |
| �Break!� Laura Marano screams from the Aries� corner, her voice | |
| cracking with desperation. �F&cking Break, dammit!� | |
| The referee finally steps in, eyes scanning Dakota. She isn�t | |
| defending. She�s barely upright. He waves Sydney off and begins | |
| the standing eight count. | |
| 1� 2� 3� | |
| Dakota leans heavily on the ropes, arms still wrapped around her | |
| stomach, her breath coming in short, shallow gasps. Sweat drips | |
| from her chin. Her knees threaten to give. | |
| 4� 5� 6� | |
| She nods that she wants to continue, but there�s no fire in her | |
| eyes. | |
| 7� 8� | |
| The referee gives her a final long look. Dakota raises her | |
| gloves�weakly. | |
| �You good?� | |
| She nods. | |
| �Fight!� | |
| Sydney doesn�t hesitate. She presses Dakota into the ropes again | |
| and unleashes another savage barrage: looping hooks to the ribs, | |
| short uppercuts to the abs, and a crushing left to the liver. | |
| Dakota�s legs buckle. She crashes to the mat, curling into a | |
| fetal position, arms once again wrapped around her midsection. | |
| The referee starts another count. | |
| 1� 2� 3� | |
| Laura is screaming from the corner. �Get your ass up! Awesome | |
| Aries NEVER QUIT!� | |
| 4� 5� 6� | |
| Dakota remains on her side, her face twisted in agony. | |
| 7� 8� | |
| She groans, then plants her gloves on the canvas. | |
| 9� | |
| Somehow, she stands. She�s swaying, trembling�but standing. The | |
| crowd explodes with cheers. The referee walks over to the | |
| timekeeper, glancing at Laura, clearly about to wave the fight | |
| off. | |
| �Your girl is done,� he mouths. | |
| �NO SHE�S NOT!� Laura roars, leaping onto the apron. �Give her a | |
| second!� | |
| The delay buys Dakota precious time. Her legs are still shaky, | |
| but there�s a flicker�just a flicker�of fire back in her eyes. | |
| When the referee shouts �FIGHT!� again, she�s ready enough with | |
| her gloves up in a high guard. | |
| But Sydney rushes in too fast, too eager to finish. Dakota | |
| sidesteps and, with pure instinct, drives a tomahawk right into | |
| the back of Sydney�s head as she stumbles past into the ropes. | |
| �FOUL!� the ref screams, leaping between them. | |
| Official Warning: Illegal Blow � Dakota Fanning | |
| Sydney�s face twists in fury. The shot wasn�t devastating, but | |
| it was deliberate�and that made it unforgivable. | |
| �That�s how you want to play it?� she growls. | |
| When they reset, Sydney explodes. A hook smashes into Dakota�s | |
| jaw. She stumbles. A vicious left crashes into her breast, | |
| making her shriek in pain. Then an uppercut snaps her head back, | |
| lifting her off her toes. A straight right follows, tearing open | |
| her nose. Blood sprays from her nostrils, streaking down her | |
| lips, staining her chest. | |
| Dakota is slammed back into the corner. Sydney unloads. Hooks to | |
| the ribs. Crosses to the breasts. Uppercuts to the solar plexus. | |
| Dakota�s body jerks with each hit. Her legs go rubbery. She | |
| slumps deeper into the turnbuckles, almost seated, her body | |
| absorbing every vicious blow. | |
| The referee jumps in. | |
| It�s over. | |
| Dakota�s back slides down the ropes, her body collapsing into a | |
| trembling heap on the mat. Blood seeps from her nose. Her belly | |
| is visibly bruised and heaving. Her limbs twitch. Her face is | |
| vacant. | |
| �That�s it!� the ref says, waving off the fight and pulling | |
| Sydney away. | |
| TKO � Sydney Sweeney � 2:41 of Round 4 | |
| Laura Marano dives into the ring, lifting Dakota to her feet. | |
| �You�re okay,� she whispers, holding her close. Laura turns, | |
| furious, and storms toward the official. �You stopped it too | |
| early! She had more fight in her! She wasn�t done!� | |
| But Dakota�s legs give out again, and she crumples. Medics and | |
| the ref rush in. As Laura rages, Dakota lies on her back, arms | |
| draped over her aching belly, eyes fixed on the lights above. | |
| The crowd erupts as Sydney climbs the ropes, arms raised, her | |
| glistening body bathed in sweat and triumph. | |
| Summary: | |
| Sydney�s superior boxing skill and power dominated from the | |
| start. Dakota showed courage but was overwhelmed by Sydney�s | |
| accurate, heavy punches, resulting in four knockdowns that | |
| forced an early stoppage. Sydney�s crisp combinations and | |
| relentless body attacks broke down Dakota quickly. | |
| Badass Barbies Locker Room � Post-Fight | |
| Reporter: Sydney, congratulations. That was one of the most | |
| convincing turnarounds we�ve seen in a long time. You were | |
| knocked down in Round 1 but came back to dominate. How did you | |
| pull yourself together? | |
| Sydney: (smirks) You don�t stay down just because you get | |
| caught. Dakota landed a clean shot, no doubt. I was too eager, | |
| leaned in too far, and she took her chance. Props to her for | |
| that. But that�s not enough to stop me. I�ve trained for real | |
| damage. The second I hit the canvas, my brain clicked back on. I | |
| remembered who I am. And she paid the price the next three | |
| rounds. | |
| Reporter: A lot of fans forgot that you played Christy Martin in | |
| that biopic, but tonight felt like we were watching the real | |
| thing. Did that role change the way you fight? | |
| Sydney: Oh, it did more than change it�it defined it. Christy | |
| Martin fought like she had something to prove every time she | |
| stepped in the ring. That energy, that grit? I studied it, lived | |
| it, became it. That wasn�t acting. That was me transforming. The | |
| movie taught me how to stay composed under pressure and hit with | |
| intent. I�m not some Hollywood chick throwing pretend punches. I | |
| know how to break down a fighter now�mentally, physically, and | |
| piece by piece. Just like I did to Dakota. | |
| Reporter: Speaking of breakdowns�those body shots were brutal. | |
| Did you know she was done when you started digging into her | |
| midsection in Round 4? | |
| Sydney: The moment I landed that liver shot, yeah. She bent over | |
| like someone pulled her spine out. From that point on, it was | |
| just about forcing the stoppage. I didn�t need to knock her out | |
| cold. I wanted her to feel every single punch. Make her question | |
| whether she ever belonged in the ring with me in the first | |
| place. | |
| Reporter: Let�s talk about Laura Marano. She was in Dakota�s | |
| corner tonight, screaming for the ref to let the fight continue. | |
| What�s your take on her? | |
| Sydney: (laughs) Laura? She's loud. She�s dramatic. And she�s | |
| delusional if she thought Dakota was coming back from that | |
| beating. I get it�she�s loyal to her stable and the girls is too | |
| stupid to quit. But screaming from the apron won�t save someone | |
| from a body beating like that. Nobody around here really likes | |
| Laura. She stirs the pot, throws tantrums, and acts like she�s | |
| above the rest of us. It�s pathetic if you ask me. | |
| Reporter: Would you fight Laura? | |
| Sydney: Hell yes, I�d fight her. I�d love to. And I�m very | |
| confident I�d put her down faster than I did Dakota. She runs | |
| her mouth, but I�ve seen her fights. She�s never gives in � I'll | |
| give her that but she has her weaknesses. She flails when she�s | |
| pressured. She wouldn�t last two rounds with me. Not unless the | |
| ref steps in and throws her a life preserver. If you ask her I | |
| think that Laura knows it. | |
| Reporter: That comment will definitely get a reaction from her. | |
| Sydney: Good. Let her come at me. She wanted attention, right? | |
| Well, here it is. Laura Marano�step into my ring. But be ready | |
| to eat every word you�ve ever said about my stable. I won�t just | |
| beat her�I�ll humiliate her. | |
| Reporter: Switching gears�your name�s now being mentioned in the | |
| same breath as Katharine McPhee. That�s a whole different kind | |
| of fight. Is that one you�re ready for? | |
| Sydney: Katharine is a problem. She�s strong, experienced, and | |
| she�s beaten some real heavy hitters. Am I ready? I don�t know. | |
| But I want it. I want to test myself against the best. She�s the | |
| benchmark. If I�m going to keep climbing, I�ve got to go through | |
| her eventually. And when that day comes, I�ll be sharper, | |
| smarter, and stronger than I was tonight. Believe that. | |
| Reporter: So let�s get this straight�Sydney Sweeney is calling | |
| out Laura Marano and eyeing Katharine McPhee? | |
| Sydney: Absolutely. I�ve already handled Dakota. Laura�s just | |
| noise�I�ll shut her up if she wants to step up. And Katharine? | |
| She�s the mountain I want to climb. Because once I beat her, no | |
| one will question where I stand in this division. | |
| Reporter: Final thoughts? | |
| Sydney: Just this�tonight wasn�t luck. It wasn�t a fluke. It was | |
| earned. Anyone who steps in there with me from now on better | |
| know what they�re signing up for. I�m not here to play nice. I�m | |
| here to end careers. | |
| Reporter: Sydney Sweeney, victorious by TKO in Round 4. Loud. | |
| Clear. And calling names. | |
| Sydney: (winks) Print that. I want Laura to see it first thing | |
| tomorrow morning. | |
| Awesome Aries Locker Room � Post-Fight | |
| The energy in the room is low, the silence thick. Dakota Fanning | |
| sits on a bench, slouched forward, her arms resting on her | |
| knees, a towel draped loosely around her neck. Her cheeks are | |
| puffed, her nose is still bleeding slightly, and there's a heavy | |
| bruise already blooming along her ribs and abs. Every breath she | |
| takes is shallow, painful. Her body is battered, but it�s the | |
| weight on her shoulders that seems heavier than anything else. | |
| A medic quietly checks her blood pressure while Laura Marano | |
| paces like a caged animal just a few feet away, her eyes burning | |
| with frustration. | |
| Reporter: Dakota, first of all, are you okay? That was� a brutal | |
| four rounds. | |
| Dakota: (softly) I don�t know. I mean� I�ll live. It hurts to | |
| breathe. My ribs feel like they�re filled with broken glass. But | |
| yeah, I think I�ll be okay. Eventually. | |
| Reporter: Sydney landed well over 150 punches on you�body, head, | |
| chest, everything. Did it feel like she was just overwhelming | |
| you? | |
| Dakota: Yeah� I mean, from the second round on, I felt like I | |
| was drowning. I�d land a couple jabs and think, okay, I�ve got | |
| this, and then bam�she�d be in my body, just drilling me. She | |
| didn�t give me any space to think. It was like being in | |
| quicksand. Every time I moved, I sank deeper. | |
| Reporter: You dropped her in Round 1, though. That was a clean | |
| shot. Did you think she was out? | |
| Dakota: (nods slowly) For a second? Yeah. Her eyes went blank | |
| and I thought lights out for Sweeney. She hit the mat hard. I | |
| thought, This is my moment. But she got up fast. Too fast. And | |
| after that, she was... different. Like I�d woken something up in | |
| her. She wasn�t just boxing after that�she was hunting me. | |
| Reporter: Looking back� do you think you were prepared? | |
| Dakota: (sighs) Maybe not. Maybe I should�ve trained more. Spent | |
| more time sparring. I don�t know. Sydney had this energy�like | |
| she knew she was going to beat me. She didn�t just want to win. | |
| She wanted to humiliate me and send a message to my stable. | |
| And for the last two rounds, she kind of did. | |
| Reporter: Laura, you were screaming at the ref. Do you think the | |
| stoppage came too soon? | |
| Laura Marano: (whips around) Too soon? Are you kidding? Dakota | |
| was still standing. She took everything Sydney threw and she | |
| stood. Yeah, she went down, but she got up. She looked the ref | |
| in the eye. She raised her gloves. She wanted to fight. That | |
| fight should have gone to Round 5. | |
| Reporter: Sydney had some pretty harsh words after the fight� | |
| Dakota: (frowns) What kind of words? | |
| Laura: (coldly) Let me guess, she called you soft. Said you | |
| didn�t belong in the same ring as her. | |
| Dakota: (winces) Figures. | |
| Laura: Did she have anything to say about me, too. | |
| Reporter: (shrugs, trying to look casual) You�ll find out in the | |
| morning. | |
| Laura: (sits up straighter) Tell me now, what did that | |
| over-inflated **** say? | |
| Reporter: (snaps) She said she�d whoop my ass. That your're all | |
| talk. That you wouldn�t last two rounds with her. | |
| Laura: (takes a step toward the door) And I swear, I'm two | |
| seconds away from walking down that hallway and planting my fist | |
| in her mouth. | |
| Reporter: Laura�do you think that fight might actually happen? | |
| Laura: If Sydney keeps running her mouth? Oh, it's happening. I | |
| don�t care what promotion wants it. I don�t care where it is. | |
| She wants to see what a real fighter looks like? I�ll show her. | |
| Reporter: Dakota� do you think what Laura said is true? That you | |
| could�ve made it to the fifth round? | |
| Dakota: (quietly) I think so. I wasn�t done. My body was | |
| wrecked, yeah�but I wasn�t mentally out. I still believed I | |
| could land something again. One more round, maybe I could�ve | |
| slowed her down. Maybe not won� but survived. | |
| Laura: (nods fiercely) We�re Aries. We don�t quit. You hear me? | |
| Dakota: (manages a faint smile) Right. We don�t quit. | |
| Reporter: If you could do it again�would you change anything? | |
| Dakota: I wouldn�t let her walk me down so easily. I�d stay off | |
| the ropes. I let her bully me, and I gave her my body. That�s on | |
| me. I�d fight smarter. Train harder. She hurt me in a way I | |
| didn�t expect�but I�ve learned now. | |
| Reporter: Laura, if you do get in the ring with Sydney, what | |
| happens? | |
| Laura: I shut her up. I beat her to the body, slow her legs | |
| down, and then I pick her apart. She thinks she�s some queen | |
| because she mauled Dakota while she was already hurt? Let her | |
| try that on me. I�ll knock that smug look off her face and | |
| flatten those annoying **** she flashes in everybody's face. The | |
| second she gets punched by someone who doesn�t break? She�s in | |
| for a very rude awakening. | |
| The air thickens in the locker room as Laura storms off toward | |
| the back, her fists clenched, eyes glowing with fury. Dakota | |
| leans her head back against the wall, eyes closed, still | |
| aching�but her spirit a little more intact. The fire that | |
| defines the Awesome Aries may have flickered�but it�s far from | |
| out. | |
| And somewhere down the hallway, Sydney Sweeney is still | |
| celebrating. | |
| But she won�t be alone in that spotlight for long. | |
| Written bu The Badass Barbies | |
| ***************************************************** |