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| #Post#: 5780-------------------------------------------------- | |
| Blindfold Tournament Round 2 - Laura Marano vs Joey King | |
| By: BadAssBunnies Date: August 2, 2025, 5:33 pm | |
| --------------------------------------------------------- | |
| Blindfold Tournament Round 2 - | |
| Laura Marano vs Joey King | |
| Fighter Profiles & Tale of the Tape | |
| https://i.imgur.com/XOfog4m.png | |
| Laura Marano [list] | |
| [li]Age: 28 (born November 29, 1995)[/li] | |
| [li]Height: 5'2" (157 cm)[/li] | |
| [li]Weight: 108 lbs (49 kg)[/li] | |
| [li]Reach: 62" (157 cm)[/li] | |
| [li]Background: Actress and singer with deep roots in the UCC. | |
| Laura has a chip on her shoulder, born from rivalries and bitter | |
| battles � especially against Dove Cameron. She�s been through | |
| every type of fight in the league and always comes back smarter, | |
| tougher, and meaner.[/li] | |
| [li]Style: Gritty volume puncher. Applies non-stop pressure, | |
| throws in bunches, and loves to swarm smaller opponents. Thrives | |
| in toe-to-toe wars, fueled by pride and emotion. Laura will | |
| throw down with anyone any time and never backs down.[/li] | |
| [/list] Joey King [list] | |
| [li]Age: 25 (born July 30, 1999)[/li] | |
| [li]Height: 5'4" (163 cm)[/li] | |
| [li]Weight: 112 lbs (51 kg)[/li] | |
| [li]Reach: 64" (163 cm)[/li] | |
| [li]Background: Emmy-nominated actress who�s proven to be a | |
| fierce competitor in the UCC. With her physicality, acting | |
| discipline, and surprising athleticism, Joey has rapidly risen | |
| through the ranks. She�s also had tense encounters with Laura in | |
| the past, creating a layered personal rivalry.[/li] | |
| [li]Style: Technical bruiser. Strong on fundamentals, with | |
| tight defense and a punishing jab. She works behind a | |
| disciplined guard and doesn�t let emotion dictate pace � unless | |
| provoked.[/li] | |
| [/list] Pre-Fight Odds & Analysis | |
| Odds: Joey King (-110) vs. Laura Marano (+100) | |
| Analysis: | |
| This one�s a toss-up. Joey has the edge in height, reach, and | |
| recent momentum. Her jab and physical strength could keep Laura | |
| on the outside and force her into awkward angles. If Joey stays | |
| patient, she could bank rounds with smart boxing and use her | |
| strength to break Laura down. | |
| But Laura�s not a fighter you want in your face. She�ll bring | |
| pressure from the opening bell, and her cardio and fury can | |
| overwhelm opponents who can�t match her volume. If Laura gets | |
| inside consistently, Joey might get dragged into the kind of | |
| brawl she usually avoids. The kind of fight that Laura lives | |
| for. | |
| The Spark: | |
| These two don�t just know each other � they despise each other. | |
| No grudge needs explaining, no insult needs recalling. Every | |
| stare, every breath, every motion is drenched in hostility. What | |
| starts as a calculated chess match quickly frays at the edges. | |
| The moment someone lands clean, emotion takes the wheel. The one | |
| who controls their fury� wins the war. | |
| The Reveal: | |
| Both fighters are led into the ring, the crowd buzzing with | |
| anticipation. They�re guided closer� and closer� until they can | |
| feel the heat radiating from the other�s body, catch the scent | |
| of sweat, tension, and adrenaline. The space between them | |
| crackles. | |
| The announcer begins the countdown. | |
| When the blindfolds come off�the arena erupts. | |
| Laura�s jaw tightens, eyes locked. | |
| Joey claps her gloves together�CRACK!�and shouts, �YES! YES! | |
| YES!� already bouncing on her toes like a coiled spring. | |
| There�s no respect, no restraint. The ref steps between them and | |
| begins reading the rules�but it�s wasted breath. Neither woman | |
| hears a word. They�re already imagining the first punch, the | |
| first scream, the first tear. All that matters now� is the | |
| fight. | |
| Round 1: | |
| Venue: UCC Arena, Lights blazing, crowd roaring, and two hated | |
| rivals face to face once again. | |
| The bell rings � and they don�t hesitate. | |
| Laura Marano bursts from her corner with uncontained intensity, | |
| her body coiled like a spring. She barrels across the canvas, | |
| head tucked, gloves up, and throws a stiff jab that grazes Joey | |
| King�s temple. Without pause, she follows with a wide right hand | |
| that thumps off Joey�s bicep. | |
| Joey blinks, not stunned but clearly caught off-guard by the | |
| immediate onslaught. She takes a quick step back, resets her | |
| footing, and raises her jab. Her posture is textbook � tight | |
| guard, eyes focused, chin tucked. She starts circling, letting | |
| Laura�s aggression rush past her like a wave. | |
| But Laura�s pressure is unrelenting. She cuts the cage off | |
| sharply and drills a short hook under Joey�s ribs, followed by a | |
| glancing overhand right that just misses clean contact. The | |
| crowd responds with a sharp roar, already tuned in to the | |
| animosity simmering between them. | |
| Joey recalibrates, finding rhythm behind her jab. A stiff double | |
| jab catches Laura coming in, and Joey finishes with a crisp | |
| straight right that snaps Laura�s head back. It�s a beautiful | |
| sequence � all timing and precision � and it halts Laura�s | |
| forward surge momentarily. | |
| But only momentarily. | |
| Laura ducks low and fires a looping left to the belly, following | |
| it up with a shoulder bump and another clubbing right to the | |
| body. Joey counters with a quick left hook that lands flush to | |
| Laura�s jaw, but Laura eats it and keeps grinding forward. Step | |
| by purposeful step Laura closes ranks. | |
| The midpoint of the round is a battle of pace vs. precision. | |
| Joey is trying to stay technical � jabs, angles, controlled | |
| movement � but Laura is dragging her into the trenches. At one | |
| moment near the ropes, Laura drives her forehead into Joey�s | |
| shoulder, pinning her there just long enough to rip a left-right | |
| to the body. Joey responds with a short right to the side of | |
| Laura�s head before the referee steps in and separates them. | |
| They break � and stare daggers. | |
| �You like that, King?� | |
| With twenty seconds left, Joey uses her footwork, flicking jabs | |
| and trying to slow the tempo. Laura, undeterred, times a slip | |
| and blasts a straight right to the midsection. Joey grunts and | |
| answers with a sharp jab, but Laura smothers her again, throwing | |
| in tight, messy punches. | |
| Thirty seconds. The crowd is on their feet. | |
| Laura surges again, letting her hands fly in close quarters. A | |
| left hook to Joey�s body lands solidly, followed by a sweeping | |
| right that crashes off Joey�s ribs. Joey winces but fires back � | |
| a snapping right cross that catches Laura clean on the cheek. | |
| They�re toe-to-toe now, chests heaving, eyes locked, and neither | |
| one willing to take a backward step. | |
| Laura ducks under a jab and rips a compact left uppercut that | |
| grazes Joey�s jaw. Joey counters with a short hook to the side | |
| of the head, then a chopping right hand over the top � both | |
| land, but Laura still keeps pressing just bullying Joey back. | |
| Just as the clapper hits the final second, Laura hammers a | |
| thudding shot under Joey�s left breast � not quite a knockdown | |
| blow, but it stiffens Joey up just before the bell. | |
| DING! DING! DING! | |
| They separate slowly, reluctantly. Laura turns and walks to her | |
| corner, jaw clenched, chest rising with adrenaline. Joey lingers | |
| for a moment then gather herself, wiping a bit of blood from the | |
| corner of her mouth before following suit. | |
| In both corners, trainers get to work � ice bags to ribs, quick | |
| instructions, measured breathing. | |
| Score: 10-9 Laura Marano (barely) | |
| Round 2: | |
| Between rounds, neither corner is calm. Joey�s trainer is | |
| barking for more discipline and footwork. Laura�s team is | |
| fanning her like she�s a wildfire that might burn out early if | |
| not controlled. Both women are scowling, glaring across the | |
| cage. | |
| As the bell rings for Round 2 � boom. They don�t box. They | |
| charge with hate and malice in their eyes. | |
| Joey closes the gap first and cracks Laura with a flush right | |
| cross. Laura�s head snaps back, but she answers instantly with a | |
| brutal hook to the ribs and a slap of leather to Joey�s ear. The | |
| two women tangle in close, throwing furious, hateful shots � | |
| breast-to-breast, forehead-to-forehead, trading uppercuts and | |
| body blows like they�re in an alley brawl. | |
| The ref tries to separate them as they clinch and grind, but | |
| neither listens. Joey shoves Laura back, screaming something | |
| unheard over the crowd, and Laura answers by slapping Joey | |
| across the face with the back of her glove � an insult more than | |
| a strike. | |
| The ref gets between them and warns both. The crowd is on its | |
| feet now. | |
| When action resumes, Joey tightens up, landing a stiff jab and | |
| then a picture-perfect straight right that rocks Laura�s head. | |
| And this one stuns Laura! Laura stumbles back two steps � Joey | |
| pursues, tagging her again � but Laura sets her back foot and | |
| fires back, digging a left hook to the belly and launching a | |
| wild right that clips Joey�s jaw. | |
| The final ten seconds sound, and neither waits. They both launch | |
| at each other, gloves flying, tangled in fury as the bell rings. | |
| They keep throwing. The ref dives in to stop it, and both women | |
| shove him aside and keep fighting until corner crews storm the | |
| cage to pull them apart. | |
| The heat is real. | |
| Score: 10-9 Joey King (barely) | |
| Total Score: 19-19 Even | |
| This just became a war. | |
| Round 3: | |
| The tension is volcanic as Round 3 begins. Laura and Joey both | |
| refused to sit between rounds. Both were pacing, jawing, pushing | |
| their cornermen away. Security lingers cage-side now, just in | |
| case. The bad blood is unmistakable. | |
| The bell rings � and this time, they don�t charge blindly. Both | |
| fighters come out cautious, but coiled. Joey is light on her | |
| feet shuffling and side stepping whl Laura is flat footed her | |
| biceps rippling with held back eneergy. | |
| Joey tries to reestablish her jab, keeping Laura at bay with | |
| long pokes and feints. Laura circles, head low, eyes locked on | |
| Joey�s torso. She�s calculating � biding her time. | |
| A minute in, Laura explodes forward with a level change and | |
| CRACK � she lands a huge overhand right flush on Joey�s chin! | |
| Joey staggers back, dazed � Laura pounces. | |
| Body, body, head! The combos are vicious. Joey covers up, but | |
| Laura digs a left hook to the liver that visibly freezes Joey in | |
| place. Laura shifts her hips, and� | |
| BOOM! A short right uppercut detonates on Joey�s jaw. | |
| Joey's body gives and she collapses, folds, down on one knee � | |
| one glove on the mat, the other clutched to her ribs. Her mouth | |
| is open, breathing hard. She�s hurt. | |
| The ref starts the count. | |
| �ONE! TWO! THREE!� | |
| Joey�s eyes are clear, but her body�s not ready. At �SEVEN�, she | |
| finally pushes herself up, red-faced and furious. She beats the | |
| count � but she is still in trouble as her legs are shaky. | |
| Laura�s already pacing, motioning come on. She wants to finish | |
| this now. Put her hated rival down for the count. | |
| The final 30 seconds are wild. Laura smothers Joey against the | |
| cage with furious hooks, screaming as she punches. Joey fights | |
| back, but she�s in survival mode � clinching, ducking, holding | |
| on for dear life. | |
| The bell rings and the ref forces separation again but Laura is | |
| on a mission and drives punches deep into Joey's core. �WARNING | |
| NUMBER ONE!� Laura throws her hands up. Joey stumbles to her | |
| corner, biting down on the pain. | |
| Score: 10-8 Laura Marano | |
| Total Score: 29-27 Laura | |
| Joey�s in trouble. Laura smells blood. | |
| Round 4: | |
| The damage is starting to show on both women � bruises | |
| blossoming under their eyes, lips split, ribs flushed red from | |
| thudding impacts. But neither is backing down. This isn�t | |
| strategy anymore. It�s pride. It�s personal. | |
| Laura storms out with bad intentions. She know she has Joey in | |
| trouble and isn't about to let up. She�s found success and | |
| pounded on Joey core, and now she�s gunning for Joey�s head. Her | |
| eyes are locked in like a predator. She starts launching | |
| combinations the moment she�s in range � right hooks, straight | |
| lefts, looping overhands. | |
| Joey�s guard absorbs some, but not all � a stinging left cross | |
| snaps her head back early. It's a clinic as Laura is mixing it | |
| up. Shot to the jaw, an uppercut to the breast, a snap jab to | |
| the nose and Joey is guessing and guessing wrong most of the | |
| time. | |
| But Joey�s not folding. She tightens up her stance and leans | |
| into her strength � body work. | |
| While Laura goes for the knockout, Joey slips inside and begins | |
| digging to the ribs. Her punches are short, compact, mean � the | |
| kind that sap your will. A right hook under the elbow draws a | |
| hiss from Laura. A second one has her backpedaling, arms | |
| dropping slightly, elbows tucked into the ribs. Joey presses in, | |
| muscles rippling as she buries a left to the solar plexus. Laura | |
| groans, visibly hurt. | |
| The round becomes a contrast in styles. | |
| Laura � wild, emotional, throwing bombs up top. | |
| Joey � cold, surgical, punishing the body with every opening. | |
| Blood smears both fighters now � Laura�s nose is leaking, a | |
| crimson line dribbling onto her chest. Joey�s left eye is | |
| swelling, turning purple from the headhunting barrage. | |
| Midway through the round, Laura rocks Joey again with an | |
| overhand right. Joey stumbles, but instinctively clinches. They | |
| fight in the clinch like alley cats, heads grinding, shoulders | |
| slamming, both grunting with effort and hatred. Even an errant | |
| knee to the thigh lands as both women go all out. | |
| The round ends with Laura winging a desperate right hook that | |
| glances off Joey�s temple just before the bell. | |
| They stare each other down, bloody and breathing hard. | |
| �You want some more, Marano?� | |
| �Bring it chubs, bring it!� | |
| Score: 10-9 Joey King | |
| Total Score: 38-37 Laura | |
| Both are hurting. But Joey�s investment to the body is starting | |
| to pay off and the tide has turned. | |
| Round 5: | |
| Both corners worked furiously between rounds, trying to patch up | |
| the growing wreckage. Laura�s nose is still trickling blood. | |
| Joey�s left eye is swelling grotesquely, pulsing red and blue | |
| under a thin sheen of Vaseline. But when the bell rings, both | |
| charge out like they�re chasing revenge. | |
| Joey wastes no time. She�s heard enough from Laura�s mouth | |
| between rounds, and now she�s done playing nice. She ducks under | |
| Laura�s opening jab, steps in tight, and drills a short left | |
| hook into the meat of Laura�s right side � just beneath the | |
| ribs. Laura�s body jolts, her lips part in a strangled yelp, and | |
| she instinctively folds inward. | |
| Joey smells blood. | |
| She stays close, head on Laura�s shoulder, and PUMMELS her | |
| midsection with both hands. Left-right-left, right, and left | |
| again, digging into the liver, gut, spleen, and those tender | |
| pink abs. Laura�s gloves drop and her knees buckle. She tries to | |
| clinch � can�t. | |
| THWACK! A savage right uppercut under the breasts lands clean. | |
| Laura�s mouth opens in a guttural gasp. Her legs give out. OMG! | |
| OMG! Laura drops hard to her knees, then topples onto her side, | |
| clutching her ravished core with both gloves, curled in pain | |
| like she�s been gut-shot. Her face contorts, eyes clenched, | |
| spittle hanging from her mouth as the ref begins to count. | |
| �ONE� TWO�� | |
| Joey paces in a slow circle, glaring down at Laura, her own | |
| chest heaving, blood dripping from her busted lip. She looks | |
| down at her hated rival and raises her hands and lets out a | |
| guttural scream. | |
| �Get up! Get your ass up you weakling!� | |
| ��FOUR� FIVE�� | |
| �Get up! Get your ass up!� shouts Joey. | |
| Laura�s corner is screaming for her to breathe, to get up. She | |
| rolls to her hands and knees, trembling, and is barely moving at | |
| 6. Joey raises her hands and heads to her corner confident that | |
| Laura is down for the count. | |
| �Seven . . . . . Eight . . . . | |
| The refs count is more measured, more deliberate giving Laura a | |
| fair shot at beating the count. | |
| Laura gasps, Sucks in some air and pulls herself up, barely | |
| beating the count at nine, Her face twisted in agony. The crowd | |
| roars, half stunned she�s up at all. | |
| The ref gives her a hard look� | |
| �You sure you want to do this?� | |
| Laura gives the ref a shove as Joey's corner stop her | |
| celebration and wipe the blood from her face. | |
| The refs shakes Laura's gloves and satisfied with some | |
| resistance waves them back in. Joey snarls, �Next time, you | |
| don�t get up.� | |
| Joey drives forward like a train throwing everything at her | |
| stunned opponent but Laura takes some clean open shots but | |
| survives the final seconds by clinching for dear life. | |
| Score: 10-8 Joey King | |
| Total Score: 47-46 Joey | |
| That body shot should�ve ended it. Laura�s toughness just kept | |
| this fight alive � but barely. | |
| Laura is slow to her corner who frantically clean her up and let | |
| her know in no uncertain terms that she needs to be dominant in | |
| the final round but her body language tell a different story. | |
| Her head hangs low and she can't seem to catch her breath. The | |
| referee is in The Awesome Aries corner and it look like this | |
| fight might be called as Laura is unresponsive. Smelling salts | |
| are needed and Laura's head shoot up and she looks at the ref. | |
| �Get the f^ck out of my face!? | |
| The referee backs off and will let the fight continue but Laura | |
| will be on a very short leash. | |
| Joey's eye is almost closed but she has her legs under her and | |
| knows that is she drops Laura again then the fight is hers. | |
| �Take the big mouth out. Go to the body then uppercut, uppercut, | |
| uppercut. Joey nods and is off her stool early heading straight | |
| towards Laura who is still on her stool, eyes vacant as the | |
| finish icing her down. | |
| ROUND 6: Final Round | |
| The sixth and final round opens with the momentum clearly on | |
| Joey King�s side. Her knockdown in the previous round has put | |
| her in a commanding position, both in terms of scorecards and | |
| confidence. Laura Marano body is on fire and she knows she�s | |
| behind and needs something big to turn this around. | |
| As the bell sounds, Laura wastes no time. | |
| She comes forward aggressively, throwing a crisp jab to | |
| establish distance, then follows with a quick right cross that | |
| clips Joey on the chin. Joey raises her guard and backs a step | |
| and is clearly not prepared for Laura's fast start. Joey | |
| backpedals but Laura keeps the pressure on. She angles slightly | |
| to her left and fires a compact left hook, slamming into Joey�s | |
| left breast and drawing a grunt. | |
| Joey circles out, trying to reset, but Laura isn�t giving her | |
| the space. You wouldn't know that she was the smaller fighter as | |
| she out-muscles Joey pushing her with her mitts and using her | |
| shoulder to control the shocked Princess. | |
| Laura throws an overhand right, aiming to catch Joey high on the | |
| temple � a potential fight-finisher � but Joey reads it. She | |
| ducks under cleanly and counters with a tight left shovel hook | |
| that lands flush just above Laura�s waistband, directly into the | |
| solar plexus. | |
| The effect is immediate as the crushing blow stops Laura in her | |
| tracks. | |
| Laura exhales hard and doubles over slightly, her mouthguard | |
| slipping from her lips and landing on the mat with a soft | |
| bounce. She grimaces trying her best to keep her balance but | |
| drops to one knee, both gloves on the canvas as she struggles to | |
| regain her breath. It�s not a clean knockout � it�s a perfectly | |
| placed punch that shuts down her diaphragm. | |
| The referee steps in and starts the count. | |
| �One� two� three�� | |
| Laura�s corner is on its feet, slapping the canvas and yelling | |
| for her to rise. She�s breathing shallow and fast, her face | |
| tight with pain. But she nods at the ref and pushes herself | |
| upright slowly. | |
| �Eight!� | |
| She�s on her feet. Laura is somehow on her feet. | |
| The referee gives her a close look � eyes steady, gloves raised, | |
| knees stable. After a brief check, the fight is allowed to | |
| continue. | |
| Joey comes forward cautiously, sensing an opportunity to finish, | |
| but Laura adjusts her stance defensively. Joey throws a quick | |
| left jab, but Laura slips it, then catches Joey with a compact | |
| hook to the ribs. The sound is dull and heavy � a clean body | |
| shot. | |
| Joey shifts back, and Laura presses. | |
| She strings together a sharp one-two � the jab catching Joey | |
| high on the nose, the cross landing squarely on her lips. Joey�s | |
| head snaps slightly, but she stays upright. Laura follows with a | |
| short left hook to the body, then a looping right hand over the | |
| top that glances off Joey�s shoulder. | |
| Joey fires back. | |
| She lands a right cross that connects with Laura�s jaw, followed | |
| by a left hook that grazes the cheekbone. Laura counters | |
| instantly � a tight hook to the jaw that lands clean, turning | |
| Joey�s head. Neither woman is backing down now. | |
| They find themselves at close range � inside each other�s reach | |
| � and the exchanges turn brutal. | |
| Joey lands a stiff left-right combo to Laura�s face, then steps | |
| in with an uppercut that drives Laura�s head back. Laura | |
| responds with a quick straight right that snaps Joey�s nose. | |
| Blood sprays lightly from the contact. Joey�s eyes squint, and | |
| her breathing audibly changes. | |
| Her footwork falters for a moment, and she throws a wild left | |
| that Laura ducks easily. | |
| Laura stays compact, arms tucked in tight, legs slightly bent. | |
| Laura pivots to the left, ducks under a right then gets inside, | |
| and fires a clean right hook to Joey�s floating ribs. Joey | |
| winces visibly. | |
| Laura follows up with an uppercut to the chin, then changes | |
| levels with a short, tight punch aimed just below Joey�s belly | |
| button. The shot lands with surgical precision and Laura holds | |
| it for an extra second. | |
| Joey�s reaction is immediate and involuntary. Her knees buckle. | |
| She folds forward, arms dropping, her breathing choked. | |
| And then she sinks down, first to one knee, then both, hands | |
| barely catching her fall. | |
| The referee�s count reaches �Nine�!� and Joey King forces | |
| herself upright. Her shoulders tremble, abdomen fluttering with | |
| shallow, rapid breaths, but her gloves come up and her eyes stay | |
| clear enough to convince the official. He wipes her gloves, | |
| steps aside, and signals them in. | |
| Laura Marano advances immediately, wary but determined. Joey, | |
| sucking air through a bloody mouth-guard, waves her forward in a | |
| defiant come-on gesture that draws a roar from the crowd. Both | |
| corners shout conflicting commands�Laura�s urging a finish, | |
| Joey�s begging for movement�but inside the cage the fighters | |
| listen only to each other�s heartbeat. | |
| They meet at mid-range, neither giving an inch. Laura probes | |
| with a jab that snaps Joey�s head back, then Joey answers with a | |
| right cross that grazes Laura�s cheek. The impact is enough to | |
| remind Laura not to get careless. She changes elevation, feints | |
| a hook upstairs, then digs a short right into Joey�s ribs. The | |
| thud echoes; Joey�s back foot skids half a step, but she | |
| immediately drills a compact left hook into the soft tissue | |
| under Laura�s right breast, drawing a sharp yelp. | |
| For fifteen furious seconds they trade at pocket-knife | |
| distance�shoulders brushing, gloves blurring in tight arcs. | |
| Laura lands a quick four-punch combination: jab-cross, left | |
| uppercut to the sternum, short right to the jaw. Joey soaks it | |
| up and counters with a textbook shoulder roll, whipping a hook | |
| across Laura�s ribs that rattles the brunette�s frame. Both | |
| women�s torsos are blotched with purple bruises; each exhale is | |
| a growl. | |
| Joey�s corner is frantic now. �Back off! Use the clock!� But | |
| pride overrides tactics. Joey plants her lead foot, doubles her | |
| jab, and steps in with a looping right intended for Laura�s | |
| temple. Laura sees the shoulder twitch and slips inside the arc, | |
| rolling under and to Joey�s left. In that half beat of exposure, | |
| she fires a tight uppercut straight into Joey�s right | |
| breast�tucked in deep into the tender underside,. It's sharp, | |
| clean and brutal. Joey�s face contorts; a strangled cry escapes | |
| as she staggers. | |
| Laura presses the advantage, driving a left hook into the body | |
| just above the liver, then repeating it a shade lower. Joey | |
| grits her teeth and returns fire with an overhand right that | |
| clips the crown of Laura�s head, but Laura�s momentum carries | |
| her forward. She digs another right hook into Joey�s ribs, | |
| forcing a deeper bend at the waist. | |
| The crowd senses a turning tide. Laura is punching first and | |
| last in every exchange, and Joey�s counters are a beat late. | |
| Laura keeps her elbows tucked, hips rotating efficiently, | |
| minimizing wasted motion. She works behind short | |
| combinations�two, sometimes three shots�before resetting her | |
| feet to avoid Joey�s return. | |
| One minute remains. The timekeeper�s clap against the ring post | |
| echoes like a starter pistol. | |
| Joey knows she can coast to a decision if she survives, but | |
| survival isn�t in her blood tonight. She hates Laura and | |
| everything she stands for. Joey plants her feet and invites the | |
| firefight. Gloves near her temples, she crowds | |
| Laura and unloads: left hook to the jaw, right hook to the ribs, | |
| left uppercut that barely misses the tip of Laura�s chin. Laura | |
| answers with a textbook cross-hook-cross sequence, finishing | |
| with a rippling right hand that splits Joey�s lip anew. | |
| Sweat and blood mist the air. Their foreheads nearly collide as | |
| they reset. The arena noise fades into a dull roar in Laura�s | |
| ears; her world narrows to a set of bruised ribs, a heaving | |
| chest, and the faint hitch in Joey�s breathing. | |
| Laura dips to her right, torso coiled like a spring. Joey | |
| anticipates a body hook and starts to drop her elbow�but Laura | |
| fires a blistering straight left upstairs, checking Joey�s head | |
| in place. Pop. Joey�s eyes flash. In the same heartbeat, Laura | |
| torques her hips and unleashes a left hook aimed an inch above | |
| Joey�s waistline�the exact location of the liver. | |
| Contact. | |
| Everything in Joey�s frame seizes. Her torso locks, mouth gaping | |
| in silent agony. The crowd�s roar becomes one long gasp. Joey�s | |
| gloves droop, elbows floating nowhere. Laura sees the freeze | |
| and, almost on autopilot, pivots and snaps a compact right hook | |
| that lands flush on the side of Joey�s ear. The equilibrium shot | |
| finishes what the liver punch started. | |
| Joey�s knees unhinge. Her body tilts forward, momentum gone, and | |
| she collapses face-first grabbing onto Laura as she falls | |
| forward. Laura instinctively wraps her arms around Joey but the | |
| dead weight is too heavy and Laura lets go letting Joey's limp | |
| body slide down her chest. Joey hits the canvas face first. The | |
| impact is heavy, final. Laura backs to a neutral corner, leaning | |
| against the ropes, chest pumping like a bellows while the | |
| referee begins the second count of the round. | |
| �ONE� TWO�� | |
| Joey�s fingers claw at the mat, trying to drag herself toward | |
| the nearest strand. | |
| �THREE� FOUR�� | |
| She reaches the lower rope, but her arms shake violently. | |
| �FIVE�� | |
| Joey plants a glove, starts to push�and the limb gives out. She | |
| slips, her full breasts pressing to the canvas once more | |
| mushrooming out nearly breaking free from her top. | |
| �SIX� SEVEN�� | |
| Laura watches, eyes wide, almost unwilling to believe. | |
| �EIGHT� NINE�� | |
| Joey�s corner has gone silent, realization settling in. | |
| �TEN! JOEY IS OUT!� | |
| The referee waves his arms. Knockout victory�Laura Marano. There | |
| are only twenty seconds left on the clock when the bout is | |
| officially halted. | |
| Laura body gives out as she slumps to her knees in equal parts | |
| exhaustion and relief, gloves resting on her thighs. The arena | |
| erupts�half ecstatic, half stunned�while medical staff rush to | |
| Joey, who is now on her back, eyes blinking but consciousness | |
| intact. Laura�s corner floods the cage, lifting her to her feet, | |
| arms around her shoulders. A battered smile splits Laura�s | |
| blood-smeared face as the announcer�s voice booms overhead: | |
| �Ladies and gentlemen, the winner by knockout, at two minutes, | |
| forty seconds of Round Six� LAAAUURA | |
| MARAAANO!� | |
| Post-Fight: After the War: | |
| Laura Marano winced as her gloves were peeled away, each knuckle | |
| aching, her ribs sore with every breath. Sweat clung to her | |
| skin, her top soaked and stained with the aftermath of battle, | |
| and the bruising across her torso already beginning to darken. | |
| Her nose bled slowly, and one eye was starting to swell. But | |
| none of it mattered � not right now. She had done it. She not | |
| only beat Joey, she knocked her out. | |
| She raised a trembling fist to the crowd, who erupted in | |
| response. Her corner team lifted her arms, yelling with pride, | |
| hugging her tightly despite her obvious pain. Laura smiled | |
| through the exhaustion, tears of relief forming in her eyes. She | |
| could barely stand straight, but she walked around the ring | |
| slowly, hand over her heart, thanking her fans. | |
| She had been down. Beaten to the point of blacking out. But she | |
| never quit. Giving in was never part of the equation for Laura. | |
| Across the cage, Joey King sat on her stool, head bowed, chest | |
| rising and falling as she tried to slow her breathing. Her body | |
| hurt everywhere � the liver shot still throbbed like an open | |
| wound, and her ear rang from the final hook that floored her. | |
| Her team knelt beside her, trying to console her, but she barely | |
| responded as she tried to focus with her one good eye. The pain | |
| wasn�t just physical. | |
| She knew. She had the fight won. She could feel it in the | |
| rhythm, in the corner�s confidence between rounds. She was | |
| twenty seconds from victory. But she�d stood her ground and | |
| traded. Pride had taken the wheel � and now she was staring at | |
| the canvas, listening to the crowd cheer for Laura. | |
| Eventually, she looked up. Across the cage, Laura caught her | |
| gaze and gave a solemn nod. A mutual respect. A silent | |
| acknowledgment of a fight that neither would forget. | |
| Joey looked down again, shaking her head softly. It had been | |
| hers � and in her mind she let it slip. | |
| Inside the Locker Room � Laura Marano Interview | |
| The scene inside Laura Marano�s locker room was equal parts | |
| chaos and recovery. Trainers hovered around her, checking her | |
| ribs, wiping blood from her nose, and dabbing a swollen eye with | |
| an ice pack. Laura sat hunched forward on a bench, arms draped | |
| over her thighs, a towel over her shoulders, her chest still | |
| rising and falling from the war she'd just survived. | |
| The door swung open. The interviewer stepped in�camera crew | |
| behind her�and didn�t waste any time. | |
| Interviewer: �Laura, congratulations on the win. But let�s be | |
| honest�you were losing. Badly. Did you really think you were | |
| coming back? Because from the outside, it didn�t look good as | |
| Joey seemed to have your number tonight.� | |
| Laura blinked, clearly still in pain, but leaned forward and met | |
| the question head-on. | |
| Laura: �Did I think I was coming back? I knew I wasn�t done. | |
| That�s the difference. You don�t stop believing in yourself just | |
| because you�re down. You fight. You drag yourself up and you | |
| keep fighting.� | |
| Interviewer: �But Joey was dominating. A lot of people had her | |
| ahead, way ahead and basically all she had to do was keep out of | |
| range and the fight was hers. Who won this fight in your eyes? | |
| Was it you�or Joey?� | |
| Laura�s nostrils flared. The towel slipped off her shoulder. | |
| Laura: �Well you know what? I won. You saw it. She was on the | |
| canvas. Face down. Not moving. I knocked her out. What more do | |
| you want?� | |
| Interviewer: �Were you surprised you got her to brawl with you? | |
| All she had to do was stay clear and she would�ve walked out | |
| with the win.� | |
| Laura (cutting in): �I didn�t sucker Joey into anything. This is | |
| a f^cking boxing match. You don�t run away, you stand and fight. | |
| That�s what we�re here to do and to be honest I give her credit. | |
| She could have been a puzzy and danced away and would have had | |
| to live with it but she put her gloves up and the better woman | |
| won.� | |
| Interviewer: �But she had the fight. She had you beat�� | |
| Laura (furious now): �Listen. It was a close fight and I won. I | |
| knocked that smug little grin off her lips. Knocked her the | |
| b!tch out. I won. Now drop it. She didn�t win. She got dropped | |
| and stayed down. That�s what happened.� | |
| Interviewer: �Would you give her a rematch?� | |
| Laura: �Hell yes. We�ve met in the ring twice. I�ll make it | |
| three in a row anytime she wants it.� | |
| Interviewer: �You�re headed to the finals now. Are you | |
| physically ready for another six-round war?� | |
| Laura stood slowly, wincing but proud. She peeled the ice pack | |
| from her eye and stared straight into the lens. | |
| Laura: �I�ve been in worse shape than this and fought better | |
| fighters. I�ll be just fine. Trust me, I'll be fine!� | |
| She took a breath, then added coldly: | |
| Laura: �Now leave me alone� unless you�ve got any more stupid | |
| questions.� | |
| And with that, she turned her back, her team moving in to finish | |
| the job of putting their champion back together. | |
| Inside Joey King�s Locker Room � Post-Fight Interview | |
| The mood in Joey King�s locker room was a sharp contrast to the | |
| victorious energy across the hall. Quiet, heavy, and raw. Joey | |
| sat hunched on a stool, a towel draped over her shoulders, head | |
| down, her face swollen and flushed with both effort and | |
| heartbreak. Her chest rose and fell slowly, each breath a | |
| reminder of what had just happened. | |
| A cutwoman gently dabbed at her busted lip. Another trainer | |
| wrapped ice in a towel and pressed it to her ribs. Around her, | |
| teammates murmured words of comfort, but nothing could reach her | |
| right now. She wasn�t just in pain�she was consumed by it. | |
| The interviewer entered slowly, the cameraman hesitant. Joey | |
| didn�t look up. | |
| Interviewer: �Joey� tough loss tonight. You had the fight on | |
| points. You were ahead. Why did you stand toe-to-toe with Laura | |
| when you didn�t need to?� | |
| Joey looked up slowly, her eyes red and glassy. She wasn�t | |
| crying, but she was damn close. | |
| Joey: �Listen� I hate Laura. Everybody knows that. If I ran from | |
| her? If I coasted through the final minute? She�d be on social | |
| media before the sweat dried calling me a puzzy. And I�m not a | |
| puzzy.� | |
| She spat into a bucket beside her, wincing as the pain in her | |
| ribs reminded her what standing her ground had cost. | |
| Interviewer: �She went after your chest hard. That seemed to | |
| really set you off. Was that deliberate on her part?� | |
| Joey gave a bitter, dry laugh. | |
| Joey: �What do you think? Of course it was. Laura loves working | |
| the breasts. We all remember what she did to Olivia Rodrigo. | |
| That was one of the worst breast beatings in history. So yeah� I | |
| knew she was gonna go there. I just wasn�t ready for how bad it | |
| would hurt.� | |
| Interviewer: �But did it break your composure?� | |
| Joey�s eyes darkened, jaw tight. | |
| Joey: �Of course it did. It pissed me off. That�s what she | |
| wanted. She wanted me angry. And I gave it to her.� | |
| Interviewer: �Final sequence. Was it the liver shot or the hook | |
| to the belly that ended it?� | |
| She leaned back slightly, letting the ice rest on her ribs as | |
| she thought about it. Her voice dropped, almost a whisper. | |
| Joey: �Both of us were hurting�bad. But that last shot? It was | |
| borderline. Close to a low blow, but probably legal. She caught | |
| me wide open and buried it. I mean� it was like my body shut | |
| off. I wanted to get up. I really did. I tried. I gave it | |
| everything I had but I couldn�t get my legs under me. My hands | |
| wouldn�t grip the ropes. It was over.� | |
| She paused. Her voice crackkeed just slightly. | |
| Joey: �She won. Yeah. She won. I let it slip away. And I�ll live | |
| with that until the day we meet again.� | |
| Interviewer: �If you meet again will you change your strategy | |
| and maybe keep from going toe to toe with on of the fiercest | |
| brawlers in the UCC?� | |
| Joey: �Listen, I hate the b!tches guts but I know who she is and | |
| how she fights. She is tough as they come and everyone in the | |
| UCC knows that to beat Laura you have to knock her clean out. If | |
| you don't she's getting back up and coming straight at you. I | |
| thought I had her a couple of times, probably should have won | |
| especially in the fifth when the count slowed down but that's on | |
| me. I had her in trouble and let her off. Next time we meet this | |
| isn't happening and that isn't a threat, it's a promise.� | |
| Joey pulled the towel over her face and slumped forward. Her | |
| trainer stepped between her and the camera. | |
| Trainer: �That�s enough. Everybody OUT!� | |
| The interviewer nodded quietly and stepped back. The door closed | |
| behind them as the room faded into silence, the only sound | |
| Joey�s quiet breathing beneath the towel, carrying the weight of | |
| a fight that was hers�until it wasn�t. | |
| Written by the Badass Barbies | |
| ***************************************************** |