So, a few weeks back, I finally caught up on a B.A.B.E.-related fan story revolving around former UK champ, Penelope Primrose. I was really taken with how this story unfolded! The author of these stories goes by the DeviantArt handle of thegeorgiapeach. Over the years, I’ve enjoyed his post-match analysis of B.A.B.E. matches very much. But the perils of Penelope he’s published are a different beast.
Without detracting from the current B.A.B.E. storylines and keeping true to (and in some cases building up) the personalities of B.A.B.E. fighters, this story presented an outsider (UK) view of what was going on with the league. These stories helped make my own fictional world seem more real to me! In fact, as far as I’m concerned, these stories are canon to my own stories.
This doesn’t usually happen but I was so into this storyline, that I actually wanted to help bring some of it to life. And with the author’s permission, I will be re-publishing these stories to the B.A.B.E. blog.
So, in the coming weeks, you can tune in here for the stories with some associated images. (Not everything will have images… just the action-oriented stuff! And, please, visit thegeorgiapeach ‘s DA page for his stories and analysis. It’ll be worth your time!
First up, Chapter 1. Story by thegeorgiapeach and art by cpunch . (Please note, this story takes place during the first B.A.B.E. Championship Tournament. Some of the images here have been previously published. Click the highlighted links below for refreshers as you go along.)
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Babe Championship Tournament Quarterfinal #2: Penelope Primrose vs Ivanna Payne . . . Another Perspective
“ . . . And we welcome all you viewers back from the break, and those just joining us here for the final bout of Friday’s Foxy Fighting here on the UK leader in women’s combat sport’s the B.S.N, British Sports Network. And we have a special broadcast for you tonight, as many of you of course know, which is why you are tuned in tonight. Live from America it will be former UK Foxy Boxing Champion Penelope Primrose in action in the new American Foxy Boxing league Beautiful Angels of Boxing Entertainment – appropriately known as B.A.B.E., and created by retired American superstar Rocky Balboa. To crown their first champion B.A.B.E has brought together eight of the most accomplished Foxy Boxers in the world. Together they have been put in a tournament in which the last women standing will be crowned the first B.A.B.E champion. Of course, it is no surprise that former UK champ Penelope Primrose was selected as one of the combatives – for having left UK Foxy Boxing and crossing the pond she has met with some success. So tonight, after receiving special permission from Balboa herself, we will be able to show Penelope’s first fight live to her adoring audience. Tonight she will be taking on former American Foxy Boxing champion Ivanna Payne in the 2nd Quarterfinal match-up. So without further adieu let’s send it over to our esteemed broadcast duo Giles Watts and Missy Eddington, with special guest Rose McKenna, to call this much anticipated bout . . .”
“Thank you David, and it does feel quite splendid to be sitting here calling another Penelope Primrose bout – for we, as I am sure goes for many fans out there, have missed seeing the popular Ms. Primrose in action here in the UK. And while we aren’t at ringside, and will be calling this match from studio, it is ever so exciting to be bringing this bout to you live. I am joined of course by Missy Eddington, no stranger to Foxy Boxing, and as mentioned Rose McKenna, a young fighter making waves here in UK boxing. Rose, glad you could be here tonight. Missy, what can we expect tonight?”
“Well, we are all too familiar with Penelope from her time here in the UK as champion, and having lost to Penelope during the dying embers of my own career, I know all too well the quickness and movement that has been the hallmark of her career. She is not the biggest puncher, but will wear you down over time and can be hard to hit when moving well. She is extremely confidant in her abilities . . .”
“Though Missy, we have seen cracks in Penelope’s vaunted aura recently, especially on this side of the pond. Rayne and Mace didn’t find her hard to hit now did they? Maybe why she slithered off to America – we had all started to figure her out here in UK Boxing.”
“Possibly Rose, but she is accomplished – and will no doubt make some noise in this B.A.B.E. tournament. As I was saying, she knows she is good and that confidence will help . . .”
“ . . .help her walk straight into another slaughter! The only noise she’ll make is the thud of the canvas when Ivanna Payne is finished with her.”
“Sounds as though you are not so endeared with the skills of Penelope as I, but I have been in the ring with her so I know how formidable she can be . . .”
“All due respect Missy, you were a fat has been by the time Penelope fought you . . .”
“I beg your pardon . . .”
“You know it Missy, and those are the type of fights Penelope always got here in the UK, easy bouts to feed her hype. Give her someone tough and she crumbles.”
“Jealous much Rose?! You’re the same age as Penelope and haven’t done near as much.”
“Yet! Penelope has never wanted to fight me! She has always avoided me”
“See here now girls, no fighting in the booth. Let’s leave the fighting to Penelope and Ivanna Payne, who are both now in the ring. It is interesting to note, Penelope has been on record as saying ‘I’ve faced scarier women than Ivanna back in the UK. She’s no different than all the others.” Curious words for someone who lost to the two ‘scariest’ women she has faced. We shall see, but Payne, as her name suggests, is no mere pussy-cat in the ring. She is the one who ended the career of the legendary Liberty Lane if you remember. Missy.”
“True Giles, she brutalized Liberty in that fight. Penelope should be ready for this fight, and I look forward to seeing how Penelope looks, it has been awhile since we called a Primrose fight.”
“This is the second fight in this tournament. A young Asian fighter Jade something-or-other defeated Sonya Redding by 2nd round knockout in the first fight. We look ready in the ring . . . And here are the introductions . . .”
“Ladies and gentlemen… welcome to tonight’s Main Event: the 2nd Quarter-Final for the B.A.B.E. Championship Belt! First, fighting out of the red corner, from Boston, MA… former Foxy Boxing Champion, IVANNA PAYNE!!”
“Rose, what do you think?”
“She looks strong. Not as big as Rayne or Mace, who gave Penelope trouble, but she is sinewy and long. Looks to be in good shape. She is the older of the two, but looks in fine form.”
“And her opponent tonight, fighting out of the blue corner… hailing from London, England… the former UK Foxy Boxing Champion, PENELOPE PRIMROSE!!”
“Nice seeing Penelope has kept the same colors. Still wearing the Union Jack proud. Missy?”
“The crowd sure loves her. And why not, she is a true champion. She looks ready to go – confidant . . .”
“Really Missy? I have been climbing through the ranks with Penelope and she doesn’t look that good to me. American cuisine seems to agree with her, or is it the pints she enjoys so much?”
“Missy, I may have to agree with Rose. She does not look as defined or tight as I remember her.”
“Well, Payne is big. I can see Penelope having to go up in weight to combat Payne’s advantage there. I assume Penelope knows what she is doing . . .”
“Doesn’t look like good weight – just soft. Her arms look thin . . .”
“She’s never been a big puncher – she counters – should be a good contrast in styles – Penelope has been around.”
“They’ve finished receiving instructions . . . Payne does look the taller of the two fighters . . . Looks like we’re ready! . . . And there’s the bell for Round 1 . . . Both fighter’s just circling to start. Penelope starting in a southpaw stance – bouncing around . . . “
“Payne is a stalking fighter. She really wants to cut off the ring it looks like. Make it small . . .”
“Not sure that is what Penelope wants . . . and there’s the first real action of the fight as Penelope lands a couple of quick jabs.”
“Not much of an effect on Payne – she continues to move in . . .”
“And Penelope lands a nice right hand to Payne’s jaw as Payne was coming in . . . Penelope bounces away. Payne regroups – shakes her head as if to say “I didn’t feel that.’ Penelope continues to circle left – Payne giving chase . . .”
“Giles, in my fight with Penelope, she did this to me too . . . kept circling and jabbing, making me chase. Looks like Payne is falling into that. Payne is not throwing much because she can’t close the gap . . .”
“ . . .Penelope still moving, pawing with her jab . . . Can this frustrate an opponent? Rose?”
“It can if she keeps on her horse. I am not sure Penelope can though. Payne looks to be timing the movement – she doesn’t seem worried about any of the offerings of Penelope.”
“Well she should be after Penelope just caught her with a couple more jabs . . . and follows it up with a couple of nice rights to the body of Payne as Payne lumbered in to respond . . . and another nice body shot by Penelope . . . she is looking good early. Moving well . . . Payne may tire if she keeps chasing Penelope and taking those body shots . . . good round going for the former UK champ here . . .”
“Giles, Penelope does want to be careful that she doesn’t get lazy with her jab – she is kind of just flicking it out there – Payne has the reach on her so if she is not popping it and moving she could get countered . . .”
“Good point Missy . . . Penelope’s circling is slowing down a bit – as she starts following her flicking jab with some body shots . . . Payne still stalking . . . Payne is just half throwing a lot of punches, trying to time Penelope’s movement . . . Penelope flicks a jab and Payne with a quick counter right right onto Penelope’s jaw and back stumbles Penelope . . . there it was Missy, a lazy jab and Penelope was caught flat footed . . . Payne now moving in swinging for Penelope’s head . . . Penelope backing up, that shot dazed her . . . and there is the bell. Well, Missy? Rose? A late flurry from Payne, was it enough to steal the round?”
“I don’t think so Giles. Penelope controlled that round from the start . . . the pacing, the movement. She is controlling the tempo. She got complacent at the end, started looking to get more power shots to Payne’s body – something she didn’t do against Mace when she lost.”
“I agree with Missy, Penelope took that round, but that late shot from Payne hurt. I am not sure Missy if Penelope is getting complacent, or if she is slowing down. She may not be able to keep the pace she set off with – not in her current shape.”
“So Rose, you really think Penelope is not in good enough shape to keep that movement up?”
“No, I don’t. I don’t think she is in top shape, and I don’t think Payne is the fighter you get into a fight with when you are not in top shape.”
“Missy?”
“She looks focused in the corner. She should be OK – she just has to match her head movement with her side to side . . .”
“So Round 1 looks to have gone to former UK champ Penelope over former American champ Payne . . . And there is the bell for Round 2 . . . Penelope comes out circling again, Payne chasing, not much . . .”
“She is only circling left Giles, could be dangerous if she doesn’t mix it up . . . Payne upping her tempo a bit . . .”
“Penelope paws with her right, steps left . . . ooh, a thundering right cross by Payne catches Penelope, Penelope staggers back . . .”
“Lazy again Giles, Penelope didn’t look like she was prepared for that, no defense . . . “
“And Payne lands another right . . . Penelope is now staggering right, she looks hurt. This fight has turned in a hurry . . . Left, another right . . . Penelope tries to clasp onto Payne to slow her down . . . Payne pushes her off. Penelope can’t get her defenses up . . .”
“She is trying to defend with her flimsy jabs . . . Payne walking right through it . . . Penelope is not moving her head . . .”
“You’re right Missy. Payne continues to stalk, again Penelope goes left – she can’t seem to change it up – Penelope tries to push Payne off her . . . a solid hook to the body of Penelope . . .”
“She felt that!”
“And another right to Penelope’s belly . . . and a left . . . Penelope trying to protect but Payne is bullying right over her. Great strength by Payne . . . another solid right below Penelope’s ribs . . .”
“Looks as though Payne has found the soft spot in Penelope . . . going right after her tummy! Penelope is wilting . . .”
“You are right Rose, Penelope is fading under this assault . . . her defenses are crumbling . . . Penelope is fading . . . gasping for air . . . another shot to the body finds it mark . . . Penelope is driven into the ropes . . . Penelope trying to get her bearings . . . tries to slide away, Payne keeps her on the ropes . . . Penelope has to do something . . . Penelope is staggering, she is caught in the ropes . . . Penelope is bent over, protecting her tender mid-section from Payne’s . . . ooh, a left hook blasts Penelope back into the ropes . . .”
“The rope kept her up . . . surely she was going down . . .and the bell . . .”
“Wow, Penelope gets a reprieve, the bell sounds . . . stunning turnaround here folks. Penelope Primrose has . . . been . . . I can’t believe it . . .”
“Why not Giles . . . it is Mace and Rayne all over again!”
“Yeah, but . . . just can’t get used to seeing Penelope dominated like that . . . again. Missy, you’ve been quiet . . .”
“Stunning Giles. We have such hope for Penelope . . . she gets to these big fights now and . . .”
“You can say it Missy, she came to this fight out of shape and she is paying for it!?
“Hate to say it, but you may be right Rose. This isn’t the Penelope that beat me 2 years ago . . . where is the speed . . . she was moving early, but she isn’t moving her head . . flat-footed . . . she seems lost in there when the going gets tough . . . stunned!”
“Penelope is slumped down in the corner massaging her belly, head bowed . . . she is hurting. Those body shots hurt Penelope, you could hear the pained grunts puffing out of her. Not sure she can recover in a minute. Such a proud fighter . . .”
“An arrogant fighter if you ask me . . . she coasted on her talents for so longer, not sure she ever got the work ethic down, and now she is paying for it in these big fights . . . no power, and she is slowing down already . . .”
“Clearly many more questions will be asked of Penelope going forward if she can’t turn this fight around in Round 3. Can Penelope survive and regroup?”
“No! Payne’s assault on her soft mid-section took care of that . . .”
“Hate to say it, but I agree with Rose . . . Penelope needs to dance and move, bide time, but her legs are gone . . .”
“And there is the bell . . . Penelope comes out still on unsteady legs . . . was that a smirk on Payne’s face I just saw . . .”
“Not as big as mine though Giles . . . uh-oh . . .”
“ . . . Penelope misses with a wide left, Payne ducks . . . ooh . . .”
“Oooh!”
“A devastating uppercut by Payne . . . Penelope staggers . . . she looks out . . .
Payne leaps forward . . . right hook . . .
Penelope is down . . she is out . . . Penelope Primrose has been knocked out by Ivanna Payne seconds into the 3rd round . . .!!”
“She is not moving . . .!!”
“Penelope Primrose, former UK champion has been knocked out in the 3rd round . . . a devastating finishing combo by Payne . . . Penelope is flat on the canvas and out – the count meaningless . . .”
“Giles, Penelope has been exposed for the fighter she has become – outclassed in every way . . . Missy, it is a sight we are getting used to now – Penelope flat out on her back . . .”
“Not what I thought would become of this fighter. Disturbing . . . that was a devastating finish . . .”
“Well, ladies and gentlemen – that is it . . .”
“Ladies and gentlemen… your winner tonight, by knockout in the 3rd round… and advancing to the semi-finals for the B.A.B.E. Championship Belt… former Foxy Boxing champion, IVANNA PAYNE!!”
“The fans are booing . . . but Payne dominated tonight . . . “
“I’d be booing Penelope after that performance not Payne.”
“Well, not what we hoped for. Penelope is one and done in the B.A.B.E tournament. Stunning finality to this bout tonight. Penelope is being tended to . . . there’ll be some recovery for sure. Missy, Rose, some final thoughts . . “
“Penelope is certainly at a crossroads in her career. She lost the title here, went to America, found some success but again failed on the big stage. She needs to figure out her next step – for her to be at her best she has to use her speed and movement – but she was . . . I don’t know, slow, distracted, sluggish . . . she is still young so it is too soon to count her out, but she can’t keep resting on talent alone.”
“Rose . . .”
“I know I want to get in the ring with her more than ever, that’s for sure! You know, as we came up together in the boxing ranks she was always pegged as the best – but she was never the hardest worker. I think you are seeing it now – as she gets older she has to work harder – I’ve always thought she was a good boxer but overrated. If you hit her you hurt her, and you saw that with Mace, you saw that with Rayne, and you saw it tonight.”
“Well, Missy, surely not the Sweet Penny we’ve been accustomed to seeing. Still too young to be finished, but certainly her star has been tarnished here again tonight. Rose, thanks for joining us today, and continued best of luck in your own negotiations with B.A.B.E.”
“Thanks Giles! And Missy, we can spar any time you want . . . can you still get into your ring attire?”
“Why you . . .”
“David back to you, quick . . .”
“Hmm, some late fun in the booth – Rose better watch her mouth, Missy may not be as lithe as she once was, but she can still pack a wallop. Disappointing result for many of us. Penelope Primrose, pride of the UK, dispatched rather easily in a mere 2 plus rounds. We will surely keep abreast of Ms. Primrose’s condition and her trials and tribulations abroad, and we thank you for joining us tonight.”
High above ringside in a luxury suite Raquel Balboa was not happy with what she had just seen.
“What the hell was that?!” Raquel muttered frustratingly to the only other person in the suite, her close friend and mentor Liberty Lane. “How do you come into a match with Ivanna Payne in that kind of shape? What has she been doing since her fight with Pepper? And yes . . . I know about her appetite for grabbing a drink, or ‘pints’ as she calls them, but that shouldn’t matter to a fighter at her level . . . did she do any training . . . what . . .”
Liberty stayed silent as Raquel’s words sputtered out. She knew Raquel was feeling the pressure in making her dream a reality. The B.A.B.E Championship tournament is what Raquel is counting on as the launching pad for B.A.B.E to catch the eye of the public and take Foxy Boxing to the next level. And Raquel had just watched two of her crowd favorites get clobbered in the first two bouts of that tournament. Liberty thought hard for the right words to soothe Raquel’s ruffled feathers.
Liberty began slowly, “Well you still have Lana, and . . . that Jade Fist showed she might have the goods.”
“Mmm . . . Jade. We don’t really know much about her. Not very charismatic that one. And the rest – Rayne, Payne, Vanity – you know them, quite insufferable. Lana and Shani. Our hopes rest with one of them. Not sure they are up to stopping the likes of Rayne or Payne.” Rocky was still pacing the suite, exasperation in her movements.
Liberty continued, “Sit down already and relax Rock, your pacing is getting me worked up. Despite what we think of some of those girls, they are amongst the biggest names in the business. People will still be drawn to that. I am sure there will be some positive fireworks before this thing plays out.”
Rocky slumped into the sofa with a sigh, “I knew I should have waited on this tournament; waited until Ashley was ready . . . Christ, Sonya and Penelope looked bad!”
“The fact you were able to sign Ashley is huge. She’ll be on your bout cards soon enough. Let’s wait and see.”
“I know you probably right Libs, it’s just frustrating to see these girls get such a big chance and then not show up prepared. Penelope said she was good to go . . . ugh . . . I need a drink! Remind me to call Penelope in for a chat when she wakes up! That’ll be next week from the looks of it.
To be continued…
B.A.B.E. 