The Fallout from Virani’s Knockout is on display
The stricken Zoey is able to get to her feet with some assistance. She’s disorientated and disappointed, but is quickly cleared by the ringside doctors. Once the doctor completes the checkup, there’s a moment between Zoey and her boyfriend Brad.
Brad: “You okay?”
Zoey: “Yeah, I think.”
Brad: “We always knew this could happen. This was the risk.”
Zoey: “Yeah. Her power is crazy. Never felt anything like it.”
Brad: “I have to ask why you didn’t get up. No judgement.”
Zoey: “I was out, Brad.”
Brad: “Oh, okay. It didn’t look like it though.”
Zoey thinks: We’re going to have a talk about this, but not right here.”
On the other side of the ring, it’s a happy coach and fighter celebration, a first win for the pairing of Sandra Blohm and Virani MacVicar. They exchange a high five.
Virani: “How’d I do?”
Sandra: “Good finish, good performance. I’d say that was a solid ‘B'”
Virani: “A ‘B?’ I’m usually a straight ‘A’ student.”
Sandra: “I’m not unhappy about the performance. But it wasn’t above expectations.”
Virani: “You’re a tough teacher.”
Sandra: “I get results.”
Official Result
It’s time for the official particulars. Zoey is recovered enough that she can participate in the ceremony, but not in the way she was probably envisioning earlier.
Ring Announcer: “Ladies and gentlemen, this bout comes to a dramatic close just 54 seconds into the fourth round as referee Tina Twellman has stopped the contest, declaring the winner, by way of KNOCKOUT, ‘The Canadian Cobra’ Virani MacVicar!”
Virani collects her 12th pro win and 11th professional knockout. Zoey’s record now drops to 5-1.
Laila: “This is the result we expected from the Canadian Cobra. The question is not if she can beat fighters of this quality, but if she can compete against the top lights of the division. That being said, she clearly remains a dangerous fighter to take on. That power is special.”
Getting a short moment, Virani seeks out her defeated foe for a quick talk
Virani: “Hey. How are you feeling?”
Zoey: “Like I went four rounds with a Cobra. And didn’t win.”
Virani: “Hey, you lasted longer than some.”
Zoey: “I was no match for you.”
Virani: “Yeah. Look. You have some skills, but without any power you won’t go far in the pro game. I think it would be best if you stick with the amateurs. It’s a tough world out there for a fighter like you in the pros.”
Zoey: “Thanks, but I’m going to try to follow your footsteps. You didn’t give up when you lost to Kayleigh, so nor will I.”
Virani: “I love that attitude. May I suggest a different trainer, though? Sometimes a change of perspective can open new avenues.
Zoey: “I’ll certainly think about it.”
Virani: “Okay. I’ve got to do my interview, but wait for me after the fight. I have something for you.”
Virani is beckoned over by Laila Ali for an interview, which the winner happily grants.
Laila: “Virani MacVicar, it’s been a while since we’ve had a winner’s interview with you, it feels.”
Virani: “Just October 2020, but who is counting.”
Laila: “This was a fight you were expected to win, but it was not the easiest opponent, was it?”
Virani: “Zoey is no mug. She has real skills and a decent chin. She doesn’t really have the tools to excel in the professional ranks, but she was absolutely here to win and compete.”
Laila: “You seemed to be completely ignoring her as an offensive threat for the last few rounds, was that a tactic that you had considered coming into the fight?”
Virani: “We know that Zoey wasn’t likely to be a hard puncher, but once I felt her power in the first round, I felt quite comfortable that I could take her best shots. I didn’t think she could take mine.”
Laila: “And like usual, you got the finish. This time with the right hand.”
Virani: “I’ve got power in both hands. People just talk about the left hook, but I’m not just a one-punch girl. I’ll be happy to serve it to you with either hand.”
Laila: “What’s next for the Canadian Cobra?”
Virani glances significantly over at her new coach.
Virani: “This is a time to rebuild and I’m doing it the right way. I will reach the top, but right now, I’m listening to the advice of my coaches. They’ll let me know what’s next.”
Laila: “Well, we look forward to seeing you!”
Victory pose
A successful night in the ring is not just the culmination of one night, but of many weeks of work. To celebrate, they find a friendly photographer and strike a pose. The crowd gets one more chance to salute the victors.
Social Media Reacts
Virani’s tweet
Zoey Whittaker didn’t leave the building empty handed though…
Is Zoey just a stepping stone or will she be back? She could be an interesting challenger in the future. Maybe she should fight Prisha!
I wouldn’t mind seeing a Zoey vs Sonia bout myself.
There’s nothing like getting a chance to meet your idol, engage with them, and then be congratulated by them. Zoey even got the best possible souvenir to boot.
Got everything including a concussion from her idol!
“Why didn’t you get up? It didn’t look like it.” Nope. Brad, you are done. You are DONE. Personal relationship or not, that sounds like a firing waiting to happen for any trainer. The lack of ring awareness and most likely never getting punched before, I think Zoey has a better chance managing herself than letting her boyfriend do it. At least Zoey got some autographed gloves out of the deal, I imagine Zoey will actually wear Virani’s gloves for a future fight and further increase the value on them. When Virani said October 2020 and I looked back on the current date, darn a lot of time has passed. It is to see her win again and hopefully she continues her path to getting on top again. Whether a certain Empress or Kayleigh will be up there when she gets to that part of the rebuild, only time and destiny will tell.
It appears that Brad doesn’t fully connect with reality. Zoey was genuinely out, and thinking that she didn’t get up due to lack of courage is a little unrealistic.
Sandra is pretty tough with that grade 😆 but I guess she has a point. Had Virani finished the job inside a round or two, “above expectations” could have applied. What matters for Virani is that she got what was needed. A knockout to say “I bounced back”.
A big number is that out of 12 wins, 11 came by knockout. It says clearly what happens if her hands make contact with you when you’re in the ring. Who wants some? 😅
Zoey must reflect on her future. While range and technique can win fights, the ability to give true pain is essential to succeed in this sport.
Perhaps the biggest change we can notice here is in Virani’s approach to matchmaking, when answering the “what’s next” question:
Last but not least, the gift at the end is nice. If you have a slightly devious mind, though, it can be amusing to think “here are the gloves I used to put you to sleep” 😆
Brad seems to be clueless at best, and slightly malicious at best. He doesn’t seem to quite grasp the implications of what his role in this has been.
Sandra is tough. An ‘A’ Grade would have been a win a bit earlier I think, without the slight misstep in the first round. A ‘B’ Grade is fair. You can almost tell that Virani has a desire to see what would get an ‘A’ grade out out of his coach.
Virani defers to her coach in the postfight, which is an act of humility we haven’t seen recently. But it shows the respect that she has for this coach, who has given Emma a big win as well. In the past Virani has called for big fights, but here, she seems to be committed to the rebuild.
The last scene is sweet, if you don’t think about it too hard :D. Just think of it as Virani giving Zoey some free pillows 😀
Good advice, a friendly hug, and a worthwhile souvenir? Talk about something that will go down in history! That said, I look forward to seeing Virani build herself back up one piece at a time. And hopefully, get another chance to take Kayliegh down once and for all!