The Lynx and the Duchess - Alena Stepanova vs. Keiko Yamamura

[CaptainL]

Keiko's shift to wrestling had helped her in this match. Not only had it given her the opportunity to innovate her style and adapt with new techniques, but when she was up against a fellow MMA veteran - and one who had remained more of a traditionalist when it came to her in-ring approach - she had thrown Alena a curveball that she couldn't possibly keep up with! Alena's BJJ training had taught her plenty about counters and exploiting her opponents' positioning and momentum. But she had never seen a move like this before - and she had no idea what to do about it!

Still, as she grit her teeth and hissed against the pressure, Alena reminded herself that she wouldn't let it get to her. Keiko might have been clever, but she was stubborn - and if she had been thrown for a loop, she would just have to find her way out herself! Alena knew enough about leverage and the ways the human body could bend, and she could figure out a counter if she had to. Getting her feet pressed against her opponent's back, she was able to exert some force, slowly but surely pushing herself away from Keiko!

A smirk came to Alena's face at the thought of her success. But that couldn't last forever. Both girls were trying to think ahead, anticipating what each of them would do next, and trying to have a counter ready at every turn. Keiko too could adapt to the shifting tides - and she proceeded to drop Alena downward flat on her face! The Russian landed with a thump, her arms falling slack at her sides as the canvas shook beneath her - and while she was reeling from the landing, Keiko had the perfect opportunity to swing a powerful downward kick straight into her spine!

"GAH-!!" Crying out in pain, Alena jumped into the air as her body was rocked by the impact. Keiko's blow had landed with a crack, and even some of the fans could only wince at the thought! Rolling over onto her side, the grappler reached behind her to rub at her back, trying to dull the aches and pains. When she looked back up at Keiko, her face was contorted in a wince, her teeth clenched and her eye squeezed shut. But she kept her eyes locked on her foe nonetheless - she had no intentions of giving up now! Swinging her leg forward, Alena would attempt to throw it around one of Keiko's ankles to try and sweep it out from under her, and trip her up. If she was going to go down, Keiko would go down with her!

[Bare]

Keiko had full momentum mode right now against Alena. Finally managing to do some damage against the Russian heiress and she wasn't going to let up anytime soon if she could help it. Thanks to the success of her submission hold, even when forced to release it she managed to turn it into something advantageous for her. Better yet though was that with Alena in the position she was in it made for a perfect opportunity for Keiko to lift her leg up and bring it down hard on the woman's back!

Smiling at this Keiko was about to further her offense until her feet were suddenly swept out from under her and she was sent crashing down to the mat with a soft groan of pain. Refusing to have her streak of offense stopped so easily however. Pushing herself up on her hands she would try and scoot towards Alena, swinging her legs around and trying to wrap them around Alena's head, pulling her legs in to squeeze while lifting herself up on her hands for a elevated head scissors!

Spoiler

[CaptainL]

Alena had managed to brace herself against Keiko, and there she thought she was going to break free of the middleweight's grasp. As she felt the balance between them start to teeter until Keiko finally let go, a grin crossed her face - she was back in the game, she told herself! But Keiko wouldn't give her a moment to so much as catch her breath before she came back in swinging - in this case, delivering a powerful axe kick straight across Alena's back! At once, a loud crack rang out, and Alena's whole body was rocked from the impact, leaving her spasming on the ground!

Alena could still feel the ache from where Keiko's kick had struck her, leaving a sore sensation in her back. But she just grit her teeth to bear with it - she couldn't slow down now! As she rolled herself over onto her back, Alena had her mind set on keeping up her momentum and bringing the fight to her foe. She'd demonstrate as much when, fighting through the pain, she would grab Keiko's ankle in the crook of her leg and pull her off balance!

A smile came to Alena's face at the sight of Keiko dropping down, only for that to soon be swallowed up by another shudder as another throbbing ache came through her back. And Keiko was far from done, too. Even if Alena had taken her down, she could adjust! Just as quickly, she managed to throw her leg around Alena's head and push herself up onto the palm of her hand, contorting her legs into a vise to put the pressure on her opponent's skull! The moment she felt the squeezing sensation come down around her, Alena's face twisted into a pained scowl. She huffed and groaned; every breath was short, sharp, and hoarse. The crowd was cheering for Keiko's daring and dynamic move - it was as much a statement of her technical prowess as much as it was an effort to do damage! But no matter how hard it got, Alena still grit her teeth and held herself firm. She wouldn't be stopped so easily!

"R-Rrrgh..!!" Planting one hand against the mat to hold herself up higher, Alena balled the other into a fist - and she began to swing it against Keiko's shin and thigh, trying to force her to let go!

[Bare]

Keiko was firmly in the drivers seat right now. Having landed multiple big bursts of offense on the woman throughout the course of these last few minutes Keiko was fully intent on furthering her advantage even more. Particularly by bringing the Duchess of the Octagon back down right along with her despite having been felled herself.

Now from this position Keiko would roll over and lock her long legs around Alena's neck, squeezing her tightly between her thighs for a brutal head scissor submission! However Alena was a stubborn and fiery individual who would not back down so easily against her and began to start fire punch after punch into her leg!

"Ngh! Agh!" Ugh!" Keiko groaned out in pain as the punches landed, causing pang after pang of pain through her limb and making her grip shake with each hit before finally Keiko couldn't take it and she had to release the hold! Wincing still in pain Keiko would drag herself a bit away while holding her knee in pain, trying to control it enough to get herself back up, at least before Alena could...

[CaptainL]

Keiko had managed to secure the top position, with Alena's head trapped between her thighs, leaving her at the mercy of the Japanese fighter. But if Alena was falling behind, it wasn't for lack of trying! No matter how steep her chances seemed, or how high the odds seemed to be stacked against her, Alena simply refused to go down like this! She had to fight with every bit of strength she had left in her - if she was giving this match anything less than her full effort, she was doing a disservice to what she really was capable of! Even if the force of Keiko's headscissor was making her head feel heavy, with her eyes beginning to roll back, Alena was still going to strike against her with punch after punch aimed against her leg. Even if Keiko was determined to take her out, Alena wasn't going down without a fight!

At last, it seemed, Alena's tenacity won out over Keiko's. The Silver Lynx was forced to let her go, and as she broke away, Alena dropped down onto her face, collapsing under the weight of her own body laden with fatigue. Her temples were still pounding. But even still, Alena managed to plant her hand against the mat - and slowly but surely, she began to push herself back up. Her shoulders heaved up and down, and her ribs went in and out - but she still looked up and locked her eyes onto Keiko with a piercing glare. No matter how tired or sore she was, she could still fight. And as long as she could fight, she wasn't going to let Keiko get away from her!

Alena noticed how Keiko was hobbling away - her leg was still sore. That meant her efforts had borne fruit, and if she kept focusing on that target, Alena could get Keiko to break yet! So too, it would mean Keiko couldn't get away from her so quickly! Alena wasn't sure how quickly she could move when she was as sore as she was, but that wouldn't matter - she knew just how to close the distance on Keiko, and there was no way she could escape in time! Leaning down to bend at the knee, and placing one hand against the canvas, Alena would ready a three-point stance - and then, she'd lunge forward, launching herself toward Keiko as she tried to bowl her over with a spear!

[Bare]

Keiko was cursing softly under her breath as she rolled away from Alena and slowly began to pick herself back up, knowing that she had to at least try and get to a standing position despite how much her leg was aching at the moment. 'Damn it... I should have let go sooner.' Keiko thought to herself, some seeds of doubt admittedly being placed in her mind from that exchange.

After all she was sure that she had Alena there but it arguably worked out to her major detriment since her legs were the corner stone of her fighting style and now she was struggling to feel one of them. 'Hopefully Alena is as rocked as-' Just as Keiko thought this she looked towards her opponent who seemed to choose that exact moment to look up at her with an absolutely fierce glare, one that actually send a slight shiver down her spine and for a brief moment paralyzed Keiko.

A moment that allowed Alena to assume a stance before charging forward, driving her shoulder into her gut with a powerful spear! "Gah!" Keiko cried out in pain, the air leaving her from the force of the blow as she was taken down to the mat, laying splayed out underneath the smaller woman, stunned and gasping for air.

[CaptainL]

Sure, Alena's temples were still throbbing from the pressure of Keiko's headscissor, even after she had been forced to relinquish her grip. As she turned over on her side, she took a brief moment to rub at her head to try and quell that pain. But just a moment later, she took in a breath, and her eyes narrowed on her foe. A little pain like this wasn't going to stop her for long - she wouldn't let it! She'd let her raw determination carry her forward! She didn't feel ready to get back up on her feet right now, but she could still close the distance in a single bound, and deal some damage against Keiko in the process. Pushing all of her weight against the mat to spring herself forward, Alena threw herself forward like a human torpedo - and in doing so, she managed to bowl Keiko over, sending both of them crashing to the ground!

Alena landed on top of Keiko; the momentum caused her to skid forward a few inches across the mat even after they'd come down. She winced and clenched her teeth for a moment, adjusting to the aftershock of the impact that was still going through her body. But she couldn't forget the fact that she had landed on top of Keiko - and that gave her an opening she would be remiss to let slip through her fingers!

Dropping down over Keiko, Alena would slip her hand around the back of the Japanese girl's head. She would pull it up, bringing it against the side of her chest - but more importantly, putting it in her reach to swing her other arm around and over Keiko's elbow, keeping everything in place so that she could bring her leg around under Keiko's head and grab it with the arm securing her elbow to get Keiko in a mounted triangle choke!

Spoiler

[Bare]

Keiko groaned softly in pain after having been knocked down to the mat by Alena. Looking up at the Russian girl Keiko admittedly couldn't help the slight blush that dusted across her face as the light passed through her auburn colored hair and how.. tall and statuesque she looked over her despite Keiko being the taller and more visibly athletic of the two. Unfortunately her blush would only grow, but would thankfully be hidden as she was soon shoved into Alena's chest!

"Mph!" Keiko huffed out into the woman's chest, not realizing till it was too late what the Russian heiress was doing until it was too late as the girl wrapped a leg around her to lock in the mounted triangle choke! Gasping and groaning into the side of her opponent's chest Keiko would thrash and kick her legs against the mat, trying to deal with the pain and breathlessness of the hold.

Keiko would try and keep her wits about her though, attempting to pull her leg back while bracing her body with the other, trying to slam a knee into Alena's body from behind! Something she's continue to try and do to try and force Alena into letting go!

[CaptainL]

For better or worse, it was lost on Alena how Keiko had gotten lost in her gaze as she sat up straight, beaming with pride as the light caught her from behind and cast a golden glow all over her body. She might have been a striking young lady, but she had never cared for much of anything besides the thrill of the fight, and proving herself worthy of the admiration that came with her success in her career. That meant that she was focusing on the match the whole way through, not slowing down for anything. And, for better or worse, Keiko was about to get a lot closer to Alena - when she shoved the Silver Lynx's head underneath her arm and against her chest, just before she crossed her legs behind Keiko's head and arm to apply a triangle choke! First Keiko's head had been pushed up against Alena's breast; now her face was inches away from her crotch!

At such a well-executed move from the Grand Duchess, the arena rang out with cheers! The grin on Alena's face would only grow wider as she welled up with confidence, all but assured that she had Keiko right where she wanted her, and that her victory was assured! Growing cockier, she leaned her weight forward, bringing more pressure down around Keiko's throat. But she wouldn't have long to exert such control - a moment later, Keiko swung a kick straight toward her, managing to catch Alena square in the back!

In that instant, the tables had turned! With a groan of "Nngh..!!" Alena toppled over forward, falling flat on her face as she rubbed at the sore spot where Keiko's knee had hit. She'd managed to throw Alena off her concentration - and, in tilting herself forward, Alena had shifted the leverage just enough such that Keiko's strike would push her off. Now, she went toppling over onto her face, landing with her head and knees against the mat. She tried to push herself back up, planting her palms against the canvas and bringing her legs backward to push up against the mat with her toes, rising like she was doing a push-up - but for now, she was open.

[Bare]

Keiko was left groaning and struggling as much as possible given the submission hold that Alena had her locked into, but Keiko wasn't giving up just yet. Not so easily at least. That was why despite the pain and gradual depletion of oxygen she was experiencing as a result Keiko had mustered up the strength to swing her leg back to strike at Alena with enough force to finally knock the girl off of her and down to the mat!

Despite this though and the seemingly dazed state that the woman was in, Keiko wasn't able to capitalize on it. Instead she was left trying to restore the oxygen in her lungs while slowly turning over onto all fours. Trying to push herself back up to her feet as well before turning around to face Alena who Keiko was sure would be doing the same at this point in time. Putting her fists up and readying herself to re engage with the woman.