Astrid Ostberg vs. Leah Rivers

[CaptainL]

Match Type: Standard Match
Rules: Victory by pinfall, submission, or knockout

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It wasn't long ago that the unthinkable had happened - after a long and storied championship run, seeing intense battles against pillars of LAW's Heavyweight Division like Cyber Widow and Dana Ashford, the mighty Astrid Ostberg had been defeated - and Alaina Sanders, her long-time rival, had claimed her title. Astrid had no shortage of respect for Alaina. The Amazon had been an inspiration to her in proving that she could become a wrestler and follow in her father's footsteps, always pushing her to climb to new heights and to defy the competition. She had given her one hell of a fight in their title match, and she had worked toward her goal of taking the title with every fiber of her being, not just in this match but in everything she did - and now, all of that dedication had finally paid off. Astrid had always admired Alaina's commitment, and this was no exception. If there was anyone she felt was worthy of the Heavyweight Championship, it would be Alaina.

But for as happy as Astrid was for her friend...she couldn't help but question what this meant for her. In losing the title, had she let down her own promises to do right by the championship, to live up to the honor it deserved and the legacy of her family? Coming off the heels of losses to other opponents like Rose Gold, it left the Norwegian wrestler questioning if this was indicative of a greater downturn in her career - and, if so, if she had anything to fear on the horizon. Astrid had always sworn to be the best she could be, and to be a champion the world deserved. But the last thing she wanted was to be one-and-done. Was she losing her touch? Could things only go downhill from here?

Astrid certainly didn't want that. But she was out to prove that wouldn't be the case! She would allow not even a second for doubt - and when newcomer Leah Rivers, the Desert Wolf, started to announce her presence in the Heavyweight Division by daring all comers to measure up to her, Astrid was ready to meet her challenge. She knew that Leah would prove a formidable foe, but she wanted to send a message. If she could meet her face to face, and if she could best her, it would stand as proof she still had it!

"Coming first to the ring, from Stavanger, Norway! Standing at 6'1, weighing 188 pounds...AAAAASTRIIIIIIIID OSTBEEERG!!"

Spoiler

Even if Astrid no longer had the championship belt around her waist, she garnered no shortage of cheers and applause as she emerged from the curtains, proceeding down the ramp with her arms held out wide to catch the attention of the fans. She hoisted her arms in the air, flexing her biceps in a show of strength to make sure everyone would know she was committed to proving herself. Then, as she came to the ring, she climbed over the top ropes, taking a moment to stretch as she awaited Leah's arrival. Astrid wasn't about to let anyone stop to doubt her, not even for a moment!

[Aeri]

Yeah, there was no doubt about it. All that came to Leahs mind as her third match was about to begin was.. shit was going to go down. She had a match booked with the former Heavyweight Champion? A far cry from the fragile bitch of her first match, and the.. unexpected tone of her second one. So far as Leah knew, Astrid was a very strong competitor and if even Astrid couldn’t put up a fight.. well, her questions about LAWs heavyweight division would be answered today, one way or the other. Her ears twitched, her theme was about to start. She could hear them beginning to play it.. she supposed it was time.

“And her opponent for the night, a newcomer from Africa.. standing at 5’9 and weighing in at 196lb.. THE DESERT WOLF, LEAH RIIIVERRSSS!!”

Stepping out into the arena, Leah was met with a mix of boos and cheers. Surprisingly she had built up a number of supporters very quickly that loved her style and ferocity, along with her brash words. It did make her smile to see the fans, waving her hand at them enthusiastically, before leaping into the ring, over the ropes and looked to face Astrid. From her analysis, Miss Ostberg here was a few inches taller than Leah, but Leah was a bit heavier, which she was so bold to think meant she had a bit more muscle packing. But size and muscle alone didn’t determine wins. This was about skill.

Spoiler

Leahs eyes met Astrid’s. Her amber irises stared her down, an untamed expression unreadable to anyone but her opponent lying in wait in them.

She grinned at her. Leah wasn’t cocky, nor was she thinking of herself as a “challenger”.. or even though of Astrid as someone to surpass/beat, unlike most.. if not all of Astrids opponents.

Instead, Leah seemed to be assessing Astrid as a “measuring” stick. If anything, the Norwegian would get an uncanny feeling that Leah didn’t think too much of her, former champ or no. She was sure it’d be a good fight, hopeful even.. but she had an air of electric indifference, sparking through the arena. It was almost as if she dared Astrid to challenge her, Leah.. like she was the one that needed to be surpassed and not vice versa.

And then she simply spoke with a semi-dumb smile, and the sensations diminished to small bells on the back of the head instead of warning sirens.

“Hi Astrid! I’m Leah! I hope you don’t disappoint me today, champ!”

[CaptainL]

Astrid took her position in the ring, watching as Leah approached. The whole time, she was scanning her opponent up and down. The African certainly cut an imposing presence with her rock-solid musculature and the stern look on her face. Astrid knew she had been tearing through the division, but so far, all of her opponents had been far below her skill level. She wanted to face someone who could measure up to her prowess - and Astrid was determined to be that someone. After all, she had been the champion not long ago, and she hadn't even been the one pinned for her belt. She was still a top competitor by any measure, one of the standouts in her division, and if Leah wanted a challenge, Astrid wanted to give her one. As the Desert Wolf looked her over, Astrid stood firmly in place, her feet apart, her one hand balled in a fist and pressed against her palm to show her willingness to fight. She could tell that Leah's threatening aura preceded her, but if she had any say in the matter at all, Astrid wasn't about to let it get under her skin.

At least, she didn't want to let it. But some things were easier said than done. Whether she had been pinned or not didn't matter. If she hadn't been able to overcome the combined offense of Kat and Alaina, then she wasn't the best heavyweight in that match, and she wasn't the best heavyweight in LAW. That one defeat had cracked her self-image - and now, Leah's presence was seeping through those cracks. The hairs rose on the back of Astrid's neck, and she bit at her cheek. She knew, somehow, that Leah wasn't impressed with her. Had she seen the hesitation? And if so, did it make her doubt everything Astrid was capable of? If it had, Astrid felt like she had already lost before the match had even begun. And Leah's choice of words - how she told her not to disappoint her - could only make Astrid's teeth clench tighter with rising doubts. Astrid had her image to uphold. She could only hope she could do it justice.

But then, the Norsewoman had every intention of doing so, for her own sake! She cleared her throat and stood a little taller, taking a few steps to close in on Leah before she proudly thrust out her chest. "Oh, I won't..." she said with a nod - she only hoped she could back it up.

*DING DING DING*

With that, the bell rang, and it was time for Astrid to put her money where her mouth was. She sank into a stance, bending at the knees and raising her hands, as she took a few steps closer to narrow into range. When she got close enough to Leah, Astrid would reach to grab her by the hands, shoving back at her in a test of strength! She leaned in closer, her forehead all but grazing the African's as she pushed against her with all her might. Both women wanted to see just how strong the other was - in both cases, in the name of testing themselves. But this would answer all of Astrid's questions about what her opponent was capable of - and how she could live up to it.

[Aeri]

For a former champion.. Leah noted that Astrid was every bit as impressive as she wanted her to be. Muscular, powerful, even the flowing golden locks her foe sported were nothing less than divine. And Leah had heard she hadn’t even been the one to be pinned in her title losing match, so the surface, she seemed like an immovable wall to so many, and many had fell, crashed and burnt in the prospect of scaling her and topping her.

Her strength certainly didn’t disappoint either. The woman from Norway locked up with Leah, fingers interlacing with her own and an immense amount of strength coursing through her opponent’s body, all focused on dominating Leah. The Desert Wolf was initially pushed back, a forced step taken as the crowds cheers grew louder and louder. But still, she grinned at Astrid, resting her forehead against her own as both ladies competed in the purest test of strength.

“You have the strength.. of a desert sandstorm.. blinding.. burning and leaving a reminder of your wake searing through your enemies..

No wonder only exceptional people can handle your presence.. most would be shaking in their boots of fear..

.. there is just.. one issue..”

She’d grin wildly. One thing Leah used to do when she spent time off in African circuits was arm wrestle. There had been many women and men with bulging biceps and strength to topple a horse.. which a younger Leah didn’t have. But after a while, she was undefeated.

Leah flexed her fingers, readjusting her grip while Astrid pushed back, giving Astrid less area to apply force on.. and giving her fingers more room. She’d dig her sharp fingernails into the sensitive skin between Astrids knuckles, rearing her head back and banging it between the blondes eyes with a resounding bang, leaving her seeing stars.

“I’ve seen many sandstorms.”

For while Astrid was a powerhouse, an immovable force on the surface.. Leah could tell, by the slight tells in Astrids body.. she wasn’t completely confident.

She showed the slightest signs of weakness.. and as a predator, that was all Leah needed to devour her whole. As soon as she did her previous manoeuvre, Leah broke into a sprint, raising her hands to apply pressure on the taller Astrid from above instead of below, fully intent on bulldozing her over to the ground or the turnbuckles, literally running her over with a sharp burst of her full strength!

[CaptainL]

No matter how impressive Leah was, Astrid reminded herself, when it came to their contest in the ring, all that really mattered would be how well she could back herself up. Now was the time for the Norsewoman to measure her opponent's strength against her own. As she leaned in closer with a firm thrust at Leah, the first thing she noticed was how she staggered backward - and that brought a smile to Astrid's face. Maybe all of her fears were unfounded; maybe she really could outmatch the Desert Wolf, and that she still had everything that made her famous. But she knew just as well that the match wasn't over, and Leah no doubt had plenty to show her as well. Astrid knew she would be tested, but she would be ready for a challenge!

With both women leaning in closer, their breaths warming one another and their foreheads brushing together, Astrid could hear Leah's praise. She nodded her head to every word, and a smile began to cross her face. She was proud of her strength, after all. She couldn't be offended if she was recognized for it. She might not have been one to brag, but she knew she had something special if it had won her the title - and perhaps, right now, she needed that reminder more than ever. But just as soon, the tables turned. Leah might have been impressed...but she knew how to deal with such things, too!

At first, Astrid raised her eyebrow with curiosity, unsure of what Leah was getting at. She'd learn the answer soon enough. When Leah pushed back, it evened out the balance between them...but when her nails sank down into Astrid's knuckles, it was enough to make the Norwegian cry out in pain, her teeth gnashing together as she reeled back. Her legs buckled beneath her and she sank lower to the mat. Which meant she was at just the right position for Leah to throw her head forward, slamming it against Astrid's own!

As a loud thud filled the air, Astrid roared in pain, letting go of Leah and grabbing at her own aching head instead. The fans in the front row winced - that impact had been hard enough for them to feel! Astrid remained standing, but she stumbled backward in a daze, her body shuddering. And Leah was tailing right behind her, as she charged toward Astrid to give her an even harder shove!

Astrid could feel herself being forced downward under Leah's push. One knee dropped to the mat. Astrid knew she was going to go down - but rather than fight the inevitable, she was going to use it to her advantage, however she could. As Leah continued to force her way forward, Astrid attempted to throw her arms around the Desert Wolf's midsection and squeeze. Then, she would try and push herself back up - using the rising momentum to hurl Leah overhead in a suplex to counter her charge!

[Aeri]

At first, it worked well. Maybe a little bit TOO well. Leah, the predator, and Astrid, the prey. But as Leah knew very well, Astrid was no measly meerkat or rabbit for her to hunt, no snack. She was akin to a wildebeest or a moose, easily capable of ending Leah then and there.

But only if she felt like she could.

If Leah could successfully.. successfully make Astrid see it the way Leah saw it, make her see herself as the prey.. then she won. That instant would decide the match, Leah decided.. and she needed to make that instant happen. It was inching close when she began her assault, but Leah knew she needed to maintain the image of an infallible predator in Astrids eyes if she was to win.

So she would build the champion up. Raise her to her best image.. and then tear it down, tooth and nail. Therefore, biceps flexing, she put a little more effort than needed into pushing down Astrid to her knees, a wild look shimmering in her eye.

But still, Astrid was no easy prey.

Tree trunk like biceps leashed around her waist like serpents, knocking the breath out of her lungs and forcing her to gasp sharply for air. Astrids grip was strong, crushing.. and as the nordic woman began to rise.. Leah knew her image would be broken for the rest of the match, never to rise again if Astrid managed to do significant damage to her so early.

So, instead of sparing a moment to defend herself from the agony her waist had, she lunged. Arms wrapping around Astrids throat, her shorter frame making a better reach as Leah slid in a frontal sleeve choke to choke out the woman even as she attacked!

BAM

BAM

BAM

Leah, had found that her legs were free. Three merciless and powerful knee strikes slammed into Astrids abs, a ram battering at a gate to rip it down, and her intention to break Astrids grip on her only fuelled her blows!

[CaptainL]

Astrid knew what Leah was doing. On some level, some deep, instinctual part of her subconscious already understood everything. She knew that Leah wanted to break her down, to shatter her confidence, and to call into question everything Astrid had done to carve out her niche in the world. When Astrid was already vulnerable, grappling with how her loss of her title had shattered her self-confidence, she was on guard, and she was especially careful to protect herself against such psychological warfare. Faced with the worst scenario she could imagine, she recognized exactly what she was seeing, and it turned her stomach.

But it was precisely because Astrid was on guard that she was all the more determined to fight back. If Leah was this determined to make Astrid look washed-up and over the hill, it was all the more important that Astrid fight back with everything she had to prove her wrong. On more than one occasion, Astrid had used that motivation, of defeat spelling a fate for her that was too frightful to tolerate, to steel herself and to carry her though to victory. She could do that here, too - and when her arms lashed out to grab onto Leah, she was fueled by her desire to prove herself!

But Leah was ready for her. Just as Astrid's powerful arms encircled the Desert Wolf's midsection, clamping down around her waist and pulling her higher, Leah too shot back to grab her by the throat - not only grabbing onto Astrid to anchor herself in place, but dealing back some damage of her own! Now, the Norsewoman's voice was drowned out by coughs and gags. As the blood rushed to Astrid's face, her cheeks flushed, then deepened to a darker red. Her eyes bulged, her teeth clenched, and her brow trickled with sweat. The longer Leah had her in this postion, the harder and harder it grew to breathe, and Astrid didn't know how much more she could take. And if that wasn't bad enough...Leah had more in store for her!

Out cracked her legs, as she landed knee after knee against Astrid's sides. Each blow landed with a crack, and each impact caused Astrid to turn from side to side as she winced and shuddered against the blows. Her grip on Leah began to loosen as her muscles slackened from the strain, and she began to sink lower to the mat. But just as the weakness began to set into Astrid's fingers, and she felt ready to release her foe, the Norsewoman shook herself back to her senses. She couldn't let go now - to do so would be to admit defeat, and she wasn't anyone to do that! No, if Astrid couldn't follow through with her suplex...she'd just have to try something else!

Indeed, Astrid would let go of Leah's waist. But not before she gave her a firm yank forward, trying to pull her off her center of balance. Repositioning her arms to Leah's head, she would drop straight down, and as she fell, she would try to turn herself so that Leah would fall face-first into the mat, landing a DDT!

[Aeri]

Leah was certainly enjoying herself. Astrid had the power in the bag for sure, as expected of the heavyweight champion. But Leah had met many women who packed immense power in their frames, and Astrid was for now.. just another opponent.

Although the image of her was slowly rising in wolfs eyes. Leah’s eyes shimmered as her to-be prey winced underneath the force of her relentless assault. Leahs defence wasn’t near impregnable, true.. but it WAS, however, backed up by a vicious assault, a mauling from a wolf was something she always delivered.

But ever the bastion of LAW, Astrid would not falter in her hurricane of pain just so quickly! Just as her grip was released from her waist, coarse hands wrapped around Leah's head and drove her down into the canvas, face first with their owner! A groan of pain surely escaped her lips, but it was enough for only Astrid to head. Her body jolted up, before falling down to Astrids side, the women laying besides each other for a split second.

But that was all Leah needed. Moving herself a pace apart from Astrid, she’d ignore the pain in her forehead and roll over quickly, bringing with herself a powerful elbow strike into Astrid’s abs, never one to let her opponent take advantage of her weakness if she could help it!

[CaptainL]

Astrid made it look effortless, the way she was able to transition from one move to the other. Leah might have seized the momentum, but it was only moments later that the Norsewoman proved able to steer things back. As though she'd already practiced and rehearsed such a counter plenty of times, she released Leah's waist just long enough to grab hold of her head instead, and as she kicked her legs out to throw herself off her footing, she flung her head-first into the mat! It showed her mastery in the ring, a sense of awareness that could only have been trained by competing for so long at the top of multiple promotions. And when the fans saw what Astrid proved capable of, they sent up a cheer!

The Norwegian looked back up at her fans with a smile as she landed on the mat, brushing a few strands of hair out of her face - but that didn't change the fact that her attention had to stay on Leah. The Desert Wolf was still a threat, and not one she could afford to take lightly! Now, Astrid thought, she had been able to buy herself some time by dropping Leah on her head, stunning her for long enough for her to set up her next move. As her eyes narrowed in focus, she rolled over to get on her hands and knees, facing Leah and readying herself to reach out and grab hold of her. But before she could do that, Leah managed to right herself just as quickly. She rolled aside to gain some distance, and she was quick to throw an elbow at her own at the blonde's ribs!

Astrid took the hit head-on, her body buckling against the blow. She couldn't help it - Leah had struck too fast for her to keep track of, while she was still reeling from the shock of her recovery! She hissed, her hips lifting up into the air as her teeth clenched in a grimace, and she began to slide backward from the impact. But when she looked back up at Leah, her eyes were fixed onto hers with a deathly glare. Leah wasn't getting away from that so easily. Astrid still had more up her sleeve, and she wasn't afraid to play her games!

"That's what you got, huh?" Astrid muttered. "Then so be it!" Leaning in to lunge a little closer, Astrid would lift her own arm and swing an elbow out in front of her, aiming a blow of her own at Leah's head!

[Aeri]

With the strike of an elbow to Astrids ribs, Leah had spoken out an unseen challenge. As the former champions elbow drove into Leah’s forehead, knocking the wolfs maw back..

She had taken Leah’s offer up. A small, feral growl escaped her lips as the crowd went ”Oooooooooh” at the sight of Leah’s blood. Neither of the women had risen to their feet, but.. it sure didn’t seem like they needed it.

In Leah’s case, she just needed one leg underneath her. And as soon as she got her footing, the wolf was ready to wreak havoc upon Astrid. Pushing herself off like a rocket, Leah pounced. There’s no better way to say it, she pounced at Astrid, lunging at her. Her arms slithered around her neck, her body into the right position and Leah brought Astrid’s head right down into a stunner, banging her foes chin against her shoulder and her body against the mat! But.. effective or not, Leah didn’t care. Her roots were somewhat ingrained in MMA, so instinctively Leah went to straddle her.

Her thighs on either side of Astrid’s body, Leah’s left forearm dug into Astrid’s neck, pinning her down by her throat. A primal noise escaped the wolf, her fist clenching into a weapon of mass destruction. And it came RIGHT down onto Astrid’s face, jackhammering her knuckles onto the champions face, determined to get bloody fists to accompany the bloody forehead she had gotten!