Blair Yuen [D] vs. Finlay Zeffer - Last One Standing Match

[CaptainL]

Finlay might have been vulnerable, laid against the ropes, but Blair knew she had to pace herself. She could have ran in and struck for him again, and she could well have done a number on him if she wanted to. But she was still collecting herself after being nearly suffocated in a triangle choke, and she needed to conserve her energy for when she needed it most. Blair was a striker, and striking was all about precision. She needed to save her blows for when and where she knew they could land with most effect, and she needed them to really hit hard when they did land. If she was throwing her punches while she was tired, it'd just make her more tired, and then she would be vulnerable. She needed to be at the top of her game.

Eventually, she worked the pain out of her joints, rolling her shoulders and popping the vertebrae in her back. She took in a few long, deep breaths, and then, Blair took a measured step toward Finlay, beckoning for him to come closer. "Alright, break time's over," she muttered. She dropped back into a stance, waiting to see what Finlay would do, but when he was within range, she was fully prepared to strike if she had to.

[Bare]

While he doubted Blair was giving a rest period out of fairness like be had earlier, he wasn’t looking the gift horse in the mouth. That combo along with the strike from before had cleaned his clock, leaving him dazed and defenseless for a good bit of time. But now, thanks to Blair herself resting, he too had a chance to do so. While he was far from back to a hundred percent, he was definitely better than where he was. Standing fully he locked eyes with Blair from her position across from him.

Pushing himself up to his feet he saw her beckon him forward, officially ending their ‘break’. Cracking his neck and knuckles as she did so he began walking forward, his gaze never leaving her eyes. ”I was about to ask when we’d be getting back to it.” He said in response as he too put up his arms. However he wasn’t crazy enough to risk another battle of brutal strikes with her, instead he’d play more to his strengths. Dashing forward towards her he’d throw a arm up as if he was going to attack. However it was a feint. Instead he would spin with the force of the punch and get behind Blair, if successful he would move forward and lock his arms around her wait before throwing himself back in a attempt to land a german suplex.

[CaptainL]

Having had the time to catch her breath and recenter herself, Blair was soon ready to go up against Finlay once again, and with a stern look crossing her face she straightened herself into a stance, raising her fists and keeping her eyes on her opponent.

"Don't worry," Blair said in response, "I wouldn't want to leave what I started unfinished." As soon as the words left her mouth, Blair took a moment to think about what she'd said. Of course someone as serious about fighting as she was wouldn't want to miss a match. This life was too important for her to want to abandon her opponents, as well as her own opportunities to prove herself. But there was something else, something more personal about it. Through seeing what he could do, and how close he had come to victory, Blair was beginning to admire what she saw in Finlay. He knew what he was doing, and he had to be committed to his art to get to the level he was at. Even if she might have been frustrated by how he conducted himself, Blair had to honor that.

As he closed in on her, preparing his next attack, Blair stood firm and ready. She saw him raise his arm, and in that moment, she went tense, flinching and bracing herself for the impact as she swept her arms up to block. But Blair had fallen for the bait - and a moment later, she was left looking on with eyes wide with surprise as Finlay circled behind her! Raising her arms, Blair had left her midsection unprotected, and now she felt Finlay's arms circle around her waist. Soon, she was being lifted off the ground! Gritting her teeth as she began to struggle, Blair tried to aim a kick behind her. However, when she was at such close range, she couldn't get as much force behind her - and she was powerless to avoid getting thrown over Finlay's head and shoulders, with her skull coming down hard on the canvas! Groaning, she slumped down, laying flat as the referee began to count. "One! Two!"

[Bare]

Finlay watched with a stoic gaze at Blair and her stance. He knew after that last little tease to her she’d be on the war path, he’d already suffered her wrath once and he’d be careful not to feel it again. But more over, despite the results, he found himself regretting that action, if for no other reason for how upset she became. He didn’t know why but he somewhat regretted making her upset.

But now was certainly not the time for that. Now was the time for action, not thoughts or words, something he would prove by successfully feinting her. Ducking behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist he would successfully get in position for his next move. Feeling her resist, it was for nought, as he managed to utilize his strength to lift her up and throw her over himself to slam her down into the mat with a german suplex. Standing up following the move he would turn and look over at her downed body ss the ref began counting. Despite the count starting to go up though he kept his body tense, knowing she wouldn’t stay down, expecting more from her.

“Three!!! Four!!!”

[CaptainL]

Blair was hoping it wouldn't have to come to this. It was a match made in hell, as far as she was concerned. While her strikes were hard-hitting and well-practiced, they were the only area she truly excelled at. When it came to grappling, throws, and holds, Blair was hardly the most adept at pulling off such moves. And, more to the point, she was also unused to taking them. But that seemed to be the exact area her opponent shone! As Finlay threw her back over his shoulders, Blair's head struck the mat, and soon she sank to her back, laid flat and groaning.

The referee began to count, and with the cry of "Five!!!" it looked as though Blair would still be down as of the halfway mark. But she clenched her teeth, her muscles tensing as her body stiffened. One hand reached up to rub the back of her head, trying to dull the soreness, while her other pushed off the mat, directing her back up into a seated position. Blair still hurt, but she couldn't let that keep her down. She was going to have to fight through the pain if she wanted to prove herself. She couldn't lose now!

"Not yet!" she shouted in defiance. Blair shoved herself back to her feet, and she threw her elbow out as she rose, trying to put the momentum of her ascent behind the blow to connect it with Finlay's chest!

[Bare]

As his suplex connected Finlay’s immediate reaction was to reaffirm his stance and put his arms back up to defend himself just in case Blair recovered quickly. However it appeared that the suplex had done more damage than he thought since Blair was seeming to have trouble getting up. However despite the ref starting to count Finlay didn’t feel happy or satisfied. No, he knew that the girl would fight out of it, and if she didn’t than he had misjudged her.

As the ref got to the five count Finlay was beggining to think the latter was true, that he hadn’t evaluated her correctly, that she wasn’t as tough as he had thought. However Blair was already in the midst of proving those thoughts wrong by pushing herself up. ‘Good.’ He thought to himself while preparing for thr bout to continue. However Blair wasn’t waiting till she stood to continue. Surprised as she pushed herself forward from her position on the ground Finlay got caught off guard as her elbow dug into his chest. ”Ugh!” He groaned out in pain as a response and being forced to take a step back from the pain. Clenching his fist Finlay would take another step forward raising his arm up to send a fore arm smash of his own into her chest in retaliation.

[CaptainL]

Blair was tough. She wanted to be tough. She wanted to stand tall against adversity, to shrug off blows that could send lesser individuals to their knees and to triumph against any odds. But while Blair had the record to prove her success, she was used to fighting within her own weight class. When she was up against someone like Finlay, all bets were off! She was still sore as she lay crumpled on the ground, trying to will herself back up. But she shrugged off that pain. She might have been achy, but she refused to let that keep her down for long - not when she still had something to prove!

Eventually, as the will to fight overtook the pain, Blair pushed herself back up before rising to her feet. She looked across from her, at Finlay, and her brows narrowed, her teeth clenching as she focused in on him. Blair couldn't help but feel that after she had been thrown to the floor, coming so closely as she did to being counted out, she had called the validity of her pride in her own abilities into question. She had to set the record straight - and, when she saw Finlay go staggering back as her elbow slammed into his chest, Blair felt a little bit of that confidence return to her. She would let no one believe this match was over - it was only getting started!

Blair had learned from the last encounter, too. She was starting to realize that she couldn't expect herself to tank a lot of blows when it came to facing off against someone so much larger than herself. She'd need to dodge, using her smaller size and swiftness to her advantage to stave off the hurt instead! As Finlay sent another forearm toward her, Blair ensured she'd be ready this time. She turned to swerve off to the side so that his blow would pass her by, before she then spun herself around on her own momentum as she carried herself out of the way. Sticking out her leg, she threw herself back around to land a roundhouse kick against the back of Finlay's thigh!

[Bare]

Finlay watched with expectant eyes as Blair began forcing herself to her feet, he knew she could do it, he expected nothing less from her after whar he’d seen so far. He had definitely come to respect the smaller girl for her performance thus far in tbe match and he was eager to see what she’d do next. As he watched her however she did something even he didn’t expect. Before she had fully climbed to her feet the girlw as already looking at him with that same determined gaze. Then before he could react she was already charging forward driving her elbow into his chest!

Gasping in pain as the surprise move sent him staggering backward as a response and holding his chest while wincing in pain Finlay grunted as he looked at Blair. ‘Ok so thats how she wants it.’ He thought to himself as he charged forward to send a chop at her chest in return! However it appeared Blair was learning from their encounter, before he could make contact his opponet ducked and spun around behind him. ”Agh!” He cried out in pain as the leg of his opponet connected with the back of his own, the sudden pain causing hin to drop down into one knee in pain.

[CaptainL]

Blair wasn't having as good a start to this match as she would have liked. The fact that she had gotten taken off her feet more than once by now, and even come as close as she did to being counted out, was starting to weigh on her. But she knew, too, there was still hope. Blair reminded herself of the rules of this match, and how it would be won by beating one's opponent until they couldn't stand any more. As long as she could still get up, in the end, she would be fine. Pushing herself back to her feet, Blair locked onto Finlay, preparing her next move. She wouldn't let it get to her - she would just take this as motivation to do better!

That was what was going through Blair's mind as she closed in on Finlay again. Using her agility to her advantage, she swerved out of the way of his incoming chop, before she, in one smooth and fluid motion, spun herself back around and extended her leg to turn her evasive manuever into a hard-hitting roundhouse kick! The force of the blow took Finlay off his feet, causing him to fall to one knee. But that wouldn't be enough for Blair, nor would it be enough to count him out of the match. She would need to go harder on him.

Though she was a striker first and foremost, Blair still knew a few things about grappling. She'd needed to in order to succeed in sports that allowed it. And now that Finlay had showed his expertise in the subject, he had opened the floor for Blair to retaliate. Looking to get even, she closed in on him now that he had fallen, and slung her arm around his throat, going to lock it into place and pull back with a sleeperhold!

[Bare]

Finlay had rapidly come to respect and expect more of Blair throughout the course kf their so far short match. Despite coming close tk a victory once he knew he couldn‘t let up even a little. The moment he did would be the moment Blair would capitalize and demolish him in the blink of an eye with those devastating strikes of hers.

However that being said even without him letting up Blair was perfectly capable of countering and doing some damage to him. After a failed attempt to lock up with her again Finlay couldn’t stop the grunt of pain that escaped his lips as he dropped down to a kneeling position due to the sudden shock of stimulation in his leg.

Knowing he couldn’t stay there for ling Finlay immediately began trying to stand up, or at least raise his torso a bit to better expect Blair’s attack. However what he didn’t expect was for Blair’s arm to wrap around his neck and constrict; the sudden cut off of oxygen making hum groan as his hands immediately went up to her arm, trying desperately to pull it away in a bid to escape the sleeper hold.