Heavyweight Championship Match: Astrid Ostberg (c) vs Jess McLeary

[CaptainL]

Up until this point, the match had gone in Astrid's favor. She had been keeping Jess under control, overpowering her attempts to resist and meeting them with the sort of hard-hitting offense that proved why she held the Heavyweight Championship. But Astrid's dominant streak couldn't last forever. Jess was in all regards a capable contender, and that was becoming quite apparent now as she slammed her knee straight into Astrid's gut!

The blonde found herself bent over Jess's leg, panting and groaning as she tried to get the air back in her lungs. Her face was red and breathless, and her body was sore; she tried to will herself to get back up, but she couldn't find the strength to. If that wasn't bad enough, Astrid had left herself open for Jess to transition into another move - something that strained Astrid's attempts to breathe even further, as she was pulled up into a chokehold! Astrid twisted back and forth as she coughed and sputtered, doing her best to fight Jess off, but her arms would only paw aimlessly at the air. Each moment that passed felt agonizingly long, as it became clear Jess wasn't about to let go.

But Astrid would end up on the mat nonetheless - as Jess hurled her head-first into the mat below, spiking her skull into the canvas with a DDT! She landed with a crack, and a gasp escaped her lungs before she went still, folded over with her rear pointed upward and her knees beneath her. A few voices in the crowd could be heard groaning in sympathy, especially when it became clear that the still-groggy Astrid wasn't getting back up.

[SubtleRoar]

*As the tides began turning in Jess's favor, she knew that the impending choice she was on the precipice of making would potentially determine the entire outcome of this skirmish- Either press the offensive with a full head of steam, risking Astrid reemerging as the triumphant party, or rest and recuperate to put them both on equal footing. As the seconds melted into minutes, her window of opportunity continued to grow slimmer and slimmer until finally deciding to roll the dice with her bold gambit.*

"N..now...get..y..yer ass ovah here!" *Feeling as though this were an ideal time to remind the audience of her unequivocal superiority, Jess snagged the blonde by her ankle while simultaneously dragging her towards the center of the ring, attempting to capitalize on this momentary lull in the otherwise intense competition, Jess tossed her prodigious frame across Astrid while vertically scooping her leg up for a pinfall attempt!*

Spoiler

*The instant she completed her move, a moderator slid in through the bottom rope, smacking the canvas with the palm of his hand!* "ONE!" *He shouted, causing the audience to collectively lean forward in anticipation for what came next, all the while Jess maintained a solid position overtop of her downed nemesis!*

[CaptainL]

Even after being flipped onto her back, Astrid was still down, her body moving along limply as Jess dragged her toward the center of the ring. Her chest rose and fell with slow pants, and as she neared her destination her strength returned to her as she began to twist back and forth. But Astrid couldn't gather enough force to shake her opponent off her. She could only look on as Jess got on top of her and hooked her leg - and the counting began.

With the first count, everyone in the arena was on edge. At the outset of this match, Astrid had been securely in the lead, keeping the pressure on Jess and delivering her hard-hitting blow after hard-hitting blow even as the cowgirl powered through each one. Now, though, her momentum had slipped, and Jess had taken control. With Astrid still groggy and groaning, looking up at Jess through half-lidded eyes, it seemed as though her title as champion hung in the balance.

"TWO!" Astrid, too, felt the pressure. She was all too aware of what the stakes were. If she lost this match, it would undoubtedly be the biggest defeat of her career, costing her not only her title but ensuring she could never return to LAW, the company she owed so much to and credited with her success, ever again.

No, Astrid thought. That wasn't a prospect she could agree to! Spurred on by the thought of defeat, Astrid clenched her teeth, sucking in a breath. She shoved her shoulders up from the mat, twisting her body to the side in an attempt to roll Jess off her!

"Wipe that smirk...off your face," Astrid warned as she got back on her side before she begn to rise. Her voice was cold and serious. While she had been goading Jess on earlier, now she knew was the time to stop holding back!

[SubtleRoar]

*Both women had landed powerful blows throughout the course of this intense battle, Jess firmly believing that she had finally conquered the one, indomitably nagging foe who refused to accept defeat. However, as the third slap of the mat was merely centimeters from being completed, Astrid's body spontaneously shot upwards, defying all logic and reason in the westerner's mind!*

"How...how could she...?!" *It took every ounce of restraint to keep her from launching a full scale assault on her wounded prey, but Jess was too preoccupied with her inner confliction- Despite what she may have bantered about earlier, the ginger giantess had delivered some of her most breathtaking slams and throws to try and fell the blonde titaness, but she seemed to prove herself more and more resilient with each encounter!*

*Taking a moment to reflect upon what she had experienced, Jess finally reached a reasonable conclusion- Astrid wasn't just all bluster and bravado, and perhaps she deserved at least a smidgen of the respect she was asking for.* "Ahuekheuk~" *The refreshed redhead chortled under her breath, cracking her knuckles before approaching the center of the areana.* "Yah know? Yer alright Astrid." *Without an iota of sarcasm in her cadence, Jess began addressing her rival while assuming an aggressive stance.* "But that don't mean I'm not gonna beat that ass of yers silly!"

*Digging her boots into the ground, Jess made a gesture with the edges of her fingertips to try and goad Astrid into charging towards her!* "Lemme see whatcha got, darlin. I'm eager tah test that skinny little body of yers!" *Her eyes emanating an unwavering degree of determination, the gauntlet had been thrown down at the feet of the reigning champion!*

[CaptainL]

Jess wasn't the only one blown away by Astrid's sudden display of strength and defiance, as she bucked her shoulders up from the mat to force her rival off. The crowd lit up with cheers, eager to see the reigning champion snatch back the momentum from what seemed to be the jaws of defeat! The sound of their applause was music to Astrid's ears, as she looked up with a smile, beginning to rise back up to a seated position. She lifted her chin, looking out toward the stands, and raised a hand to wave out toward them in a show of gratitude for their support. But of course, Astrid couldn't forget about the one person who was most deserving of her attention in this match - and as she finally straightened herself to her feet, stretching her muscles and shaking her hair back over her shoulders, she locked her eyes on Jess, stepping closer and readying herself for when their struggles would resume.

In fact, even Jess seemed to have developed some respect for her long-term rival, as she admitted her praise for her. Astrid could be an oblivious person at times, and there were moments where the subtleties of conversation could go over her head. Even if Jess had been sarcastic, Astrid likely would have taken her words at face value. But whatever the case was, she wasn't being sarcastic this time. Jess meant everything she said - and Astrid could get behind that just fine. With a nod, she strode purposefully toward the center of the ring to meet Jess there, a smile on her face.

"In that case, do your worst!" Astrid challenged, as she began to sink into a stance. "If you're going to go for my belt, I'd like to see you work for it!" Raising her hands, the Norwegian leaned in closer, offering a test of strength!

[SubtleRoar]

"Aheukheuk~" *Unable to contain her gregarious spirit any longer, Jess watched as the kindred friendship between them began to blossom, marching towards center stage while the audience began to prominently chat* "Fight forever! Fight forever!" *Before stopping merely inches away from the tenacious bombshell.* "Muh worst? Y'all are talkin pretty high'n mighty right now fer someone who just barely kicked out by the skin of her teeth~" *Deciding to shake a little salt in the freshly opened wound, Jess decided that the honorable decision would be to engage the champion by indulging in her request.*

"But, since yer askin so kindly and I'm in a rather chipper mood, I'll oblige~" *Stretching her muscular bicep skyward, The Ginger Giantess reached forward and connected her hand against Astrid's, it wouldn't be long before her opposite hand followed suite, interlacing her fingers against the blonde's porcelain palms. As the powerhouses met, Jess knew that the struggle for dominance would dictate who the ultimate victor would be, something she'd been vying for throughout this entire ordeal!*

"Ggrrhhh!" *Gnashing her teeth while pushing her colossal frame forward, Jess was obstinate on conquering Astrid right here and now, eager to finally claim what was rightfully hers!* "W..when I'm done with ya...y..yer gonna need tah be carried outta here on a stretcher!" *Her boisterous tone was reinforced with solid, raw power as she bulldozed forward!*

Spoiler

[CaptainL]

"Mmf..." Astrid's brow narrowed just a little as she locked her eyes on Jess, the two meeting each other's gazes before they met hand to hand. Though Jess was taunting her about her narrow escape from her previous predicament, Astrid had a counter readied, as she leaned in closer with a smirk to issue her challenge. "Yet you still couldn't pin me, in the end. You're good. You're giving me a challenge, that I can't deny...but is this the best you think you can do?"

Taking Jess's hands, Astrid leaned in closer. She clenched her teeth and gave a powerful shove, putting everything she could into the force of her advance. Things were largely at a stalemate, however. Astrid's hands were pushed back by Jess's continued force, only for the blonde to soon even things out with a push of her own. Even when one woman took a stride forward, the other was quick to push her back to the very center of the ring where they had started.

"You may think you're doing your best! But is it truly? Or is there potential you don't even know you have?" Astrid bucked with her shoulders, attempting to jostle Jess's position. "How good can you be if you go beyond even the level you think you're on? Are you going to be content where you are, or will you keep reaching?"

[SubtleRoar]

*While the gargantuan southerner continued to drive her colossal figure forward, Astrid began to return with a bit of verbal repartee herself, pouring salt into an old wound while both of them struggled to claim dominance!* "Grrrh...y..yer..not even c..close tah knowing what I'm capable of!" *Suddenly, Jess broke from the stance she was in before Raising her arm up and around Astrid's throat!*

"All I evah hear you do is prattle on about nonsense!" *Attempting to slam her against the canvas, Jess was keen on reestablishing herself as the unequivocal powerhouse of the law circuit!* "Howsa bout I keep you down here for a little bit, then choke you silly!?" *She rhetorically asked, wrapping her lower limbs against Astrid's waist to try and apply a tandem throat and body choke!*

Spoiler

*While committing a significant degree of energy into her maneuver, Jess could feel her body beginning to give out on her- Astrid's unwavering tenacity and impressive cardio was something she feared would prove to be the X Factor in this competition, and while she had made a dent in her armor, it was still providing her with a nearly impervious shell that Jess had yet to break!*

[CaptainL]

To Astrid's credit, she hadn't intended to taunt Jess. If anything, she was only hoping to motivate her to climb to the same heights she had risen to herself, in the hopes of bringing out her truest and greatest potential. But to Jess, it certainly was a taunt, a taunt that told her that Astrid didn't believe she was capable enough on her own. And that would spur her into action, as she looked to silence Astrid by whatever means were necessary - in this case, reaching out and grabbing her by the throat!

Her monologue cut off, Astrid's words turned to a strained hiss. She coughed and gagged a few times against the pressure on her trachea, and as her mouth hung open in a silent scream, she reached up and tried to grab at Jess's arm to pry it off. But she didn't get far before Jess shoved her to the mat, causing her to land with a thud that shook the ring - and it left her stunned, in a perfect position for Jess to follow up!

And follow up she did! Shaken from the landing, the blonde could only stare up and watch as Jess climbed on top of her, tightening her grip on her throat at the same time she went to encircle her waist with her legs. Astrid's pants slowed, as the pressure the cowgirl was exerting on her threatened to choke the air out of her lungs. Her face began to grow red, and her teeth clenched. Still, though, she reached for the arm trapping her throat, her fingers attempting to grab at Jess's arm to pull it away. Her strength was flagging, but she was going to fight to the end!

[SubtleRoar]

*As the mammoth mastodon continued to viciously strangle what remaining life Astrid had to her name, a pang of consciousness struck Jess's subconscious- This was the point of no return for her, having pulled out all the stops to try and obtain the belt she had coveted for so long, and the only tangible object standing in her way was hardly capable of conjuring a coherent sentence due to her relentless choking. This all seemed too surreal for the surly southerner, and like with most flights of fancy, reality would inevitably rear its ugly head in the form of Astrid's retaliaton.*

"Ggrrhhh...c..consarnit...j..just go already!" *The mounting frustration was beginning to gain control of Jess's reins, causing a significant degree of internal conflict within the ginger giantess. Realizing that the tenacious champion wouldn't allow this precise moment to become her demise, the agitated cowgirl devised a new plan of attack. Transitioning downwards, Jess snatched a hold of her legs, attempting to roll her onto her stomach.*

"fine, keep resistin. That'll only make the taste of my victory even sweetah~" *Her unshakable confidence still abundantly present, Jess was incredibly adept at conjuring up a necessary facade- Underneath the outer strata of bravado, she knew wholeheartedly that Astrid could resist anything she threw at her and more. However, Jess wanted to swing the pendulum in her favor, beginning to fold Astrid's legs forward while crossing them over one another for a front Texas Cloverleaf!*

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