Tara Kwan vs. Raquel Masters (Apex Qualifier Match)

[Highfly]

Raquel saw the body language of Tara and knew she may have something set. Raquel stopped her barrage and grabbed Tara by the arm, twisting her torso and stepping into an Irish whip to send Tara running across the ring! Raquel gave chase and looked to leap at Tara just as she bounced off the ropes to run back at her. Raquel was going to try leaping up and leading with her knee hoping to connect a running knee strike to the jaw of Tara! Raquel was going big against Tara knowing she had to put everything she had into her strikes to keep the tenacious Tara down on the mat...

[Devilish53]

With momentum forced on the aching Tara, there was little the Korean could do to stop Raquel's heave. Forced into the ropes with gusto on her frame that she couldn't control, the pinkette would find her body shattered by yet another rising knee from Raquel. Albeit this time, it would be her jaw that took the impact!

Caught with a hell of a thud, Tara's teeth near shattered together as she stumbled back. All the way back in fact!

With the Korean soon landing against the ropes she had just bounced off of, with her body hung down against them! One arm would be over the middle rope as to keep her off the ground, as she dangled there helplessly!

[Highfly]

Raquel saw Tara dangling and knew she had her in a great spot. Raquel smiled and adjusted Tara so she was leaning over the middle rope her her sticking outside the ring with her arms draped over. While this was hardly a move in her regular move set Raquel wanted to give a little nod to a wrestler whom she looked up to for their ability and longevity in the ring.....

Raquel ran to the opposite side of the ring bouncing off the ropes and leaping grabbing the top and middle rope to swing her legs through attempting to hammer Tara in the face with a 619! Raquel wanted the crowd fired up, not to mention she wanted to continue her momentum. Now if this could all go according to plan Raquel hoped a dazed Tara could be laid flat on the mat in position for a high flying finisher.

[Devilish53]

Earlier on in the match Tara herself had used the same manoeuvre Raquel was opting for now, albeit with both feet coming out in an attempt to ache Raquel's spine in a unusual variant of the swinging dual-kick. Tara's established proficiency with said move didn't help her at all defend against the revenge strike to her head, mind.

Struck as she dangled against the ropes, any effort by Tara to cover up and defend herself were thrown to the wayside by restricted limbs. With her legs of course dangling haplessly against the canvas, Tara's hands were to the ropes if but lightly, to support herself as not to have the weight of her lithe form press down on the ropes neck first. Of course all of this allowed for Raquel to do but one thing - strike at her unopposed, with both feet!

Knocked sideways and then some, Tara would be sent rolling quite a bit by Raquel's double-foot strike. Coming to a stop only after her momentum created some distance, Tara's hands were to her own face as she somewhat covered up upon the canvas. With her small, lithe and exhausted form curling up into a ball, as if that would stop Raquel's now endless offence!

[Highfly]

Raquel needed Tara to be laid flat and she had an idea that she hoped would work. Raquel pulled Tara up by the hair, grabbing her around the shoulder and between the legs. Raquel tried to lift Tara up and give her backside a hearty slap before slamming her down to the mat flat on her back! Raquel needed her flat on her back as the lightweight bolted towards the turnbuckle, jumping up to the top from the apron in one leap for a perch! Raquel smiled as she turned back to make sure Tara was still there on her back.

Raquel jumped up into the air, flipping as she looked to come crashing down atop Tara with her shooting star press variant finisher the Masters Press! This was either going to hopefully put away the tenacious Tara or Raquel was going to crash hard causing more damage to herself than Tara!

[Devilish53]

There was little Tara could do as Raquel spun herself about into the ring, before doing the same to Tara. She needed the Korean in the perfect position for the move she had in mind. And who was Tara to stop her, given the state she was in? Arms would flap to absolutely no avail as Raquel hoisted and positioned her, with Tara placid all the while. Had Tara known the finish was coming, she would have surely have forced herself through the pain to move.

Instead, she served the purpose as a landing pad for Raquel, with her devilish foe spiking her own body into Tara to absolutely crush the Korean's body. Jerking out every which way with her arms flopping and waving, Tara would be docile and then some by the time Raquel's motion stopped. With the Korean now in the utmost perfect condition for Raquel to end this...

[Highfly]

Raquel came crashing down, connecting with Tara as she landed right on top of her! Raquel let out a wheeze of pain as she nearly knocked the wind out of herself but she knew any pain she was in was nothing compared to what Tara felt! Raquel reached down and hooked a leg, using her free hand to slap the mat as the official slid in to place. She hit her finisher and had a secure pin now it was time to hold her breath and hope for the best.....

"ONE!"

"TWO!"

[Devilish53]

With her body jerking up every which way, it was only a matter of a motion from Raquel to bring about Tara's end. Something she naturally did, if promptly!

Leg hooked high and shoulder pressed flat to the canvas, Tara tried as she could to muster the strength to resist but nothing came to her. Nothing more than a grunt anyway. Despite her efforts, with a rare serious showing given to the crowd this day from the Korean, she was finished.

"THREE!"

One final flick of the referees hand would see about Tara's defeat in her first qualifier, with the Korean's head soon falling to the side as she let out a resentful sigh. Not that wins or losses mattered when it came to qualifying for the Apex event - though damn if it didn't hurt Tara's confidence going forward all the same.

[Highfly]

With that three count Raquel not only won but she was now Apex qualified given that she had challenged.... and failed.... against Aoi for the Lightweight Championship. However That was when Raquel lost as much or more than she won. Ever since that failed title shot a refocused Raquel was wrestling as good as any other wrestler in LAW or so she felt.

The red-head stood up and held her arms out, wincing in pain as her hobbled body attempted to skip around the ring in a victory lap. Raquel pumped a fist in the air as she stood up on a turnbuckle before hopping back down, making her way over to Tara to see if she could help her up if she hadn't already risen to her feet.

[Devilish53]

Tara sat up by the time Raquel had finished her victory lap, but her frame didn't go much further. Arms resting on her knees, the Korean could but stare off into the distance as she caught her breath. On her part she felt there was a lot to think about.

Was the more serious variety of wrestling required for this sort of contest simply not her thing? Or was this simply a case of being out classed? And how would the audience take to her now, with it being apparent that a straight and serious singles match with her ended in defeat?

The match was as close as could be, but defeat was still defeat regardless of whether it was by a inch or a mile. Nevertheless, Tara felt for the first time had a moment of contemplation about her wrestling career. One she'd continue having as she fell to her back, before rolling out of the ring to land on her feet and exit. Inadvertedly ignoring Raquel's soon-to-be-made offer at helping her rise.