Toshiko Ito vs. Lisbeth Carlsen (Apex Qualifier)

[Dubski]

Toshiko was laying prone on the outside, holding her head in pain as the referee began to count her out. She wasn't about to get up immediately, but Lisbeth wasn't going to wait for her either. A boot came down on top of her chiseled abs, making her gasp out and turn to the side, cradling her midsection with one arm as she tried to suck in a deep breath. Then, the Japanese girl felt herself be ripped to her feet before being slammed head-first into the apron and falling to one knee, her already ailing skull hurting even more.

Ito let out a soft groan before she was rolled into the ring. Her bigger form, slowly rolling towards the center in an effort to get more distance from her opponent. Toshiko was hurting. Focus became difficult. She needed to get a chance to recover, and she wasn't sure how she was going to make that happen for her right now. But she was confident she could find a way when the moment was right.

[ThatPolishDude]

Lisbeth was breathing heavily, this fight so far was taking all she got and she could feel her strength slowly draining. Still remembering the first half of it though she knew slowing down and letting Toshiko recover could very easily turn the tables on her.

With all that in mind, she walked over to her opponent when she was about to reach the center to deliver another stomp, this time to her back. If it succeeded in stopping her foe she would bend down to wrap her arms around the woman and try to throw her back in a deadlift German suplex!

[Dubski]

Toshiko Ito was struggling on the mat, trying to muster her will to get up and fight back, but finding it difficult at the moment. She knew she wouldn't have too much time to recover, and Lisbeth would be on her tail sooner than later. And it seemed like Carlsen was more eager than she thought. Ito would start pushing herself off the mat with both hands, only to get a stomp to the back, dropping her back down flat with a grunt of pain. Toshiko huffed and closed her eyes tight, knowing she'd need the strength to get up still.

Lisbeth would beat her to it though. She felt her slim waist be grabbed with both arms and gripped tight. Letting out a soft groan, Toshiko tried to grasp for the mat for help, but Carlsen was throwing too much of her power into it. Then, she was flying through the air before crashing onto her head and shoulders with a German Suplex, her body folding up before she collapsed to the side, gasping and grunting as she moved a hand to the back of her head. She was left helpless to her opponent now, desperate to find an escape now.

[ThatPolishDude]

It was exhausting, being used to fights being split into rounds was not helping things either as habits told her she can go hard, expecting a break that would not come. There was one bright side to it all, her relentless assault seemed to have done a number on Toshiko and though the early stages of the match put Lisbeth on a backfoot, now it seemed the victory could be within her grasp. She breathed heavily as she bent down, forcing her opponent to lay on her back as she would hook one of her legs and go for the cover to hopefully end it.

[Dubski]

Toshiko Ito's head and shoulders throbbed in pain as she laid in a heap on her side from the German Suplex she just took. It was a hard-hitting move and left the Twilight Edge struggling to focus on everything around her. She didn't move, simply wanting to gain her focus as she grunted softly. She clenched a fist in her one hand briefly before she was forced onto her back by Lisbeth, and predictably into a cover. The referee dropped down as the leg got hooked.

"ONE!"

"TWO!"

Toshiko would then kick out, sitting up and clenching her eyes tight from the pain of it before her upper half folded over to rest on her side again. She groaned in pain, the exertion from the kick out just making everything hurt that much more. She would still need to find a way back to success in this match again though, and simply surviving wouldn't be enough for her.

[ThatPolishDude]

As Toshiko kicked out, Lisbeth turned to the ref and growled, it was so close, but close wasn't enough and at this speed, she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep on going. Still, despite her kick-out, Toshiko seemed to not have recovered fully. To exploit that, Carlsen would force her back up to standing and drag her along towards the corner before pushing her at it.

What she planned to do next was more so a ploy to buy time and catch her breath while hopefully robbing her opponent of that chance. To that end, she would rise her foot onto the other women's neck and push while holding onto the ropes for stability. If everything went well, her foe would quite literally not be able to catch a breath while she herself had a moment to do so.

[Dubski]

The Twilight Edge was struggling on the mat, wincing after she kicked out. Her face scrunched up behind her mask as she tried her best to regain focus. She needed to find an escape from her position now, but it would require finding a proper way to take advantage of Lisbeth's offense. Carlsen wasn't about to open herself up, so it would be up to Toshiko to open up Lisbeth's offense for her.

Lisbeth would decide not to waste too much time, and Toshiko was lifted up and pushed against the corner. With a small gasp, Toshiko grit her teeth, glaring at Carlsen briefly before she was met with a boot to her throat, beginning to choke her. Toshiko gagged under the pressure of that foot to her neck and tried to break free, but was unable. And then she realized Lisbeth's position and realized this was the advantage she was looking for. Giving her opponent a spiteful stare, she would wrap her arm around Lisbeth's leg tight before suddenly summoning her strength to shuffle to the side of Lisbeth's leg and raised her arm high before driving it towards Carlsen's knee cap, looking to try hyperextending her limb and send her in a world of pain. It would be the advantage Toshiko wanted, but needed at this point.

[ThatPolishDude]

Lisbeth lost her focus for just a moment, she allowed herself to take advantage of the position she got, tried to get a moment of rest, and now, she was paying for it. Her knee exploded with pain as all the ligaments stretched to their limit, threatening to flip the joint over. She cried in pain, last her footing and fell backwards in an uncoordinated heap. This was not good, with her opponent now free she had to keep cautious but she couldn't get up so easily, the pain in her leg made it very clear and so for now she tried to scoot away and get to the ropes a bit further from Toshiko, hoping to use them to get up

[Dubski]

Toshiko's stiff elbow smashed into Lisbeth's knee, briefly hyperextending it and forcing her opponent to retreat and tumble to the ground. Ito held a hand to her neck, taking big breaths as she glared over her mask at Carlsen. The measured breaths for air soon became more forceful and angry as she was sending daggers at Carlsen. She didn't appreciate being attacked like that, and especially the rest of the offense Lisbeth had dealt to her. And now she was ready to make her pay for it. The Japanese striker would stalk after Carlsen.

With a low growl, she grabbed hold of her foe's leg and lifted it up, staring down at Carlsen angrily. And then, she would keep a hold of it and then swing a hard kick right towards that hurt knee, wanting to debilitate it further. Toshiko had her target now, and she was ready to unload on it to gain her advantage.

[ThatPolishDude]

Toshiko recovered faster than Lisbeth had hoped for, making it easy for her to catch up with the Danish woman. With her leg hurt as it was, she could do little to get back faster and the kicks she threw up to try and dissuade her adversary missed their mark entirely as the Japanese fighter reached for her leg. A moment of fear passed over Lisbeth as she realized what was about to happen. She clenched her teeth preemptively but it was of little use as pain once more exploded through her leg, making Carlesn gurgle before she broke into an all-out cry of pain. Blessedly, her leg did not hurt anymore, though the reason for it was something Lisbeth knew all too well as the nerves in her leg must have been pinched by that blow, making her entire limb numb and useless. Now there was very little she could do as she remained at Toshiko's mercy.