Ambre Brault vs Astrid Ostberg

[Bearhug Goddess]

Ambre was sort of used to getting hit and was used to returning the blows she received that way, but at the moment Astrid was too strong for Ambre to fight that way. The Black Pearl arrived with a little difficulty remaining standing despite the blow she had just received but it was useless if she did nothing else. Getting used to the pain was so long and difficult that Astrid had time to find herself behind the Frenchwoman and follow up with a German suplex, slamming Ambre's back and shoulders against the mat.

“KARGH!”

The ring shook under the impact and the Frenchwoman's body continued to roll after the impact, leaving her opponents' arms. This brought back memories for Ambre, both good and bad because it reminded her of her first defeat at LAW. But now was not the time to think about that and be nostalgic, the pain brought Ambre back to reality as she held herself against the ropes and used them to pull herself up. Her back hurt but much less than her stomach which was also starting to hurt less. The Black Pearl was finally starting to get used to the pain and would be ready to return to the match in a few seconds.

But she was not to take any further blows, at least not without a response. She was already tired of selling Astrid's punches as if she were a simple punching bag, the Black Pearl may have had a physique and a mind of steel which made her unbreakable like a jewel but she was not unbeatable. She got up and still held the ropes with her hand, panting hard while looking at Astrid out of the corner of her eye with a look that was still determined despite the situation. Ambre was only waiting for one thing, for her opponent to approach her to raise her leg at the last moment and execute a Big Boot, hoping that Astrid would decide to continue her offensives.

[CaptainL]

After the impact of Astrid's charge, Ambre had been left all but breathless, sprawled out across the mat at the Norsewoman's feet. For as commendable as her endurance had been in helping her stay on even ground against a former champion, she had nothing left in her to fight back - and nothing left in her to defend herself as Astrid scooped her up and hurled her head and shoulders down against the mat, causing the whole ring to shake! The crowd cheered at such a show of Astrid's prowess - but they also cheered what happened just a moment later. Ambre might have been taken down, but by no means was she taken out. And as she sent herself tumbling toward the ropes, it was a statement that no matter what Astrid threw at her, she was still willing to fight it to the end - a statement of how far she was willing to let her determination fuel her! Taking the beating she was, and continuing to keep the fight alive, Ambre was making no shortage of loyal supporters tonight!

Astrid dusted herself off and shook out her hair as she helped herself back up to her feet. She might've needed a moment to roll out her shoulders and limber herself up, but when she looked back to see Ambre slumped against the ropes, wide open and seemingly vulnerable, she saw her moment to capitalize on the opportunity. Once again, she took off in a charge to catch up to Ambre, drawing back a forearm to ram her with a hard-hitting lariat - but Ambre wasn't quite as vulnerable as she might've seemed, and she was about to say as much when she thrust her leg up in the air, leaving Astrid to charge right into the big boot!

At once, the sound of a crack echoed through the air. The Norsewoman gasped, doubling over forward at the waist. The impact had knocked the air out of her lungs - and more importantly, it demonstrated that Ambre wasn't done just yet, something that only won her more cheers from the fans! With her teeth clenched in a grimace, Astrid began to sink lower, her knees spread apart and her stance widened to keep herself on her feet. That blow had taken the wind out of her sails. But Astrid had plenty of endurance herself - and it was going to take more than this to keep her down for good, too! She, too, was here to make a statement that she wasn't done fighting! While Ambre's leg was outstretched, Astrid moved to grab for it, going to pull back as hard as she could to drag the Frenchwoman to the ground!

[Bearhug Goddess]

Ambre's domination during the test of strength is gradually fading from the memories of the spectators who only saw Astrid beating Ambre. The advantage of this match had just passed to the other side of the ring and unfortunately, it was not on the side of the Black Pearl who put all her efforts into recovery. She still managed to get up and breathe again but it wasn't enough, she still needed to gain a few seconds and for that, the Frenchwoman decided to lift her leg for a Big Boot as soon as Astrid threw herself on Ambre...

And it seemed to work! Ambre managed to stop her opponent's momentum thanks to her foot and gain a few more seconds of recovery, but it was far from enough to completely stop the Norsewoman. Ambre was far from being the only wrestler to be able to get used to the unexpected and Astrid reminded her by grabbing her leg and pulling her forward, forcing the Black Pearl to let go of the ropes before slamming her back against the mat.

"Arghhhh!..."

The Frenchwoman's eyebrows were starting to furrow and the almost incessant domination of her opponent was starting to get on her nerves. Unlike her, Astrid knew how to keep the advantage in a match and it was frustrating for Ambre who couldn't win.

But had she tried ?

Ambre has only defended herself since the end of this test of strength, was it because she was not yet confident in her abilities or to test those of her opponent? Maybe a bit of both? In any case, these last minutes were beneficial for the Frenchwoman who now had the energy necessary to fight and despite her position, she attempted her first offensive. She paused the palms of both hands against the mat to lift her body and kick Astrid's stomach with her heel to push her back and force her to release her while roaring to expel her anger and frustration into this kick.

“ENOUGH !”

[CaptainL]

When Ambre connected a big boot straight to Astrid's midsection, she definitely felt it - she went reeling backward as she cried out in pain, her teeth gnashing as her body shuddered. But one of Astrid's greatest and proudest assets had always been her endurance - and that endurance wasn't about to fail her now. No matter how hard a hitter Ambre could be, Astrid wasn't about to go down so easily. Her stance might have wavered, and she might have sank a little lower...but she still saw an opportunity in this moment to fight back. She had Ambre by the leg - and that meant she had the leverage she needed to bring her down!

As Ambre dropped to the mat, the ring rumbled beneath her with the sound of a thud. The fans burst out into cheers at such a well-performed counter from the Norsewoman - and while Astrid bowed forward at the waist from how the balance between them shifted, she hadn't let go of Ambre's leg. Her fingers only grasped tighter around her ankle, holding herself steady as she moved to crank back on it and apply an ankle lock. But Ambre had other plans!

Before Astrid could exert the force she needed, Ambre suddenly swung her legs outward, planting her foot squarely against the Norsewoman's abs! Even in her dizzied state, she could still pack plenty of force behind her kick - and when Astrid's balance had already been compromised by the big boot, this was enough to push her over the edge. She gagged and sputtered as the air was knocked from her lungs, and her diaphragm sank inward against the blow. At last, her hands slipped from Ambre's ankle and fell at her sides, just before her footing gave out, and she dropped straight down, shaking the ring once again as she landed. But her head was spinning, and she groaned under her breath in a daze. At last, it seemed, Ambre had the lead.

[Bearhug Goddess]

Ambre was far from having regained all her strength when she was thrown to the ground by Astrid. Her body was once again shaking the ring under the impact and the pain in her back was becoming more and more severe than the pain in her stomach. She had to react and quickly and fortunately for her, these recent events helped her adapt and taught her to impose herself in the match, preferring to attack than look for the perfect counter.

The results were quick, Ambre decided to use her small size and agility to her advantage to deliver a blow before Astrid could continue dragging her like a ragdoll. The heel strike on Astrid's abs seemed enough to push the giantess back and force her to let go of Ambre's leg, who finally had a few seconds of rest. She used her precious seconds to get up and regain her breath, she was now ready to continue to win and take an ever-increasing lead.

The Black Pearl's gaze was less closed than at the start of the match, her eyes were wide open, staring at her opponent in front of her, and her mouth slightly open due to concentration. She threw herself back to use the ropes behind them as a spring and throw herself at Astrid at full speed, jumping at the last moment and turning slightly to the side to deliver a Big Shoulder Tackle to the giantess' chest in front of her. The Frenchwoman hoping to be fast, strong and heavy enough so that her blow would be strong and destabilizing enough.

[CaptainL]

Even though the two heavyweights had since broken the test of strength, they were still locked in a close back-and-forth struggle, one that neither could keep control of for long. Both had just as much leverage on one another, and both were willing to use that to their advantage. Astrid might have taken Ambre down - but just a moment later, the Black Pearl lashed out with a kick that sent her into the ropes! Both of them were going to fight with everything they had, and neither was going to back down - every time one of them looked to have taken the lead, the other struck!

Now, Astrid had fallen slumped against the ropes, her head spinning in a daze. That meant she was open for Ambre to strike - and this time, Ambre was the one who was going to charge! Before Astrid so much as had a chance to catch her bearings, the Frenchwoman had crashed into her at full force! As she felt her body ram into hers, Astrid was shaken back to her senses just enough to look up with a gasp, her eyes wide in shock as the air was flattened out of her lungs. Carried back by Ambre's momentum, she stretched the ropes behind her before they snapped back like a slingshot and catapulted the Norsewoman forward! Assuming Ambre wouldn't get in the way, Astrid would end up dumped onto her face, her knees folded beneath her and her hips raised in the air.

[Bearhug Goddess]

Ambre was pumped up, she was ready to fight hard against Astrid and continue to have the advantage of this match and to convince the spectators that it was not a series of lucky breaks but clearly talent and skill, and training who brought the Frenchwoman who brought her this far. But that wasn't enough for the Frenchwoman who always wanted more, even going so far as to attack Astrid head-on with her shoulder to push her back and weaken her.

But the Black Pearl's attack was much more effective than she had expected, probably thanks to the momentum gained from the ropes. Astrid was not only weakened, she even fell in front of Ambre, finding herself weakened and defenseless. The opportunity was just too perfect for Ambre, her opponent's body was served on a silver platter and she did not hesitate for a single second to take revenge for all the falls she suffered in her last minutes.

She grabbed Astrid's hips and forced her to turn slightly to the side before grunting lightly, lifting her opponent's body and leaning forward to perform a powerful German Suplex, making the ring and ropes shake even more. louder than during Astrid's suplex. But it didn't stop there, Ambre didn't release Astrid and now her position for a pinfall, the first of this match!

[CaptainL]

If Astrid hadn't been pushed up against the ropes, Ambre's charge might not have hit her quite as hard as it did. But when it drove her back against the cables, not only causing her to strike the unforgiving steel at full force but stretching them taut against her own weight, the Norsewoman was left rattled. Her head spun and her vision went blurry, and just moments later the tension in the ropes threw her forward, dumping her face-first onto the mat. That left her wide open to whatever Ambre was going to do next...and when Ambre was as determined as she was to prove herself and to stand up to the former champion, this was an opportunity she wasn't about to pass up!

Ambre ducked down, scooping Astrid up into her arms, and lifted her skyward. The sight of her straining against the Norwegian's weight won plenty of cheers from the crowd, who were quite aware of how heroic a feat it must have been to lift a woman like Astrid Ostberg - and Ambre was pulling it off! But when Ambre slung Astrid down to drive her head and shoulders right into the canvas, the roar of excitement that ripped through the stands was even louder! When Ambre leaned back further to bring Astrid's shoulders against the mat, there were plenty of people watching who wanted to see the plucky young rising star score the victory of a lifetime!

"One!!"

But that wasn't going to be so easy! The match had only just begun, and Astrid was tougher than that! As the referee made the first count, Astrid quickly kicked out her legs to break free of Ambre's pin. There, she would continue on her momentum, rolling backward to right herself on her knees. There, she rubbed at her head to dull the aches before looking back up at her foe.

"That's a good counter," she said, "but I'm a master of the German suplex myself, and I'm afraid you're not quite there yet!" Dusting herself off, Astrid began to rise to her feet, getting ready for the next round.

[Bearhug Goddess]

No one in the audience could have expected to see such an intense and impressive match between the former Heavyweight champion and the Black Pearl who was establishing herself as a rising star in the league. The Frenchwoman was far from pleasing the public due to her recent arrival and her audacity to have challenged Astrid even though she had not yet proven that she was an aggressive wrestler. But she was there for precisely that tonight, she wanted to prove to everyone that she was as strong... no, stronger than the former champion.

But Astrid wasn't there to give the Black Pearl an easy victory and also fought with everything she had, rather easily pushing the Frenchwoman away with her legs during the pinfall before the referee could even count to two. Ambre found herself pushed back onto her knees and immediately turned towards Astrid, wanting to stay facing her to avoid being attacked from behind, especially after dominating the match. The crowd was on fire, applauding and encouraging the two wrestlers to keep fighting. The Frenchwoman got up slowly, keeping her arms slightly raised to be on guard and ready to react to any situation.

“Thank you... It will happen...!”

Ambre had a lot of fun in this match despite the stakes and the difficulty and now both wrestlers were standing, a new round was about to begin. The Black Pearl was not going to make the same mistake as before and acted first, throwing herself at Astrid with her arms wide open and lowering herself slightly to make it look like a Spear but the Frenchwoman stopped as soon as her body was stuck against her opponent's and her arms wrapped around Astrid's hips. Instead of continuing her route to tackle Astrid to the ground, Ambre tightened her arms to crush her opponent's body against hers with a Bearhug.

[CaptainL]

Ambre was definitely talking a big game in trying to put herself up against every woman who had previously challenged for the Heavyweight Championship, despite her being young and unproven in the League. But if anyone had any doubts about how well she could back up her claims, the matter was being set right tonight! Not only had Ambre managed to weather the storm, shrugging off the hard-hitting blows Astrid threw her way, she had even been able to get the Norsewoman down for a close call. But it was still Astrid Ostberg she was up against - and Astrid wasn't going to make things easy! Soon enough, the Norwegian had hopped back up on her feet, dusting herself off as she prepared to go head to head against Ambre once again. And Ambre would be ready for it too!

Astrid watched as her opponent came charging closer, planting her feet and shifting her weight as though she was prepared to throw herself forward for a spear. With the well-practiced timing of a veteran, Astrid spread her feet apart, bringing her weight lower and holding her hands out in front of her in preparation to catch her foe. But Ambre had managed to outwit her - she threw herself up against her, but rather than bringing Astrid down, she abruptly stopped where she was, her arms dropping down to grab at the former champion rather than tackle her. And the next thing Astrid knew, those same arms pulled tight, squeezing her ribs and waist to trap her in a bear hug!

"RRGH..!!" Her face growing red from the pressure, Astrid twisted her body from side to side, trying to fight back against the force encroaching on her under Ambre's grip. But she wasn't afraid. She was more than familiar with the bear hug when she had used it as a finisher many a time before, and she was going to prove that to Ambre!

"Heh...if you're going to challenge me to a duel of bear hugs...you'd better be ready for it!" she huffed. Then she threw her own arms around Ambre's waist in turn, gritting her teeth to summon more force as she clamped down as hard as she could! It would all be up to who would break first, now!