School of Hard Knox - Maddie Knox vs Muriel Spencer [Standard]

[Parker]

Madison sagged against the ropes, her chest rising and falling as her emerald eyes blinked glassy, still unfocused from the elbow strike that had rung her bell. Her arms draped slack over the top strand, shoulders bowed, a picture of regal poise stripped down to its most fragile core. Her face was seized, head heavy as he chin was angled up to expose her body to Muriel’s attentive punishment.

The accompanied smack of the chop tore through that stupor with a crack that echoed off the rafters. “Aahhh-!” Maddie’s back arched, her chest jolting forward as the burn lit across her skin. She clutched at the ropes in reflex, her lips parting on a ragged gasp that left her looking flustered, vulnerable, the sting glowing pink across her cleavage. The crowd winced with her, some cheering, some groaning, all savoring the sharp sound of leather on flesh.

Tugged by the wrist, she was peeled off the ropes and before Maddie could gather her bearings, she was yanked forward into an Irish whip. Her ankle twinged the moment her boots slapped the mat, the earlier damage making her first strides uneven. She stumbled, nearly buckling, then forced herself into a hobbling sprint that gained speed only out of necessity, not grace.

She pivoted sloppily on her good heel and hit the far ropes hard, back pressing into the cable before springing back, her gait still awkward, her blonde hair flying around her face as she barreled toward Muriel.

At the last second, when it looked as though she might simply crumple into her opponent, Maddie sprang. A desperate leap, body twisting through the air with more heart than polish. Her limbs stretched wide, aiming to crash into Muriel with a flying crossbody, hoping her sheer momentum and the width of her assault would be enough to barrel through whatever the Rumble Rose had in store.

[BlackAkuma]

”Hang in there, come on…”

Valeria found herself seizing the ring apron, a nervous little tick that she hadn't engaged in for years. While she liked watching wrestling matches enough, these days she mostly did it for research, to learn more about her upcoming opponents and do a little strategy. Here, it was so much more than that. She was invested, hanging on every move - a fan, in other words.

More than anything, though, she was waiting. As good as Muriel was and as much as she was running the match so far, she had faith that Maddie would get it together. She’d get out of her head, focus, and then do her thing.

It wouldn’t hurt to cheer, though. ”Maddie! Maddie!” Was that the right way to cheer? It felt hokey. You’d think the daughter of an actual cheerleader would know something about it, but…

She brought her focus back where it belonged, as Muriel continued her assault and hurled Maddie away. A bad move on her part, Valerie thought - she was giving the Golden Girl space and time, all that any competent wrestler needed to turn the tide. Sure enough, she saw the pep in her step, that little burst of energy, as the two rushed to meet each other. Muriel must have seen it too, because she was already moving in to intercept, looking for a punch or a suplex or-

Whatever it was, it was too late for it, as Maddie sprang towards her and made herself into a living weapon, leaping through space and launching herself at the older woman. Ms. Spencer brought her arms up in a vain attempt to catch her, but that wasn’t happening. The two of them came down, with the former teacher crashing on her back, taking the brunt of the damage.

”Yes!” It was probably way too early to celebrate, but Valerie would do it, anyway.

[Parker]

The crash to the mat was the disastrous sort. A sloppy launch into a failure to capture left both women hitting in poor form. Luck had favored Madison however, her sprawl landing squarely atop the buxom blonde beneath her, Muriel’s curves absorbing the worst of the fall. For a breathless moment she lingered there, chest rising and falling in shallow bursts, straining against the textured wrinkles of Muriel’s blouse as though she were molding herself into the older woman’s frame.

Her ankle throbbed now that stillness gave the pain room to creep in, no longer masked by the heat of motion. Each stride had been heavy and unsteady, a small miracle she hadn’t crumpled after bounding off the ropes. The top of her chest still tingled, the sting of Muriel’s chop reduced now to a numbed, prickling ache that radiated faintly with every breath. Madison blinked the haze from her vision, emerald eyes sharpening again with that cold, commanding fire. This wasn’t over. Not nearly.

With a throaty grunt, Maddie shifted, her hips rolling with a languid sway as she slid herself up Muriel’s body. The brush of her toned thighs grazed across the older woman’s shoulders, each inch deliberate, as though she were reclaiming her lost grace. Reaching behind herself, back arching, she threaded her arm back through her leg. Fingers curled deep into Muriel’s hair, tugging just enough to coax her head upward, only to guide it exactly where Madison wanted it. With slow precision, she parted her thighs and closed them, snugly fitting Muriel’s face into the trap of her sculpted frame.

Her legs were steel wrapped in satin, velvet muscle that flexed with every breath. Madison hooked her ankles, bootlaces brushing as she weaved one behind the other, locking them tight as a jailor’s cell, providing no key for escape. Muriel’s cheek pressed against the inside of her sleek, toned thigh, caught in the warm, smothering vise. Maddie’s hips shifted with a small, teasing grind, tightening the scissor by degrees, savoring not just the control but the display, her body on full, commanding show.

Her lips curled into a knowing smile, emerald eyes gleaming as she leaned back, planting her palms on the canvas for leverage. The motion arched her spine, thrusting her chest forward, golden hair tumbling over her shoulders like liquid sunlight. She looked less like a wrestler in battle than a goddess posing for her worshippers to paint, every angle a blend of grace and cruelty. A practiced pose.

Not content with the scissor alone, Madison reached down, seizing one of Muriel’s arms in the scuffle. With a deft twist, she pulled it upward and pressed it firmly across her own chest, nestling it against the soft ridges of her cleavage, pinning it there with a casual, mocking intimacy.

Her fingers coiled over wrist and palm, applying pressure with her thumb and a twist. She didn’t crank the wrist lock, but brought it to the point of sharpness. It was a threat to accept the hand she had been dealt subserviently or things would become worse. Indeed, if she felt real struggle from the veteran, she would do everything in her power to make certain she tortured her arm for every second that passed. Now Muriel was doubly trapped, head swallowed between Madison’s thighs, arm claimed against her chest, body bent to the blonde’s will.

“Mm…” Maddie breathed, her voice silk-draped mockery, low and sultry. “Now isn’t this better?” She pulsed her thighs, the grind deliberate, her ankles tightening with one more squeeze to remind Muriel and the crowd exactly who held the reins.

[BlackAkuma]

Oof. Muriel could concede that was a less than pleasant experience.

Ms. Knox was by no means a heavyweight - she would wager that the two of them were relatively close in terms of weight, nestled safely in the middleweight class. But mass combined with acceleration created a great deal of force, and whatever Ms. Knox lacked in the former category, she more than made up with the latter. Muriel would liken the impact to a low-speed car crash, having the sense knocked out of her with a sudden, jarring collision, then unceremoniously brought to the canvas.

But it was the most damage she had suffered thus far in this match. Muriel was no brawler, but even she could withstand more than that, and she was already on her way back up after the shortest of reprieves.

Ms. Knox, however, had other ideas, ideas which involved working her way up her body and bringing those bared legs of hers around Muriel’s head. She knew a trap when she saw one and tried to wrench, but it was far too late for such aspirations. Those thighs clamped around her head, pressed tight, and the headscissor was secured.

Muriel hissed through gritted teeth as the woman powered down on her skull, hammering her with merciless pressure, and she could see that wily smile on the woman’s face. She was relishing this control, savoring the moment for all it was worth. Hubris was a fitting word for it, but she could hardly be blamed.

To make matters worse, Ms. Knox seized her arm and brought her hand up to her chest, forcing Muriel to participate in a crude parody of intimacy. While she would not lie and say that the feeling of the woman’s chest was unpleasant, she was in no mood to participate in such shenanigans, and her pained grimace communicated as much. She did her best to block the woman’s taunts, and instead focused on escaping.

The ropes were the obvious answer, but they were at the center of the ring, and such an endeavor would’ve been exhaustive. No, she needed more immediate solutions, and she could see one presented at the moment. While Ms. Knox’s position was effective, it put her in more danger than she might’ve realized.

Muriel brought her free hand up and clasped the woman’s thigh, not to pull at it, but to get a grip. At the same time, she brought her knees under her body and began to rise, in what might have looked like the beginnings of an attempt to turn this move into a powerbomb.

It was not. Instead of rising up all the way, Muriel planted her feet and drove forward, pushing into Ms. Knox’s body to pin her shoulders to the canvas. The referee would react immediately, sliding over to start the count. ”1…!”

[Parker]

Madison grit her teeth, thighs cinched tight around Muriel’s head while her wrist cranked cruelly back in her grip. The effort had her chest rising and falling hard, each breath sharp, but her lips still curled into that smug, knowing grin. She had Muriel trapped, head between her legs, wrist twisted, her control undeniable.

“Cute… thinking you’re getting anywhere like this.” She taunted, voice tinged with exertion but heavy with arrogance. Madison relished the dominance, savoring how her opponent writhed in her hold, and only squeezed harder when she felt Muriel straining for escape. Her gaze shifted to the distant ropes, the distance between them even had a chortle bubble up from her.

But then the sudden roll came. Muriel drove forward, and in an instant Madison’s shoulders were flat to the mat.

“One!”

Her eyes went wide, anger flashing hot as the referee’s hand hit. She poured every ounce of spite into the holds, thighs flexing like vices, wrist wrenched back viciously. Her body shook with the force she was channeling, but still the count climbed-

“Two!”

No choice. Madison snarled and flung herself free, legs snapping open as she kicked away from the pin. The two of them tumbled apart, Madison hitting the canvas in a frustrated sprawl. She shoved up onto her stomach, crawling on all for with raw instinct, and threw herself over Muriel before her opponent could rise.

Her body draped heavy across Muriel’s back, smothering her with deliberate weight, making her rise impossible. “Not… so fast,” she hissed between gasps, breath hot and ragged.

From there, she clawed an arm around Muriel’s and started the grind upward. It wasn’t pretty. Madison dragged herself to one knee first, yanking Muriel with her, the two of them struggling upward together, bodies trembling with exertion. By the time they were halfway there, Madison’s fury boiled over.

She would attempt to heave Muriel up just enough, twisted her grip, and come surging off her planted foot. With her whole body behind it, she threw herself into a vicious knee strike. It wasn’t clean, sloppy, desperate, but brutal all the same. Her thigh and hip snapped in behind the blow, trying to crack across Muriel’s face with a sick thud that sent the crowd roaring and put this damn wrestling school teacher on her back.

If she managed to leave her opponent dazed Madison wasted no time. She stomped to anchor herself, sprang high, and came crashing down on her bounteous backside to land a banzai drop across Muriel’s chest. Reaching back, she’d try to hook Muriel’s leg with one arm and slapped the mat with the other.

“Count it!” she barked, voice sharp with rage as she leaned every ounce of weight into the pinfall.

[BlackAkuma]

People often thought that Muriel’s dueling professions were diametrically opposed, that she brought nothing from her job as a teacher into the ring. An understandable assumption, easily made - grading papers hardly prepared you for bodyslams and suplexes, after all.

Muriel, however, saw things differently. Wrestling was about more, so much more, than simply repeating lessons and rote memorization. She prided herself on reading her students, in learning their mannerisms and reacting accordingly, and she brought this talent into her wrestling style. Though she had only known Ms. Knox for a few minutes, she was already getting a solid feel for the woman’s personality.

Confident. Proud. Perhaps a little unsure of herself, but that changed the moment she was in the driver’s seat. She was certainly looking to make a name for herself in her LAW debut, which Muriel could respect. But she wasn’t about to make it easy for her. They were both here to win.

She believed she was on the cusp of it, too, as she sought to turn her opponent’s position against her, pushing her shoulders to the mat. It was an easy mistake to make, losing sight of one's position in the midst of the melee, and she could see the frustration in her foe’s eyes as the count began.

The count came, the choice was made, and Muriel was given the separation she craved, fleeting though it was. Eager to rise and recover, she began to push her way up, only for Ms. Knox to come in from behind and crash onto her back to seize control once more.

Up, up, up. They were rising, with Muriel struggling along the way, only to have the fight knocked out of her with a stiff knee to the gut and a stiffer strike to the face. She was knocked flat, only to have her foe drop down heavy on her chest, driving her backside hard into the ribs, an impact she was sure to feel for days. The leg was pulled, and the count began.

”1…!”

Muriel grit her teeth, fighting past the pain and just trying to breathe for the moment. This pin was a comparatively cruel one, she had to note, as if Ms. Knox had some spite over her escape. Wrath, another vice she could add to the list.

”2…!”

She threw her hand up at the last moment and jerked hard to side, pushing Ms. Knox off in a powerful burst, but that was all she could manage for now. Muriel flopped back immediately after and focused on her breathing, knowing she needed to get that under control before anything else.

[Parker]

Madison perched herself firmly on Muriel’s chest, facing forward, her weight pressing down heavy as she hooked one of her opponent’s legs beneath her arm. She sat tall, chin lifted, drinking in the referee’s count and the rising clamor of the crowd. For her, this wasn’t just a pinfall attempt—it was a statement. She wanted Muriel to feel her, to know she was beneath her in every sense of the word.

She rocked her hips slightly for emphasis, leaning her weight back to grind the air out of Muriel’s lungs, savoring the control. A smirk tugged at her lips; she could practically hear the frustration simmering in the gasps from beneath her.

Just as Madison’s grin spread wider, Muriel bucked with a surge of desperation. The burst of strength jolted Madison hard, throwing her forward and sending her pitching off balance. With a startled cry, she collapsed onto her hands and knees, hair spilling across her face as the referee waved off the pin. The crowd exploded at the near fall, excited chants ringing out across the arena.

Madison’s breath came sharp, nostrils flaring as she slapped the mat once with a palm. “Fine,” she muttered, smirk twisting into something darker. “You want more? You’ll get more.”

Planting her feet beneath her, she staggered upright, her ankle giving a dull throb that reminded her of earlier punishment. She grit her teeth and bent low, her fingers snaring into Muriel’s hair. With a cruel yank, she dragged her foe up from the canvas, ignoring her groans. “Up. Come on. Everyone is so hot for teacher. Got to give them a show.”

Once Muriel was unsteadily vertical, Madison shifted her grip and snapped her into an Irish whip to send her packing to the far ropes. But Madison didn’t hang back, she charged after her, her stride uneven from the hurt ankle but no less fierce. Every step thudded against the canvas, the crowd rising as the gap between the two women closed.

When Muriel was set to turn off the ropes, Madison closed the distance and threw her whole body into the strike. She snapped her leg upward in a vicious thrust, unleashing her signature Knoxxed Up, a massive big boot aimed flush for Muriel’s face. trying to blast the woman so hard it would send her tumbling over the ropes to the outside.

[BlackAkuma]

”Yes!” Valerie was practically hopping in place as the momentum began to swing in Madison’s favor. ”Yes!”

It was more than a little relieving to see her take control of the match after…well, being honest, not the best of starts. She had faith in her friend, but the bumpy start had made her falter, tarnished the image a touch, and left her wondering if, maybe, she’d been a little gungho about getting Muriel Spencer as her first opponent. With all the experience the woman had, she’d be a tough match for anyone, and there was something to be said for facing an opponent a little closer to their age.

But those doubts washed away now that Madison was on top and going for the pin. She didn’t think it would work, Muriel wasn’t that winded just yet, but it was a great attempt and the start of something more substantial. This, they could work with.

Valerie clapped after the pinfall, rallying the crowd behind Madison as the match went on. It wasn’t too hard. Yes, Muriel was an old-school favorite, but the LAW audience was always quick to rally around a newcomer, wanting to see an upset. It was the sort of instant popularity she’d enjoyed when she took on Ryo, and she was glad to see it in her friend’s favor.

Excited as she was, she didn’t fail to see that little hitch in Madison’s ankle as she rose, no doubt still feeling the Ankle Lock. To her credit, though, she didn’t let it slow her down too much as she went to her next move, lifting Muriel up and sending her off with the Irish Whip. Valerie couldn't be sure what her plan was off the bat, but she could guess from the way she was moving - building up speed, the placement, the spring in her step. She was already moving back, and sure enough, her instinct proved right: A Big Boot cracking Muriel clean in the face, and over the ropes she went.

The former teacher landed bad, hitting the apron on the way down, then tumbling to the floor from there. She landed on her feet and managed to stand for a few seconds, before they gave out and she collapsed to her knees, clearly shaken.

[Parker]

The collision was everything Madison wanted. Her “Knoxxed Up” big boot smashed flush into Muriel’s face, sending her tumbling violently over the top rope. Muriel clipped the apron on the way down before dropping into the ringside area. She didn't catch the landing though, but would get a full view of the results in mere moments.

Madison’s momentum carried her further than intended, her leg snagging awkwardly on the top rope. She cursed under her breath as she steadied herself, yanking her leg free before planting both boots firmly back on the canvas. Straightening, she took a deliberate moment to sweep her blonde hair back from her face, running her fingers through it before flicking it over her shoulders in a practiced motion. She checked herself quickly, making sure the crowd saw her looking unshaken, composed, and every inch the a Knox, as she idealized it

The blonde peered through the ropes with a small lean, admiring her handiwork in the form of the broken marionette that was a crumpled Muriel. This would be the moment idiots took to be reckless. No dives. No foolish stunts. Those were for showboaters and daredevils desperate for cheers. Madison was above all that. She didn’t need spectacle, she was the spectacle, and all she needed was control.

Gripping the top rope, Madison slipped through to the apron with a slow, sensual roll of her hips, turning the simple act into a performance all its own. Once balanced on the narrow ledge, she glanced down at Muriel, smirk tugging at her lips, before bending her knees and leaping down.

Her boots crashed into Muriel’s torso in a simple double stomp that made the crowd gasp. It was simple and didn't put her neck on the line, hardly worthy of the crowd reaction in her eyes. Its effectiveness would more likely be felt by Muriel however as all Maddie’s weight spiked down on her before the blonde bounced off her like she was playing hopscotch outside on the playground.

“Who starts with an ankle lock, huh?” Madison growled in a low whisper, having taken the hobbling handiwork to heart. Without hesitation, Madison crouched low and seized Muriel by her hair and blouse, dragging her roughly across the thinly padded floor. Each tug scraped Muriel along until Madison had hauled her to the corner, where the cold, unyielding steel steps gleamed under the lights.

With measured cruelty, Madison forced Muriel upright, her opponent swaying under the effort. Sliding in close, Madison wrapped her opponents arms snugly around behind her own neck, then she followed suit herself hooking her behind Muriel’s neck. Dropping into a low squat, positioning herself perfectly, her fingers clenched down on the fabric of Ms. Sepencer’s skirt.

With a grunt, Madison powered upward, lifting Muriel vertically into the air. The crowd rose with her as Muriel’s body was hoisted up, legs forced up briefly as she was held aloft, upside down, balanced in Madison’s grip. Madison arched her back, holding the pose for a moment, showing her opponent off like a trophy, while her own strength and control undeniable.

Then she fell backward, snapping her hips and dragging Muriel down with her into a vertical suplex. The descent poised to end with a sickening crash across the steel steps.

[BlackAkuma]

A Big Boot. Nasty work, that. It had been a good, long while since Muriel suffered a sufficiently powerful one, and she’d forgotten just how unpleasant an experience it could be. At least Ms. Knox didn’t wear high heels, unlike a certain uncouth diva that she knew.

Regardless, the blow left Muriel rather stunned, as she wallowed on the outside of the ring. As bad as the blow had been, the fall had done more than its share of damage, leaving her stupefied. She had never been the hardiest of wrestlers, and her growing age hadn't changed that - she needed a moment to recoup, regroup, recover. Judging by the incoming sound of boots.

At first, Muriel thought her opponent might try something radical. Lord knew Ms. Welsh had been a fan of diving through the ropes at every given opportunity, more than willing to risk life and limb if it would do some damage. Ms. Knox, to her credit, seemed to opt for a more practical, grounded approach…if a bit more violent.

The woman simply jumped on Muriel’s back. Simple, effective, and definitely painful, Muriel could only let out a hoarse cry as those heels dug into her back and ground her into the floor. Though she didn’t stay perch for long, the brief moment was more than enough to send ripples up and down her spine, leaving her seething and hissing through her teeth as she tried to cope with it.

Not content to rest on her laurels, Ms. Knox pulled her up by her hair and forced her to stand. At first, she thought the woman would take her back into the ring - after all, the referee’s count was already going, and she doubted a count-out victory would suffice for either of them. Instead, she paraded her around the ringside area, a move that confused her until she stuffed her head under her arm and put her into the suplex position, with the steel steps as the clear target.

”Wait, Maddie!” Muriel could hear Ms. Doll’s protests nearby, but if Ms. Knox heard them as well, she paid them little heed. The teacher body was lifted, brought through the edge in a wild arc, and came crashing down on the aluminium steps, hitting them with a cacophonous impact, one only drowned about the scream she made afterwards.

Shrieking, she rolled away and flopped over to her chest, where she wildly kicked her legs and struggled to nurse her battered back. She didn't think anything was broken, but it was hard to tell through the numbing pain, a searing sensation that blotted her senses.