Astrid Ostberg vs. Leah Rivers

[CaptainL]

Even with both women on their knees, Astrid wasn't about to let her guard down. No, not even for a moment! She knew full well that against an opponent like Leah, an opponent who called everything she knew and understood about her own strength into question with her presence alone, she couldn't afford to show even the slightest sign of weakness - to do so would be to show she was vulnerable, that she was scared, that she even considered her defeat a possibility, and to Astrid, that was as bad as losing. Her forearm swung through the air, smashing into the side of Leah's skull with the sound of a thud, and knocking her to the side. Astrid sucked in a small, short breath. For a moment, she felt the slightest twinge of accomplishment, knowing she'd tried to fight back and her efforts had paid off. But, as Astrid was about to learn the hard way...things were far from over.

Not a moment later, Leah pounced. She threw her entire weight toward Astrid, tackling the Norsewoman with all the force of her momentum behind her! Gasps and shouts of shock burst through the crowd as the former champion was hurled back off her center of gravity; even Astrid's jaw dropped, but before so much as a breath could leave her lungs, her chin was driven down onto Leah's shoulder. She cried out in pain as a rattle shot through her whole body, her muscles spasming and contracting. Half of her face went numb, and her teeth were locked into a grimace. And Leah still wasn't done.

With Astrid stunned, it didn't take the Desert Wolf long to move in for the kill. She climbed atop Astrid, one arm shoving downward into her throat, and stifling her breaths into a hoarse, choked gasp. It felt like every ounce of Leah's weight was bearing down on her windpipe, and she could barely move! And then, Leah's other fist raised, hammering down and down again into Astrid's face! With each punch that landed, Astrid twisted and turned this way and that; she moaned in pain and her body rocked from the momentum. A cut was quickly forming across her forehead, and the force of every blow left her head throbbing. Her eye twitched and her teeth gnashed together; every impulse was imploring her to pull free, to save herself! But even when she still had both hands free, Astrid didn't even bother to try and shove Leah off of her, or to go after the hands that held her down. That wasn't good enough. If Leah was going to challenge her...Astrid would have to rise to that challenge, on her own terms!

Both of Astrid's fists started flying - one of them rained down punches along Leah's side, striking at her ribs, while the other slammed into her back. She threw her head forward, attempting to smash it into her opponent's skull, while at the same time, her legs tangled around Leah's waist as she tried to encircle her midsection with her thighs and squeeze to pack on the pressure of a bodyscissor. Astrid was using her entire body as a weapon, flailing in a frenzy to strike back at Leah with everything she could. And if she could get a good grip on her, she would try and throw her weight over to roll her to her back in an attempt to reverse their positions. Astrid knew nothing good could come of being pinned down beneath her foe!

[Aeri]

“You have a tough hide.. like a rhinoceros..”

Leah complimented, her irises narrowing as she drove blow after blow down against Astrid. Her bare knuckles drove into Astrid’s pretty face, leaving the Norwegian in a daze. Truly, if she had been any ordinary foe, the fate was sealed the moment Leah capitalised on the position, fists crashing into the woman’s face over and over like a jackhammer. Her hand pressed against Astrid’s shoulder, pinning her down and smashing her hand into her maw, till her fist was red-

.. and red it was. But Astrid wasn’t the only one bleeding. Leah herself was faced with a flurry of blows, to her sides, to her waist and to her back. She could handle them fine enough, given Astrid’s limited reach and she bared her teeth in a taunting grin as if to show that she could do this all day..

.. but THEN, Astrid’s head met Leah’s mouth and it snapped backwards, causing the wolf to let out a genuine howl of pain. Her lip was busted, blood spilling out and staining Astrid’s top a shade of red, her enemy’s thighs locking around her waist and rolling her over, reversing the position with ASTRID on top and Leah on the bottom. This wasn’t good, even the pain stricken Leah realised.. so she brought her arms up to her face in a defensive stance, wincing from the crushing leg choke!

[CaptainL]

It seemed like Leah had picked up on one of Astrid's greatest assets - her endurance. The blonde was just as tough as she was strong, and she had been able not only to shrug off glancing blows but to put herself through incredible effort in order to get the edge on her opponents. It was something she was proud of, and had Leah's compliments come in any other situation she would have greeted them with a warm smile and a few words of thanks. But right now...that was something Astrid couldn't exactly afford her. Leah's punches were still coming fast, and each one that struck rocked the Norsewoman from side to side, leaving her groaning and wincing from the impact!

Her face was growing numb, and blood had begun to trickle down her chin; every time she looked up at what Leah was doing, her head was thrown back down into the mat the moment her vision focused enough to make out the features of her foe's face. Astrid knew that, as tough as she was, her endurance couldn't hold up forever. She would need to break Leah's dominance over her soon enough. Luckily, though, she had a plan. Summoning all her strength, she threw herself forward with all her might - her chest smacking Leah's, and her shoulders shoving up against the Desert Wolf's own. That was enough to unsteady her - but the real impact came when Astrid's head met Leah's, the two women's skulls colliding with a loud thud!

The impact left Leah's balance compromised - and that gave Astrid the chance to strike. Without skipping a beat, the former champion's legs tangled around Leah's waist, and she sent her toppling over, securing the dominant position with a bodyscissor! The crowd cheered Astrid on for her reversal, but the Norsewoman was far from done. Her head was still throbbing, and her teeth were locked in a grimace - but she wasn't going to take even a moment to catch her breath, when she still had so much work to do!

Astrid saw that Leah had gone to shield her face, but she would afford her no such mercy. "Oh no, you don't-!" she growled, reaching down to grab one of Leah's wrists, where she would give it a sharp yank to try and break her guard by sheer brute force! If that worked, Astrid would lean down a little closer, lowering herself to lay parallel atop her foe. The side of her breast would be pushed up against the side of Leah's face, and her arm would lock around the back of her head, trying to drag her into a headlock - all while she squeezed down even harder around her waist to try and wring the air from her lungs in a vicious two-pronged assault!

[Aeri]

This wasn’t good for Leah, yet in some ways.. it was. While she was in an extremely disadvantageous position, this also allowed her to learn. There had been a reason that Leah had refused to watch Astrid’s matures before today. Her irises narrowed, as she was down on her back, and ready to block..

.. and Astrid was smarter than Leah had thought, but also unexpected. Even after Leah had done such a foul mauling of her face, she didn’t reciprocate in turn even when a good strike could have taken Leah out then and there..

.. but..

It turns out, Astrid- Leah’s prey.. was a grappler. Suddenly, she was locked in a headlock with thighs around her waist. The positioning did make her blush a little bit, but Leah was quick to dig her fingers in and didn’t let Astrid get in the proper choke. Leah’s irises widened, as she’d squirm in the hold, stuck in the trap of the golden haired girl. She seemed a bit subdued due to the lack of oxygen, nuzzling against Astrid for a split second..

“.. hah.. chokes.. I didn’t take you for.. a serpent..”

She was actually pretty decent at chokes, surprisingly. Leah focused on getting her legs underneath her. She’d grunt, feeling her thighs crush her waist mercilessly.. as she’d sway her hips a little, trying to break free.

“N-ngh..”

She’d wring herself out, pressing her mouth to Astrid’s breast.. and she bit it. Subtle, yes.. but a sharp nip from Leah, followed by a brutal headbutt to the side of Astrid’s ribcage was her plan to disorient her-.. Leah would raise her hips up, spreading her legs. As Astrid was on top of her, Leah smashed her hips down, banging the wrapped legs around her waist painfully into the canvas, over and over!

“I don’t intend on letting you.. win..!”

[CaptainL]

"Hm..?" For a moment, when Astrid heard Leah's taunts, she lifted an eyebrow, glancing down curiously at her foe. She wasn't quite sure what Leah was getting at, or if she was trying to insinuate anything. If she was accusing Astrid of being somehow disingenuous, perhaps, or even comparing her to the sorts of opponents she'd faced in her past. But just as quickly as those unwelcome thoughts had crept into her mind, Astrid shook them out, gritting her teeth to try and center herself. She couldn't let anything distract her now, she reminded herself. Leah was proving to be a fearsome foe, one who was keeping the Norsewoman on her toes at every twist and turn of the action. Astrid knew that if she took her attention off Leah for even a second, the Desert Wolf would almost certainly find a way to make her pay for it. No, it was too dangerous to let down her guard. Every move she made had to be focused on securing her dominance - and with it, taking back her dignity and self-respect as a pillar of the Heavyweight Division!

Leah had managed to still Astrid's arm, preventing the Norwegian from fully holding off her airways. But that didn't slow Astrid down one bit. Clenching her teeth and sucking in a hot breath, she would only flex her arm even more, her knuckles blanching under the pressure as she summoned all the strength she had to force her biceps to compress Leah's skull in an ironclad embrace, pressing it even more firmly into her breast all the while as the space between their two well-muscled bodies narrowed more and more. At the same time, her legs squeezed even tighter around Leah's waist, trying to press her foe's ribs inward as much as she could. Every muscle was rigid and unmoving. Astrid's body began to quiver from the sheer amount of effort she was asking of it, but she couldn't back down now. She had to hold as tightly as she could!

But as those same muscles grew weary, the slightest bit of slack began to settle into Astrid's body. And that gave Leah just enough room to move - twisting her waist this way and that way, little by little working her way up from Astrid's grasp. It brought her just a fraction of an inch closer, but that was enough - it allowed Leah to turn her head just enough to bite the side of Astrid's breast!

In an instant, a sharp pain rang through Astrid's body. She let out a yelp and bucked her hips up into the air. In her shock, her grip started to loosen just a bit - enough for Leah to hammer her skull right into the Norsewoman's ribs! Now Astrid threw her head back with a howl of pain, her grip going slack and falling back from Leah just enough for the Wolf to start to take back control. And as soon as she saw her chance, Leah struck - jerking her hips up and down while she forced Astrid's legs out to the side!

The assault hit Astrid on multiple fronts. Not only did the rhythmic up-and-down pump of Leah's hips slam her pelvis harder and harder into her opponent's own, rocking her and causing her to cry out in pain each time as every jolt ran through her body, her legs were being forced to stretch outward as far as they could, her ligaments pulled taut. And all the while, it kept her legs spread and her crotch on full display for the cameras to see, the fabric of her leotard tightly hugging every contour of her groin. Astrid didn't have time to be embarrassed, though. Even as she bucked from the pain, even as she growled with rage, she couldn't forget what Leah had said. Astrid's opponent was doing all she could to succeed, refusing to even entertain the possibility of defeat. Astrid wasn't going to get anywhere unless she rose to that same challenge herself!

"Then I...won't either-!!" Astrid barked in defiance. She still had her arms, and she was willing to use them! Even as her face contorted under the strain - her teeth locked in a grimace; one eye bulging in its socket - Astrid would swing her elbow out for Leah's skull, attempting to bludgeon her from above! She had to strike back, one way or another. Failure here just wasn't an option!

[Aeri]

Even a blind man could hit a gate with a battering ram. And if you asked Leah, Astrid’s elbow hit no less one, having been on the receiving end of it once too many. The strike rang true to her forehead, digging into her already wounded body, a sharp gasp sputtering out of her lips, irises widened and her body laid splayed on the canvas, her hand immediately clutching her forehead in pain. The second elbow wasn’t damage free either, as it dug into her sensitive hands, causing her to whine in pain. That’d sting for a while.

But as said, a blind man could hit a gate.. but gates don’t move. Unfortunately for Astrid, Leah did. The third elbow banged against empty canvas, almost breaking through it by the sheer force. The blonde did get relief though, as Leah released the leg lock without any fuss. Which was a bit uncharacteristic of her.. but..

“Serpents can be learnt from too!”

Leah had apparently decided that brute force simply would not cut it anymore. Her legs slid down Astrid’s back, her hands forcing the woman’s biceps down.. as Leah locked her legs around the former heavyweight champions bulging guns, leaving her trapped in a merciless arm bending submission. But that wasn’t all. Her arms wrapped around her neck, pulling her closer to her, fingers intertwined to deal suffocating and contorting damage to Astrid!

“Now.. GIVE IT UP!”

Spoiler

[CaptainL]

The first two blows landed, and with them, Astrid could feel the vibrations running down her arm from where she had rattled Leah's skull, telling her she had struck true. It made her smile, just a little bit, but nevertheless Astrid sucked in a breath through her clenched teeth, throwing herself right back into the action. She wanted more. She wouldn't be truly satisfied until she knew she had Leah under control and at her mercy. That was what was fueling her as she drew back her arm to deliver another elbow...but it was just then that Leah swerved to the side, causing Astrid's strike to come down against the unforgiving canvas.

A shudder ran through the Norsewoman's body as she reeled from the pain, clutching at her elbow and swerving aside. She could feel the pain of the impact explode through her nerves and rattle her bones, and she reeled to the side in the throes of agony, her legs kicking in the air and drumming on the mat. Leah had released her in the process, causing both women to fall onto their sides. But when Astrid was already wounded, it would do her no favors. She was blinded with tears of pain, and she had taken her eyes off her foe. Indeed, Leah was already moving into place - and the next thing Astrid knew, Leah's powerful legs locked into place around her arms! The Desert Wolf's command of flexibility and technical wrestling astounded many in the crowd, who gasped and cheered as she squeezed down around Astrid's arms, forcing them together and causing all the muscles and tendons in her back to stretch taut. The Norsewoman threw her head back; she wanted to scream in pain. But she wouldn't even get that luxury - not when Leah threw her arm around her throat, squeezing it hard!

Astrid sputtered and coughed, feeling the pressure come down around her neck. The air was being ripped from her lungs, and she could only choke and gasp wordlessly, her eyes rolling back as sweat ran down her brow. No matter how hard she tried to struggle, she could barely budge! Many wondered if Astrid would indeed give in to Leah's demands. But Astrid was a proud woman, and she had resolved not to give in so easily - not when she was looking to reclaim her good name. When Leah commanded her to give up, all it did was remind Astrid she couldn't afford to fall from grace like that!

Gritting her teeth and shaking her head in a silent rebuttal, Astrid had to fight back the only way she could. Her arms were locked down and useless, and she only had so much air left before she was choked out. But she still had her legs, and her legs were the one hope she had. She kicked them out in the air, trying to push herself across the ring in order to get close enough to the ropes, where she might be able to hook one for her ankle and get the break she needed!

[Aeri]

The stage was set and Leah needed a victory. There was no questioning that. Astrid had the higher stakes between them, but Leah was willing to fight tooth and nail, hand and claw to claim the prize of her efforts so far.

Both were bruised and bloodied, and Leah had the advantage with a submission hold VERY few could dream to get out of.

Unfortunately for her.. Astrid wasn’t dreaming to get out of it. Leah’s biceps flexed as she’d tense up her hold, making sure to squeeze, give some leeway and then squeeze again for the maximum output of pain to dish out on the people’s champion!

Unfortunately, she forgot one thing.

Astrid’s leg hit the ropes and the referee was suddenly on her, demanding Leah to let go. She’d blink, widening her eyes.

“Wait, what? Why?”

Then she noticed the leg on the ropes and groan in frustration, releasing Astrid and muttering angrily in an unintelligible language, getting to her feet and lightly kicking her stomach.

“Get up, Goldilocks.”

[CaptainL]

Astrid didn't know how long she had been trapped in Leah's embrace, but she could've been convinced she was there for an eternity - and it was agony. With strength that Astrid could've convinced herself was capable of bending steel beams, the Desert Wolf was cranking down on her limbs as hard as she could, and it felt like her arms were about to pop out of their sockets from the sheer strain they were enduring, with Leah's legs folding them in half behind her. At the same time, the air was being squeezed out of her throat as Leah wrapped her bicep firmly around her neck. Even her groans and gasps had turned to a hoarse, breathless wheeze, and her eyes had begun to roll back in her head as her face grew red and her vision blurred. But Astrid was desperate, if nothing else. She had to get out - she couldn't accept anything short of victory when she was up against a wall like this. Through sheer force of will, she convinced her muscles to move - first with her leg twitching and spasming, until she finally managed to kick it outward and snare it around the rope. And with that, it was over. The referee called for the rope break, and Leah had no choice but to let Astrid go.

As Leah released her grip, Astrid began to sink lower against the mat. Her head was spinning in a daze, and her chest and shoulders rose and fell with slow and haggard breaths. She'd come so close to passing out then and there that she was barely even aware of what it was she'd just done; it had only been half-thinkingly that she had found the strength to kick her leg out at all, let alone to hook the ropes. But in the end, it worked. And as that realization set over her, Astrid began to look up at Leah, a smile spreading its way across her face with her growing lucidity. She was tired, yes, and her eyes were glazed over from the exertion. But she knew she was still in this. She still had a chance!

Leah's leg swung out with a kick at Astrid's gut, and as it hit its mark, the Norsewoman began to curl inward, hissing and wincing from the pain. It wasn't very hard, but it did remind Astrid of just how sore she was. But the blow would only help her come to her senses, and soon she shook her head to clear the cobwebs from her mind. As her strength returned to her, she rolled herself over onto her stomach, propping herself up on her elbows; then, she looked behind her with a glare before throwing both legs behind her for a mule kick aimed at Leah's chest. If that would slow Leah down, it would buy Astrid some time to crawl away, getting a safe distance away before she got to her feet and dusted herself off. She couldn't afford to show any weakness toward Leah, and she had to be ready.

[Aeri]

As her prey lay writhing on the floor, Leah was reminded of how much she had left to learn. She had her dead to rights, but Astrid- the veteran of the sport Leah wasn’t used to doing officially had a loophole. Personally, she found it kind of dumb how someone could just touch a rope and be saved. That wasn’t how it worked out in the wild, it was kill or be killed..

But she’d have to make do with these pasty foreigners rules. No matter, she’d respect it.

And then a sharp mule kick dug into her breasts, leaving Leah staggering backwards in pain, snapped out of her thoughts. She’d bounce into the ropes and take a sharp gasp of air, but the words out of her mouth weren’t one of frustration.. she was laughing!

“That’s the first hit that hurt! So much for a champion.. you’re just like an animal!

A wounded beast is most dangerous before they’re gonna be put down..”

She left it unsaid, the implication that she was the one intending to put Astrid down and down proper, ending in an animalistic growl. Crouching down against the ropes, she’d stretch her arms, flexing her biceps just a little as Astrid stood. She was letting her catch her balance, standing strong. Fingers clasped, Leah stood up and brushed her hand through her hair, casually walking up towards Astrid. Her killing intent seemed all but gone, her breasts bumping against the former champion.

And then she smiled and suddenly the intensity was turned on right again. Her hands gripped Astrid’s cheeks, pulling them towards her and bashing her forehead into her mouth and nose! If landed properly, Leah ducked down, hooking Astrid’s leg..

And aimed to send her in a beautiful spiral to meet the ground with a crushing snap fisherman suplex!