Heavyweight Championship Match: Astrid Ostberg (c) vs Jess McLeary

[CaptainL]

Those watching in the stands could see that Jess hadn't come away from the struggle unscathed. Faced with the Norsewoman's strength, she was now finding herself short of breath and panting to catch up. But Astrid herself had been taken down, and now, flat on her back, she couldn't watch what Jess was up to. Her gaze had drifted up to the ceiling - and she was wide open for Jess to take control!

Still gasping for breath, Astrid was dragged to the center of the ring, borne along by Jess pulling on her legs. With Jess planting her boot into her gut, she let out a cough as her body bucked and twisted with the air let out of her lungs. Astrid went rolling over onto her stomach from the momentum - and from there, Jess took the top position on her back, lacing her fingers under her chin as she locked in the camel clutch!

Astrid hissed in pain as her head was cranked backward, her teeth clenched and her eyes squeezed tight. If there was one thing Astrid wasn't about to do, however, it was to give in to Jess's demands! She heard the Texan taunt her, but all she did was shake her head in defiance. "Go ahead! Do your worst! I'd like to see you try!" She had faith in her resilience, and she wanted Jess to put that to the test. To Astrid, this was her chance to prove to Jess how confident she was, and how much she had improved since their first encounter!

[SubtleRoar]

*Continuing to relentlessly wrench and crank against Astrid's vulnerable backside to try and inflict as much pain as physically possible, it was gradually beginning to dawn on Jess that her eternal rival had augmented her imperviousness, and remaining as sedentary as she was would potentially become an effort in futility.* "Tch, as if I'm about tah fall fer that one!" *Jess remarked, recoiling her hands before slipping them directly underneath her prominent cleavage.*

"Y..yer gunna be goin sky high here in a sec, darlin~" *As her cadence transformed into to more of a subtle rage than her usual, boisterous demeanor Jess forcefully dragged her victim back to her feet before dipping herself forward, promptly popping up and swinging Astrid up and over at an arch before causing her to plummet back down to earth for a gargantuan german suplex that caused the audience to collectively gasp from her astonishing strength!*

Spoiler

*The audible* "THWUNK!" *That resonated across the arena was like a thunderclap of unequivocal dominance, Jess having firmly established herself as the superior entity between the ropes as she bridged herself backwards to complete the pin attempt!* "Now, just hold still honey~" *Maintaining her soothing tone all the while, the moderator slid underneath the ropes to begin his countdown!*

[CaptainL]

Astrid wasn't about to say it didn't hurt. Quite the opposite, in fact. Jess had to have some strength behind her to maintain her credibility as the number-one contender to the Heavyweight Championship, and Astrid was feeling all of that now, her spine creaking and the muscles in her back and shoulders stretched and sore. She clenched her teeth with a hiss to hold back the urge to cry out in pain - but she knew that to do that would be to admit defeat to Jess then and there. And Astrid knew she couldn't give in. If she surrendered now, all of her hard work in establishing herself as the champion would be squandered. Her career would be cut short. She didn't know if she would be able to forgive herself for such a failure - but she was even more motivated to keep it from happening! She had to be strong, now more than ever!

Bracing herself, Astrid allowed Jess to guide her back up to her feet, rising from the canvas. She felt the soreness going through her neck and down her back, but she refused to let it keep her down, trying to shake it out of her head. Either way, Astrid wouldn't have much time to consider the matter, considering Jess turned her attentions to more pressing subjects when the cowgirl swung her overhead for a German suplex! To lift Astrid with such ease had to take considerable strength, but Jess wasn't playing around - and soon the champion came crashing down, the force of the impact causing her legs to fold over her body as she landed with a thud.

As Jess held Astrid's shoulders against the mat, the referee was quick to begin the count. "ONE! TWO!!" Sure enough, Jess had kept her opponent pinned for longer this time. But not for much longer - just as the ref's hand raised for the three, Astrid rolled her weight to the side, looking to take the two heavyweights to the ground. "So, was that your best?" Astrid added. Even between pants, she was eager to taunt her foe, hoping to prove she wouldn't go down easily.

[SubtleRoar]

*Clutching to Astrid's waist as if she were a life preserver, it was an inevitability that she kicked out while thrusting her shoulder skyward, much to the disdain of the ginger giantess.* "Psssh, you'n I both know I got plenty more where that came from~" *Never the type to hesitate to engage in a little repartee, Jess wiped the accumulating moisture near her forehead while refocusing her eyes upon the seemingly unwavering blonde- It was one thing to boast about having a high tolerance to pain, but Astrid seemed to thrive under these conditions- Something that Jess both abhorred and respected after putting the champion through her paces.*

"Now, howsa bout you cut all the empty chattah and get yer ass over here!" *approaching the discombobulated bombshell, Jess snatched her shoulder while simultaneously tucking her head underneath her arm, clasping the edge of her hip in tandem to try and set herself up for a potential body slam. The audience collectively gasped from how quickly the western warmonger asserted herself, unabashedly towering over her like a long, inescapable shadow.*

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"Hope yah kept my belt all nice and shiny- I intend tah wear that thang everywhere once I beat yah silly!" *Having kept Astrid stationary while addressing the inevitable, Jess hadn't decided what to do next- She wanted to establish her dominance by throwing her up and overtop of herself for a body slam, but she needed a moment to channel enough of her energy to make it happen!*

[CaptainL]

Despite Jess's threats, Astrid didn't seem shaken by the prospect of being up against even more unrelenting force courtesy of the challenger. To the contrary, it only seemed to excite her even more. Jess was truly making Astrid work to try and hold onto both her title and her career, and the Norwegian couldn't be any more honored. She loved a challenge, and she was ready to rise to it! Even from the mat, Astrid looked up toward Jess wih a smile. "As I was hoping. In that case...bring it on!"

Astrid was beginning to push herself back to her feet, but she wouldn't get very far on her own. Jess was quick to get her arms around her, pulling the blonde in closer before she grabbed at the leg hole of her leotard to gather leverage. Astrid bent forward, the traction threatening to pull her off her feet, but she dug her heels into the mat, clenching her teeth to summon the strength and willpower to resist.

She refused to be lifted that easily - instead, she would attempt to shake Jess's hand off her hip. If successful, Astrid would circle around to Jess's side, looking to get in position to lace one arm around her waist with her other hooking her opponent's leg. And if that worked, it would be her turn to hoist her off the ground, as Astrid bent her knees in an attempt to summon the force to bring Jess up and drop her onto her knee for a backbreaker!

Spoiler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOsDK1O0feY

[SubtleRoar]

*Entrenched in the notion that she was in control of the state of the match, Jess decided that having a brief moment of respite wouldn't be enough to swing the match into Astrid's favor- However, just before she had the opportunity to swing her victim's body skyward and send it crashing down against the mat below, something spontaneously changed; the tenacious valkyrie somehow managed to summon enough vigor to force herself to disengage, catching Jess unaware!*

"H..how did she...!!!" *With the westerner's senses slightly jarred from the impromptu motion, Astrid was granted the element of surprise, which she used to usurp Jess's control by snatching her within an unwavering hold!* "G..get offa me!" *She boisterously hollered, trying to wiggle and squirm in a futile attempt to escape from what would inevitably transpire.*

*Almost as if she were weightless, Jess was promptly yanked skyward before her backside came crashing down against Astrid's extended knee, almost as if a bolt of lighting had rippled throughout her vulnerable spinal column!* "GGAAACK!" *As a fusion of both masochistic delight and physical anguish, the debilitated ginger dropped to the ground, unable to process how she could have slipped up in such a mortifying way!*

[CaptainL]

Astrid couldn't help but smile to herself. She was staying one step ahead of Jess when it came to mental readiness - even when the Texan thought she had outsmarted her, she still had a trick up her sleeve. Jess might have been setting up to bodyslam her, but Astrid had no intentions to be moved - something she made perfectly clear to her opponent, as she broke from the hold before circling around the challenger to pick her up for a backbreaker!

Astrid brought Jess down onto her knee, causing her to land with a resounding crack that lit up the crowd with cheers. She slumped to the mat at Astrid's feet, and as the blonde rose, she looked out toward the crowd, hands on her hips and beaming with pride. She knew that she was keeping Jess guessing, and the thought encouraged her. So far, she was defending her title at the top levels of the competition, and Jess was powerless to fight back! Astrid was sure that if she could keep this up, she had great things ahead of her.

"I think you'll find I'm not that easy to figure out!" Astrid boasted, turning her attentions back down to the fallen Jess. Looking to punish her while she was on the ground, Astrid raised a foot, prepared to deliver a stomp against Jess's side!

[SubtleRoar]

*While being humungous and beefy in her own right, Jess wasn't bestowed with the nickname "The Bull" without merit- The obstinate southerner refused to comply with any form of physical limitations, having plowed the fields of her own, personal farmland throughout the entirety of her childhood and well into adulthood, eventually turning to wrestling as an outlet for her aggression. While Astrid might have discipline and technique on her side, the gargantuan ginger had her own surplus of impressive gifts that she brought to the table!*

"Ggrrhh! Nggrrhh!" *As each, brutal kick to her flank sent ripples throughout her enormous form, Jess endured them with her fists clinched and body tightening- While impactful enough to cause the mammoth amazon to remain momentarily sedentary, it wouldn't be sufficient to send her toppling sideways!* "Y..you gotta..d..do bettah'n that tah knock me over!"

*Mustering enough vigor to propel herself forward before subsequently lurching upwards and locking her hands around the nape of Astrid's neck, bringing her into the divide of her chest while elevating her knee directly against the blonde's midsection for a rising knee strike to try and discombobulate her foe!*

Spoiler

[CaptainL]

With Jess down, Astrid felt she had free reign to exert control over her as she wished. She looked to have been stunned by the blonde's backbreaker, and now she was laying at Astrid's feet. But Astrid knew, too, that her challenger was never one to go down easily. As long as Jess had a way to fight back, she would hold onto that hope until her dying breath. Between their previous match and the brawl that had broken out on Kieda's Corner, Astrid had plenty of time to get herself acquainted with who Jess was and how stubborn she could be. She needed to keep the pressure on her if she wanted to hold onto her title, and she raised her foot to punish Jess while she seemed to be a captive audience for it!

A few stomps landed against the cowgirl's side, chest, and stomach, each one sending a cheer out through the crowd, as Astrid bore down on her foe. But sure enough, Jess was just as stubborn as Astrid anticipated - and even this wouldn't be enough to keep her down! Despite Astrid's best efforts, she powered her way back up to her feet, forcing the Norwegian to double back. Taken by surprise, Astrid had let up on her assault for just long enough for Jess to take advantage of the confusion!

Suddenly, Jess shoved herself forward, grabbing Astrid by the neck and securing her shoulders. The champion barely had any time to stall her own fate before she was propelled downward, landing on Jess's raised knee like it was a stabbing dagger, and the blow sent a shudder and a cough through her body that left her stunned!

[SubtleRoar]

*As the reverberating knee slammed into Astrid's unprotected midsection, Jess transitioned from her clutching position to a more proper grappling stance by shifting the buxom blonde's head downwards.* "Y..yer..n..not gunna g..get off the hook that easily!" *The exhausted cowgirl stammered aloud, gradually straightening herself out while simultaneously keeping her victim perfectly still at a bent angle.*

"I..I'm just gettin started~" *Her tone emanating a rather sultry sweet inflection, it would become brutally apparent to the reigning champion that Jess was reclaiming the driver's seat from her, snagging her around the base of her neck before raising it at a slight angle for a guillotine choke.* "People always said I was breathtakin, and now, you'll understand why!"

*Continuing to augment the strangulating sensation around Astrid's throat, Jess unleashed her trademark* "Aheukheuk!" *Before snapping backwards and plummeting towards the canvas beneath her, hellbent on utilizing Astrid's skull as a battering ram!* "That empty head of yers is finally good for somethin!" *She declared, collapsing into the ground for a massive DDT!*

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