Astrid Ostberg [D] vs. Susana Kin

[CaptainL]

Astrid had thought this would be it. The match had been going on a while now, and both combatants had come to it with their best efforts - and as such, both had been put to the test. Astrid had gotten serious, and Sue needed to stay on her toes to stand a chance, but so too did the Japanese woman prove to be a worthy foe indeed. But now that she had her in the hammerlock, Astrid had thought it would only be a matter of time before the fatigue consumed them - and Astrid was wrong. Susana threw herself back against her, and forced the Norwegian to release her grip on her arms. Taken aback by her endurance, Astrid staggered backwards and ended up against the ropes, where she panted to catch her breath, getting herself back into the groove. In the process, though, she allowed Susana to recollect herself in turn and get back into a position to keep fighting.

Astrid got to her feet, pushing herself off the ropes, and started to move in towards her opponent as well, the two circling each other. She leaned in towards the other woman and watched her carefully, taking note of each step. Astrid took a defensive approach now; she would see what Sue would attempt first before she was ready to meet it with a counterattack of her own.

[xalex]

To win sue had to play her cards right and carefully. Astrid was way too dangerous to be taken lightly. So as soon as the right moment came for the Japanese fighter she would shoot forwards, trying to rush her opponent with as much speed as she could. When most of the distance was closed inbetween the two sue would go for the attack. She would jump up into the air trying to keep her momentum and use it.She would try to pull her left leg upwards just enough so her knee would shoot in the air. The target was clear for the Japanese, she was aiming to kick her opponent against the chest with as much power as possible.

This should be a good opener but for a thought woman like Astrid not enough.When sue was landing on her feet again she would step forwards crossing her legs to spin around as fast as possible while lifting her right hand up to punch Astrid against the side of the head with a haymaker, trying to deal a good amount of damage thst way.

[CaptainL]

Though she tried to defend herself, there was only so much Astrid, as tough as she might be, could do against such an onslaught. Susana jumped up high to deliver a knee strike into Astrid's chest, and with a loud crack that seemed almost like a clap of thunder, Astrid went staggering backwards, letting out a scream as her balance gave out from under her, shaken by the blow that rocked her to her core. The Norsewoman fell backwards against the ropes, her back landing on them as her arms draped over the top; the fact that she had managed to land against the edge of the ring was in fact the only thing keeping her from collapsing entirely. A throbbing pain left in her chest, Astrid started to pant, trying to get the air back in her lungs.

This wasn't the first blow of such force Astrid had taken in this fight, but that was starting to work in her favor all the same - though she still felt the ache from this one, Sue's punches were working to deaden the nerves. Soon enough, Astrid would be numb, and while it might hurt the next morning, here and now it would temper her defenses, allowing her to shrug off what Sue would bring from here. Of course, Sue was still at it...

Sure enough, just as Susana touched down, she ran towards Astrid to pull off her next move. The Norwegian narrowed her eyes, trying to focus through the haze that surrounded her head. She knew Sue was quick - but she needed to be quicker, and have a defense ready. As she came near, Astrid tried to throw up a guard in front of her face with the last bit of focus she had, acting almost on impulse. She didn't know if it'd work or not, but it was all she could do.

[xalex]

Sue would stumble from side to side for a moment. She wasn´t getting a good stand for a few second just showing how much she was worn out right now. So when she got her stand again she needed to follow up her heavy hit. She would walk over to her opponent and lean downwards trying to grab her opponents arm directly. She would try to pull the arm of her opponent upwards, in direct aftermath she would try to pull p her opponent as well. When Astrid was coming up sue would bend her knees coming down low to lay one of her arms between the legs of her opponent and lift her up from the mat. She would try to lay her opponent onto her shoulders and walk more into the center of the ring.

Sue would look around seriously for a moment before she would scream out loudly in rage and sprinting forwards a bit before jumping into the air and dropping herself backwards trying to go for a big Samoan drop against her opponent planting her into the mat and directly following this up with a cover.

[CaptainL]

As she watched from where she lay, Astrid could sense in Susana's motions that the woman was getting tired, that the match was wearing on her nerves. Astrid was getting worn out too, she would admit that; combined with how hard Susana hit, it was still a match where no one could be quite sure of the outcome; it looked like either of the two girls stood a chance at victory, with how resolutely and vigorously they fought, and how they refused to back down so easily. Astrid could tell the match was nearing its end - but just how that would play out, that was the question.

Nevertheless, it was Sue who had the edge here and now - she was the one who was on her feet, while Astrid still tried to recover from going down. A shiver went down the Norwegian's spine as she felt Susana's arms brush against her skin; she could only imagine what her opponent would have in store for her now. She tried to fight it, twisting in place and trying to call for the strength to return to her in order to break free, but despite the weight Sue carried, she still managed to shoulder the burden and bring Astrid to the center of the ring.

The battle cry Susana gave was enough to make even a warrior as seasoned as Astrid pause. Susana might have been weary, but it was clear that she still intended to give it her all - and the battle had only fueled her determination harder. Soon, she fell back, bringing Astrid along with her as she sent her dropping straight into the ground. With a cough and a gasp, the air escaped Astrid's lungs, and her head fell into a haze of confusion. Her arms and legs felt like they were held down with lead chains, even as she struggled to move herself. This could be it, she thought. She watched as a tall shadow fell over her, with Sue leaning above her. Soon, Susana got down, holding her shoulders against the mat.

"One!"

Astrid gulped, looking up with the anxiety visible in her eyes. With how the match had taxed the both of them, this could be the end. Again she began to huff and puff, struggling to get her strength to return to her. All she needed would be to put her strength into it, to power out.

"Two!"

Gritting her teeth, Astrid tried to put everything she could into getting a shoulder off the mat. She had to, it was her only option. Her saving grace lay in the fact that Sue just might be tired enough for Astrid to break her resolute strength...but even if she got out, Astrid knew, she would have to act quickly if she wanted to win this. Her own strength was waning, and she could hardly imagine how much Sue had in her.

[xalex]

Just a single moment before the three count, just a single moment before her hard fought victory Sue would feel how the life was coming back into her opponent. In one impulsive move her opponent would kick out of the cover, by lifting her shoulder up just enough. Sue would sit up in shock turning her head around. The Japanese woman would look at the referee in shock for a few moments, staring at the hand of the referee for a few moments. “just two…” would sue whisper quietly for a moment, staring at the two fingers the referee was showing to drive home this point.

The Asian woman just put so much effort into this last offence… it was unbelievable that Astrid still was kicking out. Sue would drop to her side laying next to her opponent on the mat breathing heavily. She would still not able to process her opponent kicking out of the last cover and her facial expression would show it. She was still in shock for quite a while before she would get the clear mind and enough breath back to slowly work her way back up to her feet. Sue would stumble around the ring dizzy and worn out.

[CaptainL]

When the referee's hand hung there, not counting to three, proving that Astrid had managed to power her way out, the Norwegian couldn't believe it herself at first. She sat there staring with wide eyes, still too tired to get to her feet. But as the time went on, and the match still went without a call, Astrid realized that this could only be reality. Against incredible odds, Astrid had made her way out. She could barely think straight over the roar of the crowd, exhilarated from the action, from the edge-of-seat tension that had been going on all throughout this match. Astrid had defied all logic!

Though her legs ached, Astrid pushed herself, trying to get up. She strained the muscles in her legs to lift her, gritting her teeth and squeezing her hand to try and focus. So too did Susana rise - but watching her fellow blonde, Astrid could easily tell how her opponent was weary. She didn't have much stamina left in her herself, but it looked like Sue was in a similar spot - and, she hoped, all it would take was getting a good shot in. That would be all she needed. Her own gait stumbling as she ran in closer, Astrid put all her remaining strength into one last attack, trying to hit Sue with a forearm across the chest!

[xalex]

Sue would see her opponent rising to her feet as well. This woman was a real monster. But these were the fights sue came here for. She would bit her lips before trying to walk or better said stump over to her opponent. Her steps were really heavy now, and each step got the whole weight of her body to catch otherwise she would fall over. She would walk right over to her opponent only to be caught right with a elbow strike to her chest. This would hit the girl so much that she would cry out in pain stumbling backwards away from her opponent. She would stumble a few steps before falling onto her knees and holding her chest…

[CaptainL]

This was it, Astrid thought - her chest rising and falling with each heavy breath she took, her hair a mess of tangled strands and her face red and trickling with sweat. It had been a long, hard battle - but it was reaching its end, and that could be seen in both of them. It was down to the wire now, all up to who could act first.

And Astrid was the one who got the first blow off - striking Sue in the chest and causing her to stumble backward. The Japanese woman's stamina soon gave way, as she collapsed to her knees, nursing the site of the blow.

That was just the cue Astrid needed, and the sight of her opponent so vulnerable seemed to reinvigorate something in her. While she was tired, she saw her chance, here and now, and she wasn't going to miss out. Astrid ran over to Susana with what little strength she had in her legs, falling to her knees as she approached to sit by her side. Then she wrapped her arms into place around the girl's throat, holding in a sleeperhold. Astrid let out a ferocious growl, a battle cry of determination. She was going to get Susana to either pass out or tap out, or she would lose the match trying!

[xalex]

Sue would still holding on to her chest trying o teas the pain when she suddenly felt the floor shaking under her knees. She would try to turn her head around to see what was going on, but before she got her view on her opponent she would feel how something would be warped around her throat. She would rip her eyes wide open while the arms would be pulled around her tighter and tighter starting to cut off the air flow of the woman. Sue would rip her eyes wide open while this would happen while her hands would also shoot upwards trying to grab the arm on her throat hopping being able to pull it away before worse was about to happen, but astrid was able to lock in a picture perfect sleeper hold in no time.

Sue would struggle like for her life and she would try to pull the arms of her throat but without any use. She would try to break out but it wasn´t working. She was trapped with no way out, and no only her airflow was cut off also her blood flow to her brain letting her feel the impact directly when the world around her was starting to get darker… sue had no other chance than to start slapping onto the arm of her opponent showing that she was giving up… She didn´t want to pass out in another fight once again risking another injury.