Blair Yuen vs. Zira Cabalero - MMA Match

[CaptainL]

Match Type: Mixed Martial Arts Match
Rules: Match is divided into three five-minute rounds and takes place in an eight-sided cage. Victory by submission, knockout, or decision by a panel of judges.

----

Standing at the Gorilla position, Blair Yuen took in a few slow, deep breaths, her fist clenching and unclenching as she prepared herself for what was ahead. It wasn't that she was going into unfamiliar territory - rather, this was territory that was all too familiar for her.

For this match, LAW was looking to emphasize the MMA backgrounds of two of its fighters, and in order to do that, they saw fit to go right to the source - reserving a spot on the card at an MMA event to promote a match contended under MMA rules. One of those fighters was the Little Dragon of Muay Thai herself. She had a respectable career in the octagon, and her prowess in quick, precise strikes had won her a title run in her weight class. But that run had come to an end - and Blair's perfectionist streak couldn't stand to leave that on her record. Rather than try to build herself back up, she had decided to jump ship to professional wrestling, to start with a clean slate and make a name for herself under a new roof. But now, whether she liked it or not, she was being confronted with her past.

Blair grit her teeth, thinking back on it all. Her loss was still a sore spot with her, and the thought of standing before the mixed martial arts community and having to acknowledge her failures was an intimidating one - one that, she only hoped, wouldn't throw her off her game when the bell rang. At the least, she reminded herself, Blair had enough experience to carry her. She'd won many more fights than she'd lost, so the odds were in her favor here. And in terms of familiarity, she was more accustomed to the octagon than the squared circle. She just needed to stay focused - her biggest opponent, she was sure, would be herself.

Well, herself and the fact that she did not have the size advantage in this match to speak of. While LAW did have weight classes, compared to the MMA world, it was far more liberal with matching up wrestlers from different divisions if it promised to make for a good show, and never was that more apparent when Blair thought of her opponent tonight. Blair was used to facing women her own size, but Zira easily dwarfed her - by LAW standards, she was two weight classes above her! If there was one thing she could remind herself of there, it was that Zira, too, would likely be out of her element. If Blair relied on her smaller size to dodge around Zira's blows and hit her faster than she could keep track of, then maybe she had a chance...

Nevertheless, Blair wouldn't have time to think about it for much longer. A stagehand gave her the cue to go on - and with a nod and a deep breath, she took her step through the door.

"Coming first to the cage, from Vancouver, British Columbia! At 5'1 and weighing 110 pounds, the Little Dragon of Muay Thai, BLAIR YUEN!"

Entrance Music

Spoiler

Stepping out onto the entrance ramp, Blair held a fist high into the air as she made her way down the aisle, greeting cheers and boos alike from the fans at either side of her. She definitely recognized that more than a few people could only see her as a coward who was so desperate to hold onto her legacy that she had refused to bounce back from her loss - but she bit at the inside of her cheek, trying to ignore that. Even those who cheered for her and welcomed her back she tuned out; she couldn't afford any distractions. As she came to the cage, she stepped through the door, taking her place on the mat and cracking her knuckles to ready herself for what would come next. On the inside, her heart was racing. When Zira showed up, anything could happen. But Blair would just have to be ready...

[Bare]

Zira rolled her neck a bit as she stood in the guerilla position, finishing up some last minute preparation and relaxing prior to her next match. One that felt all too familiar for her in almost every way. The fans being even more blood thirsty than for wrestling, the slightly more organized and focused backstage area, and the more foreboding octagon that stood out in the center of it all. Despite that though she seemed... forlorn almost. As if she didn't seem all too excited to be back doing what made her famous to begin with. There were a few reasons for that, of varying important and weight.

Part of it was that, despite its more inherently chaotic and zaney nature, Zira actually quite liked wrestling. It was far more fun and with far less rules to restrict her, like a wild stallion being able to run free as opposed to saddled and made to follow stringent rules. Still she was all too able to follow the rules of mma, and after her bout with Huan, it was now being discussed more than ever if she would have been a champion had she not gotten pregnant.. Another reason she wasn't exactly thrilled with this match given it was bringing back some unpleasant memories of her exit from the sport and the feelings of uncertainty from then.

Finally was her opponent for tonight. Blair Yuen. The Little Dragon of Muay Thai. The girl that ran away after a single loss marred her perfect record. Finding herself sneering at the thought Zira couldn't help the contempt and even anger that creeped its way in. There were many things she didn't like, and she wasn't afraid to speak on them, chief among them was cowards however, and to her the greatest coward of all was the one that couldn't even face their own weakness. To her thats what Blair was and if anything that was her biggest motivator in this match besides just winning. But to insure she wouldn't lose to someone like that. Eventually as if on cue, it came time for her own entrance.

"Now entering the cage, from Austin, Texas! Standing at 6'2 and weighing 196 pounds, The Bloody Moon, Ziraaaa Cabalerooooo!

Spoiler

As the music started up Zira would come on out not too long after, wearing a purple and white robe with a red moon and her nickname on the back followed by her actual name. Fully barefoot her long bare legs exposed as she made her way to the octagon, serious expression as she walked up the steps and into the octagon before undoing her robe and tossing it out before the door to the cage was shut after her. Standing now in her rather simple black mma gear Zira would strut to the center of the ring to meet her opponent, literally and figuratively looking down on Blair as she did so with an unamused and unfriendly look on her face as she did so.

Spoiler

[CaptainL]

From the moment Zira began her descent down the ramp, Blair sucked in a long, deep breath, her body growing tense as she readied herself for what was ahead of her. She knew this wasn't going to be easy. Not only was she fighting a physical battle, she was also struggling with all her might against her psychological limitations. The last time she had been in the octagon, Blair reminded herself, it had been a disaster - she'd faced a crushing loss to a capoiera practitioner she could hardly keep up with, her constant motion throwing Blair's analytical and methodical striking for a loop. She had been so ashamed from her loss that she didn't know if she would be able to move beyond it, and she couldn't even look at an MMA ring without feeling herself tense at the thought that every eye on her would be judging her over her past loss. She wouldn't just be fighting to win, she would be fighting to restore her honor, and to prove that she wasn't just an embarrassment; that her one loss didn't mean anything. But that was a lot on her shoulders, and even before her opponent appeared, Blair was struggling to balance the weight.

And then, once Zira did appear, it didn't do Blair any favors! The sight of her made her draw in a gulp. If there was ever a mismatch, this would certainly take the cake. Zira was more than a foot taller than Blair, and close to twice her weight. And when she saw her face to face, she seemed even larger in person! As the heavyweight dropped her robe, Blair could see her well-sculpted physique, her muscles rippling beneath her tanned skin, and she sucked in a gulp at the thought of what Zira could do to her with the size advantage on her side. Her very presence here felt like a taunt, making Blair feel that much smaller. Weaker. Insignificant, practically, compared to a woman of Zira's stature. This was going to be an uphill battle in so many ways.

But, at the same time, Blair knew she had to fight it. She wasn't going to run away any more. If she could win, if she could take down Zira, this might well be all she needed to set the record straight - it would be a greater and harder-fought victory than anything her career had seen to date. Her body went stiff, and she stood as tall as she could as she took a step closer, looking up to lock eyes with her foe. It was more important than ever, she knew, that she be ready.

"I'm not afraid of you," Blair said defiantly. She could feel her eye trying to twitch; she bit at her lip to stifle that urge. What she said wasn't entirely true. But, as her fists balled tighter at her sides, she knew that to let Zira see any fear would be suicide.

[Bare]

Zira was a woman of immense pride as well as stature. It was clear in the way she carried herself, the look in her eyes and the clear confidence with which she carried herself as she walked towards the ring. Normally though the look on her face was one of wild excitement and ferocious glee, but right now it was one of utter seriousness, bordering on boredom. Dropping the robe and stepping into the cage to fully face off with her opponent it would perhaps become obvious as to why.

After all the sheer physical difference between them was rather massive and would lead many to wonder how one sided this could potentially if Zira got even two or three solid hits in on Blair. But how it would go remained to be seen and Blair was obviously rather aware of such a perception and seemed keen on crushing any such conceptions early on, not that it mattered much to Zira. "Then you're as stupid as much as you are a coward." Zira said with a sneer, letting her disdain towards the smaller woman show itself with no hint of reservation as she pounded her fists together in preparation for the match ahead and whenever the bell would ring.

[CaptainL]

The match hadn't even begun. Both fighters were waiting on a call from the timekeeper to know when they could start. But even before the first punch had been thrown, the tension between them was palpable. Blair didn't move - she stood right where she was, her bare feet rooted to the canvas and her heels dug into the mat. Every one of her muscles was taut and rigid, and she stood as tall as her petite frame could allow. She had to crane her head upward to look Zira in the eye, but she wasn't going to take her gaze off of her even for a moment - she didn't want to give Zira an opening. And, more importantly, she didn't want anyone to think she was intimidated by her presence. Not Zira, not the audience - and not even herself. Blair knew that if she showed even the slightest sign of weakness, of hesitation, then it would be her downfall, and everything would have been all for naught.

But it was Zira who threw the first blow - and it was a blow that struck before the bell had even rung. With just a few words, the heavyweight had chilled Blair straight through to the bone. As her words landed, Blair stood a little straighter, sucking in a breath, and her eyes went just a little bit wider, but she bit at her lip to focus herself before she could let out a gasp. She knew exactly what Zira was saying. Many commentators had questioned Blair's motives in running away from league after league and sport after sport once she started to fall behind - saying that she was just chasing the thrill of being a champion; that she was too embarrassed by her losses to confront them. But the one accusation that truly felt like a punch to the gut, the one that ate at her psyche and her self-esteem the most, was that she was too much of a coward to face opponents that had surpassed her. Blair had trained in Muay Thai because it made her feel like a stronger person - like someone capable of taking charge of her problems. But if she was a coward, then she was just as weak as she had always been. That thought had dogged her all the way to the octagon; she feared how others would see her, and what they'd think of her, and she bristled at the thought of what might be going through the minds of anyone booing her in the stands. But it wasn't until Zira had said it to her face, confirming all her fears and apprehensions of what people thought of her, that Blair truly felt herself shrinking back.

A moment later, though, she shook her head. Her fists balled tighter; she sucked in a deep breath as she took one step closer to Zira and puffed out her chest. "You're wrong," she said, a statement meant to convince herself just as much as it was aimed at Zira. "And tonight, I'm going to prove that."

*DING DING DING*

With the sound of the bell, the match had officially begun. Here went nothing. Blair's heart was pounding in her chest - she knew all too well that her actions from here on out would make all the difference as to what her legacy in MMA would be. If she won, she would redeem herself; if she lost, it would just prove Zira was right. There was absolutely no margin for error; everything she did had to count. She raised her fists, adopting a stance as she looked back up at Zira, and the strategies were running through her mind. If she went in blindly, she was sure she was setting herself up for trouble - if she, for even a second, showed a moment of weakness, then Zira could seize on that. Not only would that start the match on the wrong foot, it would also be even more ammunition for Zira's argument. And when Zira was bigger, stronger, and no doubt a harder hitter than Blair was, she didn't want to put herself into range right away, and risk a counter-blow. Instead, she would keep a watchful eye on the heavyweight as she stayed back, strafing around her with her guard raised. It would be up to Zira to throw the first blow. And, Blair hoped, she would be ready to counter it.

[Bare]

It was evident going into this from before the bell even rung that Zira didn't have a lot of respect for her opponent. In fact she almost seemed to down right hold her in contempt. It showed in the way she outright insulted the girl, calling her stupid and a coward at once and it didn't take a professional to see that the words had struck a chord within Blair. From the widening of her eyes to the way her body language went slack for just a second, every part of her was shaken for the briefest of moments before she reaffirmed herself and told Zira off, not that it would do much to change her opinion though. "Tsk, we'll see about that little dragon." Zira said, using Blair's nickname but putting an emphasis on the little to make it near insulting in how she spat it out.

Putting her fists up in preparation and lowering her stance, starting to circle Blair, feeling out what she would do, only to see that the girl was taking a decidedly more defensive approached which made Zira frown in annoyance. "A cowardly approach huh?" Zira asked rhetorically before shifting into the first smile she had since entering the building. "Then let me give a reason for such cowardice." Zira said before taking a step forward and back, forward and back, almost rhythmically while her posture loosened and she began to circle Blair in wide, sweeping steps... Classic Capoeira styling. Then as she made one of the forward steps she suddenly pushed towards Blair, pivoting on one foot while swinging her other leg around to strike at Blair's thigh!

[CaptainL]

The match hadn't even begun, but everyone watching was well aware of the contempt on display between Blair and Zira. Though they had never crossed paths before, those who were familiar with both women could already predict the inevitable clash when their personalities came into conflict. Zira was well-known for her dislike of anyone she deemed a coward or who wasn't willing to face a challenge head-on, and Blair was renowned for her perfectionism and her refusal to accept a loss just as much as she was for her skill in Muay Thai. Now, even as the two women exchanged words, the scorn in their voices was palpable. When Blair had heard Zira call her out, she knew full well what the heavyweight was getting at - it made her eyes widen and her stance ease for just a moment as the shock hit her. But she realized then that she was letting herself show even the slightest bit of weakness, and when she was in this to take back her good name and prove that she was still every bit as capable as she was in the prime of her career, she knew that such a thing was intolerable. As the bell rang, she leaned her head in toward Zira just a little more, facing her opponent. Whatever happened now...Blair had to succeed, just to prove her wrong.

And yet, there was still that lingering doubt in the back of her mind - one that Zira had only dug for and prodded all the more. When she heard her mock her nickname, it made Blair's fists clench a little tighter as she hissed under her breath - while she had taken her moniker as a point of pride, proving she had the strength and ferocity in her to eclipse her size, coming from Zira, it only made her that much more aware of how little respect the heavyweight had for her, and how little faith she had in her chances. Something that would only be confirmed when Zira saw how Blair chose a defensive strategy for the start of the match.

As soon as she heard Zira's taunt, Blair's teeth clenched tighter, and her eyelid began to twitch. "It's not-" she began, desperate to save face - but she wouldn't finish when the next thing she saw made her blood run cold. Her eyes grew wider as she watched the wavering, loose stance Zira took, hopping back and forth. Capoiera. The same style she had suffered such an embarrassing loss against in the event that cost her her MMA championship. She could hardly believe it now - was Zira doing this on purpose?

Already, Blair's style made her weak against such tactics - when she was so focused and methodical, she struggled to keep up with opponents who moved so freely and who kept her guessing as to which direction their attacks would even come from. But now, the blow to Blair's confidence was twofold. The very stance Zira had assumed was an unwelcome reminder of the loss that still shook Blair to the core; it left her second-guessing herself at every turn as to if she'd make the same mistakes or not, or if she'd be able to do better this time. And she couldn't shake the thought that Zira was doing this on purpose - that she wanted to see Blair squirm.

The Canadian just as quickly shook that thought out of her head. She couldn't let it get to her now - this was her chance to make a change, and now it was more important than ever that she be ready for anything! If she let herself be intimidated now, any comeback was all but hopeless - she needed to prove she was better than that! With Zira closing in on her, she needed to act fast. But just as her leg swung out for her thigh, Blair swerved to the side, hoping to dodge! If she managed to get out of the way in time, she would throw a kick at Zira's shin - when the heavyweight had put all her balance on one leg, it would be all the easier to send her toppling down if that leg was taken out from under her, Blair figured. But it was all down to if she could act in time...

[Bare]

Despite her brash and aggressive personality Zira was no idiot who'd walk into matches blind. Not all the time at least. In this case though she had known of Blair before hand, and thus had the natural inclination to dive deeper into the girl's roots.

Naturally this meant she knew of Blair's rather humiliating title loss to a capoeira user in the past and as luck would have it Zira was fairly adept at the style herself, but the final factor that made Zira choose to go for this was her brief conversation with Blair, having found the girl's attitude rather irritating, thus pushing her to go with the rhythmic fighting style. Starting off rather basic to gauge the girl's reaction it was more or less to what Zira expected before pushing forward swinging her leg around to try and smack into Blair's side right out of the gate.

Of course though while Zira may not have respected Blair very much, Blair was still a fairly adept fighter in her own right and managed to dodge her initial blow before coming back at her with a return kick at he leg! Not that Zira would let it connect. Still having her one leg on the mat Zira would push off with it, taking to the air before twisting and falling to the mat on her hands off to Blair's side, shooting her leg out again to launch an unexpected kick at the girl's ribs!

[CaptainL]

Even before this match had started, Blair's nerves had been firing off. She knew she had a lot to prove, and a lot to lose. Already she had determined that she couldn't afford to lose this match - to do so would be to cement her inevitable downfall into shame and obscurity. That was weighing on her enough already - but when she saw Zira start to dance toward her with the rhythmic steps of a capoiera practitioner, that was enough to send the Canadian into high alert. Right out of the gate, in a decisive moment of the match, Zira was going after her weak spots, both physically and psychologically. She almost certainly was doing this on purpose. And if Blair let Zira get in her head, not only would it put her at a disadvantage going forward, it would also serve as an embarrassing reminder that she just couldn't measure up.

But she couldn't let that happen! Just as soon as the panic hit her, Blair shook those intrusive thoughts out of her head. All they'd do, she reminded herself, was to get in the way. If she was going to win, she needed nothing less than a cool head and a keen focus - that was important in any bout, and it was especially important now, when Zira would surely be leveraging intimidation against her. She couldn't, under any circumstances, afford to let Zira take the lead. And when she swerved out of the way of her incoming kick, aiming a retaliating shot at Zira's leg in the process, she was determined to deny her opponent the chance to even be able to boast of an edge over her.

But Zira was ahead of her there, too. As Blair's leg ripped through the air, the heavyweight kicked her footing out from under her, falling to her back and letting the strike pass by overhead. At the sight of it, Blair's eyes went wide in shock. Her capoiera style allowed her to stay in constant motion, and while that allowed her to change up her offense and keep her opponents guessing as to where her fluid movements would go next, it also made it that much easier to for Zira to dodge her opponents' blows. For a moment, as Zira dodged out of the way of her strike, Blair went tense, the color draining away from her face as a knot tightened in her stomach. Now, she was in danger. And sure enough, a moment later, Zira delivered.

Zira's kick swept out again, and this time, Blair wouldn't be so lucky. She had already let down her guard when she'd frozen up in shock, and she was in no position to defend herself when the heavyweight's foot came crashing into her ribs! The sheer discrepancy in weight between the two women added up to the leverage Zira was able to turn against Blair, and the Muay Thai fighter was taken off her feet, throwing her down onto her side. As she bounced off the mat, her teeth clenched in a grimace, and she shuddered from the pain in her ribs - from the landing as much as from Zira's kick, which she was still rubbing at her side to try and dull the ache of.

But she wasn't going to let herself stay down for long. She wasn't sure what Zira's ground game would be like, but her own was one of her weak points. As long as she was off her feet, she'd be vulnerable, and Zira was one opponent she wasn't willing to be vulnerable to. But while Zira was down, she'd have a moment to make her move. Sucking in a breath, Blair pushed off the mat to try and roll herself away to the other side of the cage. She'd need to get back on her feet there, but if she could create some distance from her opponent, she'd stand a better chance.

[Bare]

Just like that Zira scored the first successful hit of the match and it was a big one too. A kick right to Blair's side that took her off her feet and sent rolling. Admittedly it wasn't everything Zira could put into a strike. A trade off for the surprise type of strike, caused by not having the ability to properly ground herself and put her weight behind the blow. Clearly though it was enough to still do a decent amount of damage to her opponent though, something that Zira was all too keen taking notice of and grinning widely in response as she stood up to her feet.

Even so though there was another element here that Zira was more content to have. In this case being the mental advantage that Zira knew was definitely in her favor now. The information of Blair's defeat to a capoeira user was out, and it wasn't something Zira was above using to her own advantage, in fact she didn't give a damn as she rolled her neck, enjoying the sight of a clearly frazzled Blair starting to rise up from the mat.

Let it be said though.. Zira was a relentless woman, and she wasn't about to voluntarily give Blair a chance of respite. Darting her way towards the girl with the sweeping, rhythmic capoeira movements Zira would close the distance with a few steps and pull her leg back, seemingly about to go for a wide, sweeping kick at Blair's side.. Only she would change gears at the last second, pushing off on that leg she pulled back to launch herself forward with explosive velocity, swinging her knee out as she approached her opponent to drive a sudden and powerful knee strike right into Blair's stomach!