The Prima Donna's Diary - Chapter 11: The Tiger's Cage (vs Bengal)

[Misfit_Alien]

Dear Diary~...

Diary Entry (READ ME)

Back again! This time, another MMA bout. I guess my performance was good enough that the higher-ups saw something in me. That's good, great even! It means I'm leaving my mark, making a name for myself! Even at the cost of some humiliating moments, I can use these opportunities as a chance to grow my standing and show the WORLD what the Prima Donna Darling is capable of! I won't lie to you, diary...I'm a little nervous, still...the atmosphere in the octagon is SO much different than being in the ring or on the mats. It's intimate in a very unnerving way, almost claustrophobic...It certainly doesn't have the flash and flair of wrestling, that's for sure...but-...a match is a match, and I've never run away from a fight before, and I'm certainly not going to start now. So wish me luck, dearest diary...and hopefully when I return, we can chat all about my latest win all night long!!!


XOXO, Yours forever~, Ami Anderson...The Prima Donna Darling~ <3

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ami Anderson, the 'Prima Donna Darling' vs Bengal, 'The Blaze Tiger'
Match Type: "MMA Match"
This fight will take place in a standard octagon with three-minute rounds at a maximum of nine rounds. There are rest intervals of one minute between rounds. Victory is achieved via submission, knockout, referee stoppage, or decision. If neither fighter has achieved victory after all nine rounds have finished, the fight will go to decision via a panel of judges. Disqualification is at the referee's discretion. Warnings will be issued, but continued offenses will result in disqualification.
Standard rules - DQs (Lenient)

The Venue...

After putting her stuff away, finishing her warm-up routine, and getting her gear adjusted and gloves tightened, Ami was ready for action! She tapped her fists together, taking in deep breaths to ease her nerves before heading out of the locker room and toward the octagon. Back in the arena, the crowd was growing restless; many of the audience members were on the edges of their seats, eager to see another intense fight unfold before them. They were certainly in for a treat tonight as the Prima Donna's bubbly, lo-fi theme began to play, the lights overhead dimming down while the bright-eyed rookie's music took over the airwaves. The crowd looked on with delight, hyped to see the cutie either take another win home, or get crushed in the process...either way, they would certainly find entertainment in seeing her work-...

Spoiler

"...Making her way to the cage, hailing from Los Angeles, California...standing at 4'11 and weighing in at 105 lbs, the brightest star in the sky...the sweetest diva on the stage...the PRIMA DONNA DARLING...AMI...ANDERSON!!!"


With her LAW-provided corner team following behind her, the eager and scrappy brunette would make her entrance, a bright spotlight shining down on her as the audience cheered and hollered, though there were some boos here and there, seems even up-and-coming rookies had their share of detractors, but Ami paid those types no mind. Her focus was on the fans, cheering right there with them, blowing kisses, winking, smiling brightly, looking as lovely as possible while reciprocating all the good vibes shown her way. She'd walk up the steps of the cage, walking through the door, feeling the slightly cushioned canvas beneath her feet. She took another deep breath before walking forward to her corner, her team getting set up on the outside as the commentary team spoke into their headsets, some front row audience members shuffled around to get to their seats before the fight started, and the judges were setting up their score cards for the ensuing nine rounds of action. Ami stood ready, hopping on her toes to keep herself focused while waiting for her opponent to arrive...'The Blaze Tiger'...Bengal-...

Spoiler

[BengalTheBlazeTiger]

Bengal often practiced with MMA techniques in training, but the Blaze Tiger had never fought an official match in the octagon before. Her focus had always been on using the martial arts skills she'd learned to further her wrestling career. Recently, however, that had all changed. During an interview, the host had asked about her lack of experience in this area, and the question had needled her like nothing else. Ever since that disastrous exchange, Bengal had been obsessed with proving she wasn't just a "paper tiger". With her typical imperious attitude, she ordered her manager to schedule her first MMA match. "And find me someone strong," she commanded, inspecting the back of her nails, as the other woman frantically scribbled down her orders on a notepad. "That'll shut the critics up."

There were other steps that had to be taken, of course. She would need padded gloves, to protect her fists from the intense, sustained striking such matches required. A more flexible outfit wouldn't hurt either. Most importantly, Bengal had to actually learn the rules of MMA, no matter how much she griped that, "rules were meant to be broken". Her manager's explanation was a flood of unfamiliar concepts. One-minute breaks? Decision via judges? Nine rounds? The Tiger wrinkled her nose; she considered the suggestion that she would need NINE rounds to defeat her opponent to be an insult. Still, Bengal continued to train and prepare, as the suits at LAW searched for an opponent and venue for her to make her mark on. Eventually, the terms were agreed on, and the match was booked.

Now, it was fight night, and Bengal was entering the arena. The harsh sounds of her entrance theme were quite the departure from Ami's lighthearted lo-fi music, and the crowd immediately began to boo as they recognized who was arriving. Those boos quickly turned to gasps, however, as the Tiger came into view, revealing her new outfit for this new stage of her time in LAW. It was similar to her "white tiger" ensemble, but stripped down to provide greater freedom of movement, with lighter and more breathable fabric. Altogether, Bengal was extremely satisfied with the result, and she was hardly ever satisfied with anything.

Spoiler

The ring announcer seemed to falter for a moment; perhaps he too was distracted by Bengal's transformation. Fortunately, he soon found his voice:

"And her opponent, making her MMA debut...standing at five feet seven inches, and weighing 140 pounds...from Kolkata, India...THE BLAZE TIGER! BENGAL!"

As she entered the eight-sided structure, Bengal gave her opponent the once-over. She didn't seem like much of a threat. Her manager had told her not to underestimate Ami, warning the Tiger that the Prima Donna's striking prowess was just as great as her own. But Bengal had already forgotten that. All she saw in front of her now was a pint-sized brunette, with a skirt that seemed more suited to a country club than a cage match. She looked as weak and bland as a piece of Los Angeles pizza - and only slightly less short.

Bengal sauntered toward the smaller woman, trying to unnerve her with a toothy smile. "So, you're a California Girl, huh?" I'll be sure to make your defeat unforgettable," she quipped, smacking the knuckles of her padded gloves together as she spoke. "When they write the book about my MMA career, you'll be on the first page...out cold," she finished. She waited to see how her opponent would respond to the challenge. Let's see if she's even brave enough to speak, the Tiger thought to herself, shifting her weight between the soles of her bare feet, as she fixed Ami with her icy blue gaze.

[Misfit_Alien]

When Ami's opponent arrived, her eyes lit up...someone making their MMA debut? This was certainly going to be a tough match because this meant they both had something to prove. However, as Bengal appeared with that fiery look in her eyes, the atmosphere in the arena shifted, and the Prima Donna Darling could feel her stomach churning somewhat as a response. Bengal was only thirty-five pounds heavy, but was over half a foot taller. She was slim and lean...not too bulky. In terms of build, Ami wasn't trailing too far behind. As she made her observations from afar while Bengal walked to the octagon, she noted that while she might hit a little harder and take the advantage in grappling from time to time, the gap between herself and her opponent wasn't too vast to overcome. After her last MMA match, Ami had been drilling herself to try to improve her conditioning as well as her grappling. She took a few more deep breaths, focusing on herself for a moment to keep her mind clear, but when Bengal finally entered the cage, everything would take quite the dramatic shift-...

Ami could feel Bengal's sharp, turquoise eyes scan over her body, assessing her for any strengths she should be wary of while searching for weaknesses to exploit. Ami's cheeks reddened slightly, her eyes briefly glancing off to the side before they trailed up the Indian woman's legs and waist, slowly traveling up her form before catching Bengal's gaze. The two locked eyes, staring each other down from across the way. Ami could already tell from Bengal's movements and attitude that she seemed disdainful of her, seemingly overlooking the Prima Donna before the bell had even rung. As Bengal sauntered toward her, the brunette's cheeks reddened a little further, momentarily captivated by the woman's figure swaying ever so slightly. It was almost hypnotic, especially with how her hips waggled with every step, brimming with an arrogant amount of confidence while draped in quite the outfit. Her opponent's attire was sleek, simple, yet stunning. Her gear hugged her body quite nicely, with the few baggy areas leaving little to the imagination as her clothing wrapped around and accentuated her form, with a design that emboldened that ferocious look she carried with her. Ami's mind wandered for a moment, lost in her fantasy as she couldn't look away from her, but she'd be brought back to reality rather soon...

Once the dark-skinned woman was in front of Ami, the brunette had no choice but to look up at her. Normally, she would've spoken up with a friendly greeting or a compliment about Bengal's attire...but now wasn't the time for icebreakers, especially not for someone so openly dismissive as the Blaze Tiger, which Ami would realize moments later. Her face shifted into a confused expression, her brows furrowed in a way that read, 'Excuse you?'...Just her luck. She was stuck with ANOTHER one of these types. Not one to be bullied so easily, Ami tried to stand up for herself, looking Bengal dead in the eyes as her nostrils flared somewhat, standing her ground as she pouted...irritated but now motivated. "You talk like you know the first thing about me-...so let me correct you, Bengal. I am not some cute, bubbly-looking doormat for you to walk all over...I'm a fighter, too, first and foremost. Maybe you'll see it after I've put you out on the canvas..." She said, crossing her arms and taking a step toward Bengal, coming chest-to-chest with her as they squared off before the fight even started.

Tensions were high, but the referee would move in shortly after this to separate them following their little exchange. As the referee explained the rules one final time, the pair of women were in quite the stare off, stuck in a deadlock of ice-cold glares before being sent back to their corners. Ami turned away and retreated to her side of the octagon, getting her gloves up and ready. The dazzling brunette was raring to go. Her fists tightened, her breathing steadied, and she softly hopped on her feet, ready for action-...

DING!!! - ROUND 1

When the bell rang, she was off!!! She moved quickly, immediately heading toward the center of the ring to try and feel the waters out, not content with letting her opponent dictate the pace of the match after all that talking she didn't, nor wanting to allow Bengal the chance to corner her against the cage wall so early. Without much hesitation, Ami would kick things off by snapping a few quick jabs aimed at Bengal's face, trying to figure out their effective ranges as she closed the gap.

[BengalTheBlazeTiger]

Bengal sneered openly at her opponent's defiant attitude. Did this little cub seriously think she could knock out a full-grown Tiger? She'd have a better chance hoping for lightning to strike the octagon. "No, you're not a doormat," she agreed, throwing back her mane of snow-white hair with a cocky chuckle. "A doormat is actually useful. You're just a waste of space. Not very much space, but..." She winked one of her sapphire eyes, leaving the rest of the joke left unsaid. Bengal enjoyed picking out the flaws of her opponents - or at least, what she saw as flaws. In Ami's case, the targets were obvious: the Prima Donna's youth, and her short stature. Mocking those supposed shortcomings gave her something to pass the time, while she waited for the match to begin.

She wouldn't have to wait much longer. As the bell rang, Bengal rushed Ami without hesitation. The other woman began throwing jabs, but the Tiger put her elbows up. "Adorable," she purred, as the flurry of blows glanced off her guard. "Now, maybe try an actual punch!" As a rookie to the cage, Bengal didn't understand that these opening jabs were merely meant to test the waters. The Prima Donna wasn't going all-out yet - not by a long shot.

Crouching low, Bengal attempted to bring the other fighter to the mat with a single-leg takedown. If that worked, she'd straddle the smaller woman's chest, and begin to batter her jaw with repeated strikes. The Tiger was determined to knock her opponent out in the first round, making the end of the fight as shocking and memorable as she possibly could. If she'd had a little more MMA experience, however, she might have realized that safely gauging the Prima Donna's range was more important than crafting the perfect photo finish.

[Misfit_Alien]

Bengal's attitude was becoming increasingly grating...and the fight had JUST started. Ami's brow twitched during their little confrontation prior to the bell ringing. This woman was flaunting all her confidence and ego in one fell swoop, mocking Ami for her stature and youthfulness. It sickened her. So, when the bell rang, Ami wasted no time in going in on the white-haired woman. She'd rush her Indian foe with a few light flicker jabs, establishing her range and probing Bengal for any sort of tells or reactions. Even as an amateur competitor, Ami knew from her kickboxing days that in a fight, intel was just as important as the actual fighting part. Going in without a plan or looking for any signs in her opponent's movements was foolish. And so, the Prima Donna Darling continued to test the waters with her punches, forcing Bengal to block them. Glancing blows, yes, but the way she reacted to them was an eye-opener...

Bengal was inexperienced when it came to a combat sport like MMA...

Though she was a ferocious foe and a silver-tongued snake, Bengal didn't realize the difference between Ami's punches and the real thing. This wasn't like a professional wrestling match, where you practically went all-out from the get-go. Fights like these, be it MMA, kickboxing, or any other form of stand-up fighting, require a much more delicate balance between offense and defense. On the surface, it seems the Blaze Tiger wasn't aware that wasting stamina and swinging for the fences this early on could have devastating effects if the fight wasn't ended soon. Ami kept this in mind, because if she could get the woman to gas out by round four...or at this pace, even round three...she could have an easy setup to knock her out with a REAL punch.

However, she'd have to contend with the fact that her opponent WOULD be swinging for the fences as Bengal immediately attempted to snatch Ami's leg out from under her, pouncing forward like her namesake as she tackled the young brunette to the canvas. Fortunately for Ami, she had taken several bumps and tackles before, so this wouldn't be as big of a shock to her system as Bengal might've anticipated. She hits the floor back-first, letting out a stifled wince before immediately tucking in her legs and getting her gloves up. With the feisty Indian striker straddling across her waist for a mount position, Ami quickly predicted what her plan was. Based on all Bengal's chatter, lack of understanding, and her attitude, it was clear that she was trying to make a splash in the MMA scene by going for a flashy first-round finish by battering her opponent into submission or unconsciousness. Unfortunately for her, Ami wouldn't allow such a thing to happen-...

As Bengal slid up the Prima Donna's body, she could feel the dark-skinned woman's legs wrap around her midsection, with Bengal's thighs pressing against her chest in a commanding fashion before the Tiger let loose, unleashing a flurry of blows upon the brunette. Ami gritted her teeth as she tightened her guard, deflecting and blocking most of the strikes, though a few glancing blows caught her in the cheek. The padded gloves left softly stinging reminders along her skin, as each punch could easily be the deciding factor, but Ami was used to working under pressure. She eased her breathing and simply defended herself, allowing Bengal to get comfortable...cocky...careless. When the opportunity presented itself, Ami would snap a jab toward Bengal's nose to make her flinch, timing it right when the woman retracted one fist while preparing to strike with the other. This counter-strike, if successful, would allow Ami a chance to roll the pair over, swapping positions with Bengal as she put the Tiger on the bottom, the Prima Donna now straddling her waist. Ami would then push herself up with one leg, hovering over Bengal for just a moment before using her other leg to drive in a knee strike right to the Tiger's stomach!

[BengalTheBlazeTiger]

Bengal bounced up and down on top of Ami as her fists came down again and again, trying to shatter the Prima Donna's tight guard. "Yeah, that's right...keep hiding," the Tiger growled at her opponent, struggling to speak from the exertion. "I'll catch you...sooner or later!" Beads of sweat fell from her heaving breasts, dripping directly onto the smaller woman beneath her. It was a sign of her visible excitement, and also of how winded she was getting from the relentless offense.

The crowd was buzzing with anticipation, which struck the Tiger as somewhat odd. She would have expected the usual boos. Would her MMA debut be the thing that finally got the fans to accept her? Bengal would never admit that she wanted to hear cheers from the stands, though there were times when she secretly did. That only gave her more motivation to keep swinging. "Just close your eyes, baby girl," she commanded, drawing back her arm for another furious blow. "When you wake up, you'll be back in LA...but I'll be the superstar!"

Bengal had completely misjudged the response of the crowd, however. They weren't cheering for her success - quite the opposite, in fact. They knew it was just a matter of time before the Tiger tired herself out. They wanted to see Ami get some well-earned retribution. As Bengal prepared her next attack, the lightweight fighter did exactly that. Her small fist lashed out, catching the Tiger on the nose, like a diver trying to drive away a shark. Bengal had always heard that was an urban legend, but in her case it proved very effective. She flinched and rolled away, pawing at her own face.

The pain in that region was nothing compared to the agony that flared through her side a second later. Ami's knee drilled into her ribs, making Bengal gasp as her breath was forcibly compressed from her lungs. Now, it was the Tiger's turn to guard herself, and she rolled onto her back, trying to anticipate what her opponent would do next. But unlike the cagy Prima Donna, whose guard was deliberate and practiced, Bengal's attempts only revealed her inexperience more. She crossed her arms over her torso to guard her midsection from another knee strike, but as she did so, she foolishly left her head completely exposed!

[Misfit_Alien]

Ami's plan worked like a charm, a tinge of satisfaction reflecting in her eyes as her glove made stiff contact with the Tiger's nose, bopping her just above her nostrils and sending her packing as she squirmed away, recoiling in shock and pain. It had become BLATANTLY obvious that the Indian woman was hopelessly inexperienced when it came to MMA. The way she was already sweating buckets, wasting time on frivolous mockery, and just throwing random haymakers with reckless abandon. It was clear to the Prima Donna that she shouldn't be as scared of the Tiger as she initially was, and as she mounted atop her opponent's body, driving her knee right into Bengal's ribs, she was given further confirmation as the woman scrambled to protect herself, flailing for a moment before blocking her torso, leaving that lovely face of hers wide open.

Ami would snap a jab at Bengal's cheek, nailing her with a left before pulling that fist back and hitting her with a right hook, sending her head tilting in the other direction as her glove smeared across her face. With Bengal trapped beneath her, she continued to wail on her, hitting her with a few more tight jabs to the face. Ami knew that, eventually, Bengal's state of shock would wear off, so she couldn't allow herself to get greedy. As much as she wanted to pummel the woman a little further, she could already feel the Tiger shaking under her, likely in an attempt to resist and buck the Prima Donna off her body. What Ami knew for sure was that for as much talking as she did, there was NO CHANCE of Bengal allowing herself to get KO'd in the first round of her MMA debut, nor would she give up in fear of the Prima Donna after talking all that smack about her right to her face.

So Ami pulled away, breaking the mount and leaving the Tiger to lick her wounds as she flailed on the canvas...Ami rose to her feet, keeping her fists up and ready. Besides, she was a much better stand-up striker than grappler, and she wasn't going to risk Bengal trying to get handsy with her or roll back on top. So for now, she'd keep things away from the canvas. "Finished throwing your tantrum?" She said, getting snippy with the Indian woman. "I told you, I'm a fighter too...If you still don't believe me, then get up-..." She said, ushering Bengal to stand up and meet her on even ground, keeping the moral high ground while still standing tall over her adversary.

[BengalTheBlazeTiger]

Having to accept her opponent's mercy was humiliating, especially for someone like Bengal. She had always believed mercy was for the weak. Still, she had no choice but to comply when Ami ordered her to "get up", and the other woman backed off, allowing her to rise. Like the Prima Donna, Bengal was much more confident about her stand-up striking, compared to her grappling. It was in her best interests to keep the fight off the mat, she told herself.

Of course, if she'd remembered anything that her manager had told her about Ami's own striking skills, she might have known better. In her frazzled state, with the rowdy crowd jeering and catcalling her from all eight sides of the cage, those details had slipped her mind. Bengal was self-conscious of how flushed and shaken she appeared. The crisp, painted stripes around her eye were now nothing but an inky smudge, smeared together by the Prima Donna's darting fists. Slowly, she ran the tip of her pink tongue across a small cut on her lip, trying not to think of how pathetic that must make her look - literally licking her wounds, like some cornered animal! As she met her opponent's gaze, trying to think of another crack about Ami's height or her age, she suddenly found herself tongue-tied. But perhaps that was for the best. She was still panting for breath, and talking would only make it worse.

The time for words was over; Bengal could see that now. This was a different kind of fight, one that prized smart tactical decisions above flashy showboating. If she was ever going to make a name for herself in MMA, she had to recognize that. Luckily, she was a fast learner. Instead of wading back in with more wild haymakers, her next move was a quick snap kick, aimed at her Ami's knee. The Tiger wanted to test her young opponent's reaction time. That said, if the kick happened to connect and cause some damage to the crucial joint, that would be even better. Anything that took away a little of the Prima Donna's blinding speed would help Bengal to even the odds.

[Misfit_Alien]

Bengal was rattled...good. The last minute or so whizzed by in one hectic blur, and the result was the Indian woman taking quite the blow to her ego. Her young, seemingly naive opponent thrust the dagger right through that veil of arrogance and pride, cutting the Tiger down to size and making her feel small in the end. It wasn't the flashiest moment, nor the most devastating, but it was certainly effective. As the spectators looked on with gleeful excitement, ready for the next clash between these two scrappy women, Ami remained vigilant and cautious. After disrupting her opponent's ego like that, it was certain to leave a bitter taste in Bengal's mouth...although the Prima Donna Darling doubted that it'd be a humbling experience for her. And she'd be right...because Ami caught a look into Bengal's eyes, and she wasn't a fan of what she saw. That disdainful ambivalence from before was replaced by a twinge of humiliation and contempt. An enjoyable sight, to be certain, but underneath that shame was a fury...slowly igniting and swelling within those sharp blue eyes as Bengal licked her lip.

After taking a moment to breathe and collect herself, the Indian woman would rise, her dark amber skin slick with a thin coat of sweat from her previous recklessness and subsequent punishment at Ami's hands...and knee. She looked ready for a war, in a sense...but that wouldn't scare the brunette. When the Tiger had replenished her stamina and gotten her head back in the game, the Prima Donna was there to meet her head-on, not shrinking away from conflict like the little girl Bengal believed her to be initially.

Ami checks Bengal's kick, having extraordinary reaction time when it came to those kinds of attacks given her background in kickboxing from her youth...another note that the Indian fighter should've retained had she paid attention. By lifting her leg and blocking the attack with her shin, Ami manages to negate most of the damage. Going for her knee? Simple, yet crafty...efficient...Bengal wanted to break her down, it seems, but Ami wasn't going to be deconstructed so easily. Without a second thought, the moment Ami's toes touched the ground, she'd dash forward with a kick of her own, pushing off the ball of her back foot and using that same leg she blocked with to nail Bengal in the stomach with a front push kick, the ball and sole of her foot smacking against the Tiger's slim, partly toned tummy!

[BengalTheBlazeTiger]

Bengal hissed with frustration as Ami blocked the Tiger's kick, rapidly raising her shin guard. A second later, that hiss turned into a strangled wheeze when the Prima Donna lashed out with a kick of her own, hammering Bengal in the gut. The Tiger doubled over, coughing. Her stomach felt like she'd just done a belly flop onto a pool filled with concrete. She could never have imagined that such a tiny, elegant foot could hurt so badly. She clenched her teeth in agony, reeling back like a woman slipping on a patch of ice. Dropping onto one knee, her mind racing, Bengal tried to think of her next move.

Since her strikes had failed to break through her opponent's defenses, she decided to try a standing submission instead. She surged up from her knee, aiming to snap her arms around Ami's waist and hoist the Prima Donna into a crushing Bear Hug! The Tiger figured that the size difference between herself and her opponent would make the technique more effective, but it was a risky gambit. Normally, a move like this was better saved for later in the match, when the target was exhausted. Not only was Ami still fresh, she likely had more gas left in the tank than Bengal did.