The Arisawas vs. The Rodriguezes - World Warriors

Once Army stepped through, Goto nodded and smiled. Finally, he could get get on with a real match now that the opening act was finished. Goto bounced on his heels in a traditional Karate stance. He was loose and sized Army up. As he circled his foe, he swung a sharp kick at Goto's leg, to try and keep the boxer off balance and keep him guessing on when Goto's real attack might come.

"Ha! I'm ready!"

Army had some mixed thoughts about the Arisawas, just going off the first look.

Natsu seemed nice enough. Cute, even. A sweet, fun, vibrant girl, with a lot of personality. He already had a girlfriend, but he could see himself hanging around with the schoolgirl if she had the time. Could never have too many friends in Tension.

Goto, on the other hand, seemed kind of dull. He’d been pretty much on the whole ‘Arrogant Kung Fu Guy’ thing since minute one, and it didn’t seem like he had any other modes. As if he was less like a person, and more like a walking, living cliche.

But could he fight? Army was about to find out.

He took the kick on his leg, the blow hitting nice and clean. He hissed and jumped away as a tingle went up and down his leg. Nasty. Not something he wanted to take too many of.

But caution and patience were more Carmen’s things. He preferred to keep the pressure applied, and on that note, Army jumped right back into the danger zone and tried to return fire, throwing a simple combination to start things off: a jab, followed up by a commanding right hook, both targeted upstairs, going for Goto’s chest.

Goto watched as Army backed away from the kick. He just wanted to keep the boxer off balance, but when he returned with some punches of his own. Goto backpedaled, throwing his head back to avoid the jab but halted when he saw the hook coming. He grimaced as it jarred him, hunching over, but Goto quickly lunched forward, trying to grab Army's shoulders before he could continue the assault.

Although the punch had hurt, he didn't have the time to rub the now sort spot. He just tried to stabilize Army enough to try and kick out his legs and drop him to the floor. As long as Army was still interested in punching his chest, Goto was sure he could handle it.

The jab missed. The hook didn’t. From the looks of it, Goto ate quite a bit of the blow, too.

Typically, this was part of the program where Army’s opponent realized he couldn’t hang toe-to-toe with the bigger guy, then backed off and focused on an alternate strategy while he pussyfooted. Not Goto. He stayed up in Army’s business, despite that business clearly involving him getting punched in the face.

So be it.

Army drew back and prepared to let loose with a cannonball of a right cross, when Goto got in close. Too close. Kicks connected, dropped Army to his knees, and for a brief moment, he wasn’t the tallest man in the ring.

With Army dropped, Goto grinned. The next step was fairly easy as he pulled back his leg and aimed a hard knee at the boxer's face. Although not a boxer himself, he understood what kind of fight it was. If he had to get a bruised cheek to win the fight so be it but he was banking that Army wanted an upright battle and Goto was perfectly willing to try and take it to the mats.

Army was hurting from Goto’s attack, but he wasn't blind, and contrary to popular opinion, he wasn't stupid, either. This was an aggressive sort of fighter he was dealing with, here, not the type to leave him lonely for very long. Fortunately, Army had a surprise waiting for him.

He blocked the knee to his face, getting his arms up just in time to avoid a string strike. That would've been a decent move all on its own, but he didn't stop there. This was a wrestling match, after all, and he figured it was time he started working a few more wrestling moves into the rotation.

Army wrapped his arms around Goto’s legs, pulled him in tight, lifted him straight into the air and immediately fell backwards when they reached the apex, looking to slam his fellow man into the ropes neck-first with a flapjack.

Goto wasn't surprised when Army blocked his knee. The reaction was quick, but Goto would have known it was coming if the situations were reversed. He wasn't even surprised when Army grabbed his leg and, in fact, Goto was looking to see how he might do if things went to the mat.

However, he was surprised when Army managed to lift him up from the awkward position and then drive him backwards into the canvas. Goto grunted and his eyes widened a bit, some air being driven from him as his hands instinctively came up to protect his face and try and prepare for what Army had next, even as the bright arena lights flashed in his eyes.

”Boom!”

Army yelled, nice and loud, right after he dropped Goto down hard with the flapjack. One thing he loved about wrestling over boxing: the sound of a human body hitting the canvas from a high altitude. The crash, the impact, that resounding thunder. Nothing quite like it. And Goto, he made a much bigger noise than any of the girls he’d ever dropped, with Hana Fujioka being an exception.

Yeah. This’d be fun.

Army popped back up to his feet right after he drop Goto, but he didn’t stay up there for very long. Almost as soon as he’d gotten some decent height, he jumped up and came down on him with an elbow drop, targeting the center of his mass.

Goto just bounced off the ropes as he crashed into them and was left writhing near the edge of the ring. He tried pushing up as quickly as he could, but Army was up and falling again before he could even turn to see what was going on. The elbow crashed into his back and he bent upwards, hissing as he teeth flashed. There was strain on his face, but he didn't yell or cry out. His fingers dug into the canvas as he tried to mitigate the pain running through his spine. He knew he had to make a better showing than he was, but at the moment, Army had him in a good spot.

Army had to admit, he felt some sympathy for Goto, knowing how rough your first match in Tension could be. He didn’t exactly have the most stellar debut, either. He’d been there. But at the same time, the elder Arisawa had asked for Army, and he’d wanted some manly combat. Mess with the bull, you get the horns.

Army rolled over and started to help Goto backup, but he didn’t do in a gentle way. He stepped over the barefoot fighter’s back, reached down, wrapped his arms around Goto’s neck and lifted him straight up with a sleeperhold, choking him while he hauled him back to his feet. Submissions weren’t Army’s thing, but he had the strength and size to make this particular one work well enough.