Sanae Saitou vs. Irene Lee Dalton [D]

Match Type: Standard Match
Rules: Victory by pinfall, submission, or knockout.


It was time for Sanae Saitou to take the stage in another match - and she was ready for it! Always eager to put on a good show and boost her standing in the public eye, the green-haired girl could hardly sit still as she waited backstage, hopping back and forth and doing some quick shadow-boxing to loosen up. She didn't know much about her opponent, who was apparently making her AFW debut in this match - that meant she couldn't anticipate what Irene would be capable of, and she had to be ready for anything. But she couldn't let that get in her way - she had to show the world she wouldn't let herself be intimidated!

"Coming first to the ring, from Itoshima, Japan! At 5'2 and weighing 115 pounds, SANAE SAITOU!!"

Spoiler:

Sanae got plenty of cheers as she stepped out onto the entrance ramp, waving to the fans with a grin on her face. Then, she leaned down and charged the ring, taking off for it in a burst of speed - and hopping up to take hold of the middle rope, doing a flip over the top and into the ring! The crowd cheered for such an acrobatic display, and Sanae took a bow, never one to pass up the attention. But the real excitement was about to begin!

Irene was stretching on the locker room, mentally re-walking that walk down the aisle that she´d been playing, scraping, remaking and replaying since the news had come that she would be appearing in her first match. Despite having been diligent and hardworking at camp, she found herself feeling like it was first day all over, and she didn't know at all what was going to happen once she was out there. She didn't know much about her rival either, save that she was a local, and from the matches she had seen, a springy one. Aerial game was definitely not a forte of her, so she'd need to be extra cautious. She could not afford to forget that, even if she looked smaller and lass powerful than her, this was a girl that had fought before. And in the ring, experience made a huge difference.

And her opponent, in her debut match! From Lansing, USA, at 5'9 and weighing 146 pounds. IRENE LEE DALTON!!!

Hearing her name yelled though a loudspeaker as the first notes of her own intro played sent a shiver through her entire body. She had dropped the nickname she'd came up for himself and during her camp days- "Dambuster", from the famous planes used in World War II for exactly what they sounded like. She knew that in this world you dind't just give you a name. Like everything else, if you wanted something, you better go out  there, work hard, and earn it.

But god damn, did it felt good nonetheless.

Coming out on the aisle, Irene offered the crowd a salute. It was not a proper military one, it was overly energetic and cheerful. She didn´t want to come off as too much of a hardass or a poser, and she had too much respect for her parents- the actual soldiers in the family- to do that. She the walked down the aisle, cheerfuly wawing her arms to greet the crow and turning as she walked to give them a good look at goods.

The reception was not bad. Obviously, a lot of people were lukewarm since she hadn't still made a name for herself and of course, her rival's fans were also in attendance. But judging from the cheers and volume, at least some in the public seemed to like her spunk or the views. She might not be Miss Universe material, or as cute as her rival... but she did know that this company had guns, and if you get them, might as well put them to work.

She was ringside now. Turning around, she offered another salute and rolled under the bottom rope into the ring. She approached her opponent and stood upright, hoping her advantage in size and build as they stood close to each other could t least sap some of her confidence.

Nice to meet ya. Seems we got the crowd making some noise, eh? They sound like they are down for a good show, so what say you we start seeing about giving them exactly that?

A moment ago, Sanae had been all smiles as usual. She had been playing to the crowd, waving and cheering along with all the fans in attendance to get the arena pumped up for what was sure to be a good match. Sanae was a showman at heart - as a wannabe idol, she was always out there to catch the crowd's attention and make sure her name was on everyone's minds, and the best way she knew to do that was by putting her athleticism and her acrobatic talents on display. But now that Irene had entered the arena, everyone had turned to face her - and so too did Sanae, her expression going stoic and serious. This was no time for games. Sanae knew she owed her opponent respect - she'd surely show her no mercy, and when she had no way of anticipating what Irene might throw at her, she needed to be ready for anything. But, as she balled a fist and planted it against her palm, Sanae pledged to do her best - she owed it to her fans!

Stepping up to her opponent, Sanae took this time to look her up and down. Irene was bigger than her, there was no doubt about that - but she couldn't let herself be intimidated. She had the will in her to go far, and that would be all she needed! "Oh, that's one thing I do best," she boasted, puffing her generous chest out. "Let's do it!~"

*DING DING DING*

The match was on! As soon as the bell had sounded, Sanae leaned in closer, offering her hands to Irene to go for a lockup. The moment they would link hands, however, she'd open up her offensive, going to try and surprise Irene with a quick knee to her ribs!

Irene smiled at her rival's reply.

Oho. Confident, are we? I like that

There was no hint of mockery or irony on her voice. Irene did indeed like a woman- or man- who had confidence in themselves, the kind that goes out and gets shit done. Maybe something he picked from his parents, too?

Of course, confidence could lead to arrogance, but somehow, she didn't feel that coming from her rival. She did feel, however, her intense focus, and how it had been on her since she started her walk. Seizing her top to bottom, and even now, measuring her size and movements.

This girl clearly was not about to underestimate her. That won't make the fight easier. But sure will make it more interesting.

*DING DING DING

There was the bell. Showtime.

Sanae leaned in and offered her hands. This smelled fishy. She was clearly aware of her lack in size and muscle tone, so a lockup should be the last thing on her mind. Clearly, she had something in mind. Or maybe she was stronger than she seemed.

She decided to go in nonetheless. No one liked the protracted going round and back-and-forth testing. I mean, if you were two legends, that might be exciting. Maybe one day she'd be able to pull that kind of energy. But right now, her best bet was to be aggressive and push things forward with momentum. Leaning in, she locked hands with Sanae and pushed with all her might, hoping to leverage her size and strenght into throwing her off balance and cancelling whatever offence she had in mind.

Which kickly cristalized as a ball of pain on her torso, when her knee darted faster than she could hope to react to or catch, and smashed against her ribs.

HNGH~

She had underestimated her balance and speed, and this was the price. Her body bent on reflex, ready to roll with other incoming blows. She wasn't too hurt- he had started to move right before it hit, and her abs had cushioned the blow somewhat, but she'd conceded the initiative and put herself at a disadvantage. With her arms tied up, he'd have to rely on weight and sheer power.

Irene lowered her head like bull pushing at a truck, planted her feet, and charged forward. She might have to tank another knee, but she hoped to eventually put her shoulder to Sanae's gut and push, driving her towards the ropes, where she might have to relinquish her hold or be painfully pressed against them. Problem being, of course, that such a move would left her back fully exposed, so if Sanae freed her arms, she could lay down some serious punishment there. And that she *assumed* she could take another knee or two and keep going forward... which might actually be a bit overconfidence on her own part.

As they squared off in the center of the ring, one thing on everyone's minds was how the two women couldn't be less alike. Not only was Sanae much smaller and lighter than Irene, but in her frilly ring gear patterned more off the flashy outfits she wanted to wear on stage, and with the cheerful look on her face, she didn't seem as serious, focused, and battle-ready as her opponent. But looks could be deceiving - and indeed, Sanae wasn't about to hold back. She was going to give Irene a challenge, striving with all of her might to make this match one to remember!

Even when it seemed like Sanae was at an obvious disadvantage in a lockup, the green-haired girl moved in nonetheless, keeping her eyes trained carefully on Irene as she took her by the hands. She never betrayed even a moment of hesitation, and her eyes were locked on her foe, readying herself for anything. In fact, she had a plan. This lockup had moved Sanae into range, and before Irene had a chance to press her size advantage, Sanae kicked up her leg, intercepting her with a swift knee to the ribs!

The blow landed with a crack, and the fans cheered at the sight of Sanae's well-placed hit. But Irene was coming back hot, shoving back at Sanae to steer her against her weight! Every ounce of Irene was forced up against Sanae, and she was drifting further and further backward. The green-haired girl tried to dig her heels into the mat, but no matter how much she tried to anchor herself, she still went skidding against the mat, inch by inch, toward the ropes. Her teeth clenched against the pressure. Sanae couldn't let go of Irene's hands, lest she be bowled over completely. But she still had her legs. It might be a long shot...but Sanae thought she had a plan.

Just then, she would kick her legs up, attempting to slam the soles of her feet into Irene's chest! There, she would push off against her, hoping to deal some damage with her double-footed stomp, as well as hopefully driving Irene backward. The downside was that in doing so, she would likely fall to her back, driven away from Irene by the momentum of her own move. And if Irene didn't get pushed back, Sanae, having taken her balance off the ground, had likely left herself in a precarious position.