AV 20 Hardcore Championship - River Styx (c) vs Galina Romerno

Styx had no problem with cheap shots, either. She just didn’t like when they were done on her. Hypocritical? Sure, but she never claimed to have a moral high ground.

So, if anything, she wasn’t mad about the attack itself, but was pissed that she hadn’t done it to Galina first. It was one of many things pissing her off, not the least of it all being the fact that this match was proving to be more of a hassle than she could’ve ever expected. Probably her fault for thinking someone fresh off the street wouldn’t be too much of a challenge - so far, she’d been the one to have to retreat more than her opponent, and given the size difference, that was no small thing.

But she was determined to get her shit together, and that was the top priority as she cleared her vision, turned around, and-

And found herself looking at a sign heading towards her face at terminal velocity.  Shit.

The sign smacked her hard across the face, filling the hallway with a sharp crack. Styx’s vision filled with stars as she took one step back, then another, before her legs gave way and she fell flat on her back, pulling the cloth on a merch table as she fell and sending its contents flying all over the place.

Ouch, that one looked like it hurt. Galina was no stranger to using the odd weapon here and there. She's swung a glass bottle here and there in a bar, beat up some louts with an iron pipe when they tried to assault her camp. Granted at the end of the day the Gypsy girl still preferred her mitts than anything else, she was the sort that told people to talk to her fists at the end of the day. But her rough upbringing of using any chance that came your way came through there with a mix of desperation for the Rose of Russia.

After clonking Styx with that sign Galina damn near fell on her knees there with her hands on her kneecaps. She wheezed out some spittle onto the floor there, a feeling in the pit of her stomach of how much this fight had taken its toll upon the Gypsy brawler. Looking up Galina saw that various merch had fallen on the table, things like t shirts and stuff like that. Galina would probably pinch some of that stuff to fence off later knowing her kleptomaniac tendencies, but for now she had to try and push on.

Hearing the buzz of the crowd close to her made Galina realise the pain in her body was numbing her senses, she felt her primal instincts start to take hold. Galina simply gritted her teeth and with eyes as cold as the Siberian winters she were so used to the Russian would just try to drive her balled fists right into Styx's jaw as she went for the side mount on the champ, the shouting of the arena still audible all around her.

The world was spinning, twirling around in a confusing haze of colors, a nonsensical mesh that Styx couldn’t make heads or tails of. Blinking, bruised, befuddled - Styx couldn't remember the last time she was this much of a mess, when she’d been pushed so hard in a hardcore match. Regular matches were one thing, those weren’t her wheelhouse, but this was her bread-and-butter. She was the hardcore champ. She was supposed to be dominating matches like this, not getting knocked around by some redhead shrimp who barely came up to her neck, if that high.

She was going to win. She was going to crush this bitch. Just as soon as she got back up, put her feet on the ground.

It sounded nice on paper, but it all came crashing down when Galina pounced, moving in fast and leaping on her chest. The woman didn’t weigh all that much, but you didn’t need much weight to hold someone down in that position, even a big someone like Styx. A blow rattled her skull, thumped her head against the unforgiving linoleum, and her opponent was all over her from there.

Desperate, Styx reached out and the grabbed the first thing her hand could get a hold of - leather, metal place, felt kind of cheap. A replica belt for the Kawaii Championship. Stupid as hell, but it’d have to do.

She jerked up and swung it high, trying to hit Galina in the side of the head, hoping to stun her and knock her off.

Galina was more and more feral by the second here, she was getting that feeling in the pit of her gut that was telling her to just rip and tear. The Rose of Russia wasn't graceful by any stretch of the imagination, but she usually fought with the sort of movements that came from someone who knew exactly what they were doing at the end of the day. This match however, Galina felt it. This wasn't about the title, Galina just wanted blood now.

Damn this had been one hell of a fight, but the Gypsy had the champ where she wanted her now. Stunned and on the floor, Galina in her MMA career had been on the ground more than once. But she hadn't really developed any intricate submission holds, could do a decent rear naked choke like anyone worth their salt. But Galina, she from day one at the Gypsy camp brawls learned the value of ground and pound and put those knuckles to good use.

Styx however had the creative nature to grit her teeth and use the stuff around her to her advantage, Galina's vision was clouded for a split second as something smacked hard into her. Whatever it was it worked, the Gypsy would give a loud grunt as she was knocked off from Styx's prone body. With the length of the match and the beating she'd taken Galina likely would have been a bit more quicker to rise, but as it was she was sort of seeing stars there. Followed by turning her head to one side and taking a big deep breath before trying to crawl away a bit......

As stupid as it was that she had to use a belt - this belt of all things - get her out of a jam, Styx couldn’t complain about the results. She had been in a tight spot a second ago, with Galina all over, like some of crazy, redhead Chupacabra. That seemed to be the overarching theme of this entire match. No matter how many times she kept stamping this Russian bitch down, she kept coming back up, like a bug that she couldn’t ever quite stomp. An irritating, increasingly dangerous bug that was coming for her title.

It was a cycle, and one that Styx needed to put an end to it. Someway, somehow. Something definite, something final.

An idea was starting to form in her head, but she needed to move a little first. Get somewhere high.

She rolled to her feet and reached up to paw at the table, getting a weak hold on it before she pulled her way up all the way. She took a moment to balance, steady herself, before she saw Galina crawling away. Not fucking happening.

Styx marched over, reached down and gripped the redhair’s fiery mane once again, getting a tight grip and pulling her along. She moved towards the stairs as the crowd dispersed and starting heading up them, tugging Galina along every step of the way. ”Come on, bitch.” She muttered under her breath. ”Let’s take a walk.”

Galina was feeling like shit right now, Styx had clonked her on the side of the head. Were it earlier in the match the Gypsy would likely have been quicker to rise, but even the stubborn rose of Russia could have her limits. She was used to more quicker matches in retrospect, those 3 round MMA bouts weren't long lasting in retrospect she reasoned. Same with those bar brawls, brief and brutal affairs. Galina couldn't really recall the last time she met someone who could go the distance like this, damn. Styx could go. And that was a big, big problem for the Rose of Russia here.

Styx rose to her feet and grabbed Galina by her renowned ruby red hair there, earning a yelp from Galina. As crude as the Gypsy was she did take some measure of pride in her mane, next to her tattoos from where she'd earn her namesake. The champ talked about them going for a walk there, funny considering that Galina wasn't exactly in that state right now. Galina hissed through her teeth as she was dragged along for the ride there up the steps, this wasn't good.

The Rose of Russia tried to drive her nearest arm's elbow into Styx's leg to try and at least make it more of an awkward going for the champ, with Galina's injured state there wasn't much else she could do. But if that was an option then Galina would try and drive for it.......

Galina wasn’t all that heavy, couldn’t have been more than 2/3s of Styx’s weight. Not exactly a creampuff by any real definition, but Styx had slung around much heavier in her time. She was more than capable of tossing around heavyweights like Jessica and even Rebecca Tomko. This shouldn’t have been a challenge

And yet, it was. Even if you didn’t take the fight Galina was giving into account, hauling her up the stairs was taking a monumental effort, far more than she could’ve ever expected. She worked for every step, even stumbling along the way. Painful progress, but if her plan worked, it wouldn’t matter.

She was almost at the top when Galina struck out, hitting her in the side with a fierce, desperate elbow. Styx winced, the pain shooting through her side, but there was rage there, too. She used it to grab Galina by the arm, lift her up, and toss her up the steps with a mighty heave. ”You just do not know when to quit, do you?”

Galina was the sort that wouldn't call it quit till she could no longer move to begin with, some would call it stubborn, some called it stupid, some called it brave. Galina didn't really care whatever it was called really, it was just in her nature. So long as she could swing her arm or leg with enough conviction to hit someone reasonably hard enough that was good enough for her. Still couldn't recall the last time she got rammed with a hotdog cart among other things however, that took its toll on the Gypsy there. Best Galina could do was try and press on, that wasn't getting her much either. She got some stiff elbow shots in there, but the champ was pressing on and with a heave ho flung Galina to the top of the steps.

Galina grunted as she was flung to the top there, she then slowly rolled to the side and ended up on her back. She heard Styx comment on how Galina just didn't know when to quite, to which despite all the injuries Galina suffered she actually managed to let out a chuckle and said "Survive russian countryside winters......frostbite.....saw it......" Galina even as a child saw people that didn't survive the winter. Made Galina swear to never end up like that.

Still right now wasn't a whole lot she could, save for try and wait to see what Styx would attempt. Granted it didn't take a genius to see that Galina was on top of the stairs, wasn't looking good for the Rose of Russia. Last ditch effort time, Galina would try to drive a fist into Styx as she got up the stairs. Galina had no clue where she'd land it, might not even do much. But it was all Galina could do at this point.......

”Fucking stupid, goddamn bullshit, having to deal with this shit…”

Styx was muttering and cursing every step of the way, as she continued to haul her foe up the steps. Up above, she could hear security trying to get ahead of, hurriedly moving the audience out of the way as the fight headed straight towards them. It wasn’t the sort of thing they were prepped for, even under their new management, so they were in a rush to deal with it. In Styx’s view, though, they shouldn’t have bothered - she didn’t expect to stay up there too long.

”What the fuck are you even mumbling about?” Something about countryside, winters? Styx had no clue and was caring less with each passing second. She moved up the stairs and reached out again, looking to finish this up, when the Russian lashed out with a wild blow, one that shot past Styx’s hand and smacked her square on the nose.

The hardcore champ was taken off guard by that blow and fell to her knee, stunned. It wouldn't last too long, but the rigors of this match were catching up with her, and it was showing.

Galina was really not liking where she was right now, damn she was sore all over. Probably was seeing double at this point, might have bruised ribs and all that. She was really wishing she could rest by a roaring fire in her camp here, the gypsy felt numb as the cold winter again. But Galina was the sort that would simply have to keep going regardless of the consequences, fighting up here on the steps was something.

The Russian had fought in alleyways, bars, pits etc but stairs? Now that was a first one and a half, the Rose of Russia was gonna have to chalk that one in the books by the end of all this. Thankfully it seemed her desperate gambit paid off here. With Galina's knuckles being able to smack Styx right on the nose, even the best warriors would be stunned by a well placed strike to it. But here it was more by luck then judgement here for the challenger.

Styx had to take a pause there and go down to one knee to admit the point there, Galina paused for a moment. Looking the champ in the eye as she panted, before trying to hold her head with one hand and smacking her in the forehead with her other arm's elbow and rain it down on the champ. Best to just try and use this elevation with the energy that Galina had right now........