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Night of the Gladiators at long last (part 2)
01 Mar 2009 9:55PM
I go for a high crotch throw and slam him down hard, making the
crowd cheer. I work to side control and start to work short elbows but
Steve defends them well, taking little damage, I trap an arm in the
crucifix position and think “I’ve got him” then he bridges hard and
squirms out. Back on our feet again, Steve throws a combo 2 of which
land and I get the ‘white flash’ as they land. I try and counter and
Steve throws a looping left as I over commit with an overhand right, it
catches me palm side on the jaw and I go down Steve throws a leg kick
as I fall. I ‘egg beat’ my legs and keep him from landing any more
strikes the Marc stops the fight. But neither of us know why (it was
something to do with Marc telling Ian Freeman off – what for I’m not
sure?!?) but the fight is restarted on the floor. I manage to turn and
take a knee and I drive him into the fence in a sort of side control. I
land a few shots and Steve scrambles back up I can feel that he’s
tired, but so am I. He has underhooks in the clinch and drives forward
putting me on my back, something hits me in the face but I don’t know
if it’s a fist or a shoulder or what and I can taste blood. Again I
roll to my knees and drive into him pushing him onto his back. As I do
so he loops his arm over my head for a guillotine and closes his guard,
‘no panic’ I think but defend it too lazily and he tightens it up. The
blood fills my nose and my head is spinning still from the knockdown.
I’m struggling to breathe and start seeing stars but I’m waiting for
him to try and adjust so I can pop out. I post up onto my head to try
and relieve the pressure on my neck and my head is spinning, I realise
he has it deep and wonder about tapping. I gag for some air and a voice
in my head is saying “tap! tap!” but I don’t want to, but I do want to,
but I don’t want to, I’m not tapping, I’m not tapping.... but.... I
tap.
As I sit up after Marc has stopped the fight, blood pours from my nose onto Steve’s stomach and shorts and I immediately regret tapping. But that, as they say, is the fight game for you. Ian congratulates me on a good fight and me and Steve hug and shake hands. Congratulations to him. I realise how long I’ve waited for a fight like that and despite losing I enjoy the moment for what it is. Ross says well done as does Rosi Sexton and various other people stageside.
A quick cold tap rinse and my dancing shoes on and me and Cookie head ‘up Hanley duck’ for a good night out with me clutching a lump of bloody tissues all night and moaning that the lager is stinging my fat lip. My face is sore, but it’s a good pain. One that’s been earned... just like the headache... but that might be more to do with the 5am finish and too many beers.
I’m already looking forward to the next one.
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