Domino vs. Carmen Rodriguez

Noting her silence, Domino smirks. "Fine, fine, no chit-chat...," he faux-huffs with a puff of breath, tussling his bangs. He contents himself to work that arm, hoping to strain those muscles in a way she's ideally not used to at all. Of course, he doesn't know what her experience is.

When she grabs the rope, it takes the referee indicating a rope-break only once before he releases her. The teen raises to his full height and backs a little from her, assuming a readied stance. It's different from before, however. His arms are a little closer to his body, less inviting for a lockup, but more prepared to defend against strikes. Those amethyst eyes of his focus intently on her, assessing her condition after the lengthy hold. He'd made it as grueling as possible. Here's to hoping it's paid off...

Finally, he was off - but the damage was done. He arm wasn't completely useless, but she would need a few minutes before she could do much more with it than hold it up for defense. Numb all the way down, hurt to just keep it up.

Holding on to the ropes for support, she worked her way back up and looked at him straight on, mirroring the ferocity in his eyes with her own. So. That was the way it was going to be. Good. Time to start reaching into the bag and showing him what else she was working with.

She brought up her fists and moved in again, more cautious against his tighter stance. With one of her arms damaged, he was probably expecting all of her attacks to come from her right fist, now, and she gave him that, throwing a quick a strike against his guard - but it's just a fake. Before she even hits with that, she'll pull back, take a quick step away and lash out with a snap kick aimed at his gut - she's hardly a kickboxer, but she'd been building her toolkit up for the past few months in preparation for the AFW, and that was about to pay off.

Domino's eyes meet the girl's, defiant. Yes, he was expecting her to favor her unhurt arm, and was already making plans for it. And when that strike comes, that preparation is very clear. His left hand attempts to deflect it, only to find that it's withdrawing. His mind registers that it was a feint a moment too late, his sleek abdominals taking the snappy kick.

"Unf!" Though it wasn't as forceful as it could have been, and his trim body isn't just for show, it's enough to cause him to fall back a step from her. His right arm loops his midsection protectively, eyes burning on her.

Blood in the water.

Carmen moved in the moment his arm went to protect his midsection, leaving his head exposed - she'll juke to the left, sliding along the floor, then jerks back, coming at him with a right hook to his face and quickly moving back the moment it hits - or even if it doesn't. Stay moving, keep mobile, hard to hit - her father's advice echoes in her head.

Oh, here comes that boxing again. Domino tries to keep up with it, and while he's a speedy guy, himself, the movements are a bit foreign to him. When that hook punch comes in, he can only partially lift an arm to deflect it in time. Though the hit is knocked off-course, it isn't by much. It still hammers into him, forcing him into a sidestep. His left hand rubs over his cheek, openly glowering at her.

No gloves means those hits are doing more damage than she's probably used to. And that shot's probably just fueling her confidence. ...And confidence is exploitable. The teen scowls at her and steps forward, hoping to tempt her onwards. His guard moves more to his body, electing to favor his punched rib. Only the moment she closes in range with him, he pops into the air and twists over, his right leg lashing wide through the air. True to enzuigiri form, the heavy kick is aimed to crash against the side or back of her head!

More pain, more progress. Every hit brought her closer to victory - it was just a matter of how many it would take to seal the deal. The kid was strong, she had to give him credit, but the blows were already taking their toll, and she was deep under his skin.

Turn to make it worse.

She moved in, confident, and she paid yet again, this time when she took a mean kick to her head - the kid had hops. Her style gave her a good defense and she was able to block a bit at the last moment, but it still rattled her brains and kncord her to the side.

Planting her feet hard, she comes back at him, swinging hard with her right hook, aiming for his ribs, then doubling back out orbits range.

An enzuigiri is a hoppy kick, it's true. But it's also one of those all-or-nothing attacks that ends with the attacker down on a knee, optimally. So while it connected, it was definitely not as solid as Domino was hoping. Ideally, that chica would've been down and wondering what crazy truck hit her. But fortunately, speed's one of the things Domino favors in the ring. So while he isn't fully upright when she comes back at him, he's standing enough to not be totally prone.

'Right. Screw strikes.'

That swing towards his ribs is a fruitless one, tagging his arm at the elbow. He didn't have enough time to raise his guard - kind'a paid off in this case. But as soon as that pressure is made, Domino attempts to capitalize on her rush by throwing his arms out around her waist to hug her midsection into his shoulder. If caught, the teen snaps back with a grunt, aiming to slam her head and shoulders against the mat behind him.

Whiffed - Carmen was started to get annoyed by this kid's stubborn refusal to just take a good punch and drop. He was fast and stubborn, an irritating combination, and now he felt like he had something to prove...yeah, this was going to take a while.

She moved in, going for a straight, but he moved low, ducking under it and grabbing her around he waist.

"Fuck-" Was all she had time to say before she was flung over and slammed on her head, rolling away while she grasped her head. She got to her feet and raised her guard on pure reflex, still shaking her head and dizzy, stunned and staggering.
Low

Domino quickly twists over and raises to his feet, catching her dazed look. There's the opening he's looking for - the opportunity to really light into her and take control. His dark-hued eyes narrow, and the teen dashes forward to capitalize. Her guard doesn't bother him, not for what he has in mind!

Quick steps attempt to bring Domino to breeze past her, reaching back to hook his right arm under her chin from behind. If caught, he'll continue his forward momentum with a hop, dragging the Puerto Rican backwards and off her unsteady feet, only to nail the back of her head squarely against his shoulder. The modified stunner ends with Domino in a seated position, frame rising and falling more heavily with each breath.

Carmen isn't even really sure what hits her that time - all she knows is that it hurts her head like hell and fills her world with stars - one second he was in front of her, the next he was behind and she was in world of pain, the strike rocking the back of her skull like thunder in the mountains.

She sits up, groaning as she rubs her head and tries to shake the cobwebs off as she rises, getting back up with unsteady feet. Needing to get some space, she keeps her fist cocked and ready to give Domino a good shot in the stomach if he comes back in - he's getting a little too comfortable in her personal space, need to end that.