Tanya’s eyes widened as she saw the punch coming for her head. Her instincts kicked in just in time and she ducked and rolled across the mat, narrowly avoiding what would have been a compromising blow.

“And Fiona goes for a flying punch but she misses!”

Tanya forced herself up to a wobbly stand, the damage from Fiona’s earlier attacks evident. Spotting an opening, Tanya gritted her teeth and sprinted toward the south side ropes. She rebounded off them at full speed and charged across the ring. Fiona didn’t react in time and Tanya railed into her with a brutal jumping tackle, folding her in half.

“Spear!” Rhonda yelled as both women went flying through the ropes, bouncing off the apron, and landing in a tangled heap in the alleyway. For a moment time seemed to slow, the energy then surging right back in. Fans leaned eagerly over the barriers as hands reached out. Whoops and cheers rained down along with a chorus of taunts aimed at both women who lay momentarily stunned. Lying next to Fiona, Tanya’s eyes crinkled shut as she groaned and clutched at her left leg, curling slightly onto her side.

“And now both women are down on the alleyway floor!” Dan Rich called as he, Rhonda, and Brent stood to get a better view.

“That floor may be padded but I promise it does not feel good to land on.” Brent shook his head.

“It’s getting chaotic now,” Rhonda said. “We’re still in the early stages, but Tanya’s leg is clearly hurting. Fiona needs to get up and capitalize.”

Tanya lay on her side for a moment, chest heaving as she tried to shake off the effects of the impact. With a strained groan, she rolled onto her stomach and slowly pushed herself up onto her hands and knees, pausing there as she gathered herself for the effort to stand on her still throbbing left leg.

The momentum of Fiona's leaping punch was hard to stop, leaving her right by the ropes by the time she got the brakes on. That made it a dangerous attack to miss with, as she immediately found out. She turned around just in time to see Tanya flying at her, her shoulder spearing into her stomach and easily taking her off her feet.

Any breath she had left her in a rush. Tanya probably didn't intend on both of them going through the ropes, but Fiona was folded in half enough that the top and middle ropes didn't stop her. Her legs caught, tipping her backwards until her lower back smacked against the apron. Tanya got the worst of it, flipping over and landing flat on her back on the floor with a heavy impact, while Fiona suffered separate, smaller impacts of the apron and the ground, ending up face down.

Fiona gasped for air, clutching her belly, her first attempt to get up failing and ending with her rolling onto her back, reeling from the pain and the hit she just took.

"Fiona's clearly hurting too," Brent countered Rhonda, "shaking off a spear like that is no easy task even without the tumble to ringside."

Even so, Fiona found a way to focus and push through it, using the apron for support to get her back to her feet before Tanya. The referee waited in the ring, no countout beginning to force the wrestlers back through the ropes. The pinfall or submission had to happen in the ring, but they were allowed to fight ringside as long as they wanted. Hell, they could even go up the ramp and take it backstage, and the cameras would follow. Fiona found she wanted to avoid it as much as she could, though. She'd talked about being ready for extreme rules, but her focus on Tanya's leg was working in the ring, and trading blows with chairs and kendo sticks was only going to play into Tanya's hands... right?

Need to stop second guessing myself, and get her back in the ring! Taking a deep breath, Fiona charged forward, landing a running knee strike to Tanya's head and bowling her over onto her back again, the nearby fans cheering in approval at the up-close-and-personal action. Bending over to grab Tanya's wrist, Fiona hauled her up to her feet, pulling hard to start her running towards the ring. She intended to roll right after her under the bottom rope, and get back to the strategy that worked for her to start the match.

As she was forced to her feet, Tanya suddenly wrenched her wrist free from Fiona’s grip and followed up with a sharp elbow strike straight into her throat.

“Oh!” Dan Rich flinched, he and the others still standing. “A cheap shot by Tanya!”

“And the official is not letting it go,” Rhonda added as the referee leaned over the top rope, shouting a warning at Tanya. Another illegal hit like that and he would call the match. Fiona’s fans erupted in boos, thumbs turned down in disapproval as Tanya dismissed the referee with a sneer and a wave of her hand. Circling around behind Fiona, Tanya seized her by the shoulders and shoved her forward, sending her stumbling wildly toward the side of the ring - Fiona narrowly missing the ring post. Tanya was right on Fiona’s heels, grabbing her again just as she came to a stop and viciously flinging her to the floor right in front of the commentary table.

“And now Tanya and Fiona are right here in front of us,” Dan Rich announced, “Tanya throwing Fiona to the floor - and now she’s-…”

With Fiona down and at her mercy - or rather lack thereof - Tanya turned toward the ring and crouched down on one knee, lifting the apron skirt with her left hand. The crowd buzzed in anticipation as she reached underneath, rummaging around for a moment before her eyes lit up. A second later Tanya pulled out a solid black steel chair and stood up, holding it high above her head with both hands, drawing a loud, roaring cheer from the arena. Tanya smiled coldly as she slowly turned her attention back to Fiona, taking deliberate steps toward her rising opponent.

“And Fiona is about to get a real lesson in pain,”
Brent said as Tanya raised the chair for the first strike.

Fiona felt like she was trying to hold back a river to keep Tanya's momentum in the match from overwhelming her, and with each back and forth exchange, the dam was showing more cracks, because Tanya was clearly willing to do anything to inflict damage. Fiona was shocked by the elbow strike to the throat, completely stunned as her already heavy breathing was temporarily halted altogether.

She stumbled away, easily shoved and then thrown onto the floor for a hard landing in front of the announcer's table. She coughed and clutched at her throat and chest, trying to shake it off and rise, but she was completely out of breath, the attacks keeping her down for more than enough time for Tanya to retrieve the first weapon of the match and show it off for the crowd. A large portion of the audience wanted nothing more than to see Tanya destroy Fiona with the chair, and that wasn't helping her get up off the hard floor. She hadn't shown them enough to keep the crowd's support in the fight. Not yet, at least.

Fiona would have to show them her toughness just to stay in the fight, as the first steel chair strike crashed across her back as she was on her hands and knees, sending her right back face down with a cry, the sound of it causing all three announcers to recoil and grimace.

"Oh, that was a full impact!" Dan Rich shouted out. "This fight could be in over in a hurry!"

Desperate, Fiona forced herself up and forward, stumbling back to her knees near the apron just before Tanya's second chair attack slammed into her back again, pitching her forward and leaving her writhing in agony. Every hit she took like that was seriously worsening her chances of staying in this. Blindly she reached under the apron, her hand brushing against something wooden. She grabbed it, finding the handle of a kendo stick. Before Tanya could crush her a third time, Fiona rolled over and swung, her weapon impacting the side of Tanya's leg with a crack.

"And look at this!" Dan shouted again with surprise. "Fiona's got a weapon of her own! Can she turn this around?"

Tanya's strike was interrupted by a fresh flaring up of pain in her leg from the kendo stick's whack, and by the time she tried again, Fiona was able to roll out of the way and get to her feet. She stumbled back, Tanya's attempt to pursue hampered by her leg and giving Fiona precious seconds to put space between them and breathe. She supported her severely aching back with a gloved hand, the other clutching the kendo stick tightly, while Tanya watched her, furious at the beatdown being interrupted. Got to get her back in the ring and find a leg submission somehow. No way I'm going to outlast her brawling ringside...

The fans wouldn't like her fleeing back to the ring, though, and she needed them on her side. The kendo stick was quicker than Tanya's chair, too. Fiona pushed her fears aside as she and Tanya neared one another, weapons in hand. If I can just wait for her to commit with the chair, she'll leave herself open to a strike.

Tanya’s eyes were ablaze with vengeful anger. The fresh throbbing pain from the smack of the kendo stick only fueling her inner fire. Part of her wanted so badly to immediately charge forward and drive Fiona into the floor with the steel chair. But Tanya was not stupid. Fiona was smaller and faster than her, and Tanya knew that at the first available opening Fiona would go straight for her legs or arms with that kendo stick.

“And now we have a ringside standoff between Tanya and Fiona…”

“Who will blink first?” Rhonda asked eagerly.

Chants poured down from the overarching stands into the center of the arena. Fans of both women egging the other on, wanting to see more brutality. It was Tanya that finally committed, feigning a lunge to try and bait Fiona. When that did not work Tanya took three quick steps back.

“And Tanya trying to draw in Fiona with that chair but Fiona didn’t bite. Now what’s Tanya about to-…”

Dan Rich’s words of wonder were cut short as Tanya wound up and threw the folded chair right at her opponents’ core. A nearby fan shrieked loudly as the metal weapon spun like a discuss right at Fiona.

Fiona had settled into a more effective stance after a few moments to recover, getting both hands on the handle of the kendo stick and keeping it in a basic guard in front of her. Tanya's feint nearly worked, but Fiona was able to keep enough focus not to fall for it. She let Tanya retreat back, willing to take the trade of letting them both breathe a second. Fiona just needed to get her breath and stamina back, while she expected the damage she'd done to Tanya's leg would take longer to wear off.

Tanya throwing the chair at her caught her completely off guard, as the shocked look on her face attested to, but she got lucky. Having the stick ready in front of her disrupted the flight of the chair, keeping it from making much of an impact on her apart from disrupting her balance. It clattered to the ground in between the two wrestlers, preventing Tanya from easy charging forward to capitalize until Fiona steadied herself again.

"Traditional tactics are going out the window, guys," Rhonda commented, sounding a little amused. "Tanya's clearly willing to try just about anything to get an advantage, but that didn't work out for her."

Having disarmed herself, Tanya moved to retreat into the ring, and Fiona matched her step for step, quicker on her feet and not forced to deal with a hurting knee. They rolled under the bottom rope simultaneously, back into the ring, and Fiona managed to get up a half-step more quickly. Seeing a good chance, she took the long step needed to reach Tanya and went for a big downward chop of the kendo stick, looking to let it crack right on her opponent's forehead.

Tanya’s instinct spared her yet again. The kendo stick whiffed through the air, Tanya having pivoted to the right in time to avoid a painful smack to the skull.

“And a miss by Fiona! She was aiming for the face!”

Tanya quickly grabbed the shaft of the kendo stick and yanked, jerking it from Fiona’s hands. The kendo stick slipped from Tanya’s grasp however and skittered into the center of the ring. Undeterred, Tanya spun back around and delivered a hard shoulder tackle to Fiona, knocking her into the nearby corner.

“And Tanya has Fiona trapped after disarming her.”

Tanya seized Fiona by the front of her top with her left hand, bracing her against the turnbuckle. Without pause Tanya drove her right fist straight into Fiona’s left cheek, knocking her head back. A second punch followed immediately, just as forceful and straight into Fiona’s mouth. Tanya kept her grip tight and delivered a third punch, then a fourth, then a fifth. The sixth strike came with added windup, snapping Fiona’s head back again as the crowd reacted to the flurry.

“And Tanya is using Fiona like a heavy bag now!”

“Fiona needs to shake free of this fast,” Rhonda warned, “those headshots will add up.”

Tanya’s right arm was like a striking cobra as she jabbed Fiona in the face three more times, the last punch landing across Fiona’s right eye. After stopping to tauntingly shake her right hand at the crowd in mock pain, Tanya then grabbed Fiona by both arms and forcefully tugged her out of the corner. With a swift motion Tanya pulled Fiona in close and slipped her into position, then falling backward, snapping her up and over - driving Fiona back-first into the center of the ring with a fisherman suplex.

“Ha! Gone fishing!” Brent tittered next to Dan.

Fiona's best opportunity to seize control of the match turned into a nightmare sequence, her whiffed attack leaving her disarmed and caught in Tanya's grasp, shoved into the corner and pinned there. She tried to pry Tanya's hand off her top to have a chance of escaping, but that left her vulnerable to a punch right into her cheek. Once she was dazed, the flurry of follow-up strikes easily bashed through her guard.

She sagged back into the corner by the time it was done, wobbling visibly with an unfocused look in her eyes, too stunned to make a getaway while Tanya taunted and played to the crowd. Damn it... this is starting to go really bad...

Fiona's fans were crying out for her to attack as Tanya approached, or to flee or get a weapon or do something, but she was still overwhelmed by so many punches so quickly, her toughness not holding up. Tanya pulled her out of the corner by the arms, locking her in a secure grasp before hefting her up and over to slam down for a fisherman suplex. Another big hit to the back had Fiona in agony, but Tanya wasn't done. She hauled Fiona back up to her feet, putting her head back beneath her arm, and reaching between her legs again.

"Here we go again!" Brent shouted out with excitement.

This time Tanya wouldn't be denied, showing off her strength by lifting Fiona up into the air, rotating her while she was upside-down and then delivering a massive slam to her by dropping her back down to the mat, shaking the ring from the impact and setting her fans into a frenzy.

"Falcon Arrow!" Dan Rich declared. "That might just do it!"

Back to back slams including a cleanly executed finisher left Fiona devastated, but Tanya didn't go for the obvious pinfall chance, instead rising to stand and tower over her, content to smirk and gloat at the sight of Fiona writhing and moaning at her feet.

"Looks like Tanya wants to make a statement," Rhonda said evenly.

Tanya turned to leave Fiona downed in the middle of the ring, kicking away the kendo stick that had fallen nearby and sending it rolling beneath the rope and safely out of her opponent's reach. Tanya followed it out, dropping to ringside and searching beneath the apron again.

"I think she's just being thorough," Brent speculated. "No guarantee Fiona wouldn't have kicked out of that, considering the effort we've seen from her in past matches. And hey, I'm not gonna complain, she's putting on one hell of a show here at Fiona's expense."

Fiona might've been able to kick out, it was true, but it was also true that after a lot of back-and-forth, Tanya had finally taken an iron grip on the momentum of the match. Fiona tried to roll over and start getting up, but her limbs felt like they were made of lead, and her back ached with every movement. She tasted a bit of blood, but touching her fingers to her lips and her brow, nothing serious came away. Where did she go? She wondered, panic creeping into her thoughts. What's she planning?

For the moment, Fiona remained on her back in the ring, exhausted and battered, strands of dark hair strewn across her face. If she didn't dig deep and find a way to rally soon, she'd be staring down a third consecutive loss to Tanya, and an end to her title hopes.

There was a loud, menacing scrape followed by an uproar of realization from the crowd as Tanya rose and stepped back from the apron - dragging a heavy wooden folding table out from under the ring.

“And here it is,” Brent said in a striking tone, “the finishing touch on what is about to be Tanya Redd’s win.”

Tanya hefted the table sideways, then turned and shoved it with ease under the bottom rope across the mat. Sliding in next to it Tanya rose to her feet, radiating pure confidence as she reached down and lifted the table once more.

“If there was a time for Fiona to come back and turn the tide it’s now,” Brent added, “but I think it may be a done deal.”

“Fiona still looks wobbly,” Dan Rich admitted. “She may have mere seconds left to salvage this match.”

Tanya carried the table to the southwest corner, turning it so the underside faced the ring - the sharp edges of the folded legs and bracers exposed. She leaned the table upright against the turnbuckle, taking a moment to make sure it was secure, then turned and strode toward Fiona. Teeth gritted, Tanya pounded her right fist against her chest three times as she approached her downed opponent, taking in the cheers from her fans.

“The table is in the corner now. What are we about to see?”

Fiona was on her feet by the time Tanya neared her, but she'd needed to crawl slowly to the ropes and pull herself up to make it to that point, her body language giving her fans little confidence that she was ready to fight off the next attack from Tanya. Dan Rich was right in his observation, Fiona's legs were unsteady beneath her, the fatigue and pain teetering on the point of being too much. She had to find a way to get control back and fast, give herself more time to recover, or Tanya was surely going to find an emphatic way to finish her off.

As she turned around, her back to the ropes, Tanya was right there, filling her vision and taking hold of her wrist. Before she could do anything Fiona was sent running across the ring with an Irish Whip, turning around just before she hit the corner occupied by the table. Her back clanged against the edges of the folded legs, making her cry out again and nearly fall. Tanya wanted to make sure it was extra painful, apparently.

"Tanya immediately putting that table to use," said Dan, wincing. "And here she comes! Look out!"

Fiona knew it would be coming, a charging attack of some kind to blast her through the table and end the extreme rules match in chaotic style. Now or never. Have to give it everything to get back in this match.

Half-turning, Fiona grabbed the top edge of the table propped against the corner as Tanya charged. Her opponent went for a leaping attack, looking to bodyslam and crush her into the corner. Pulling up her legs, Fiona twisted sideways and out of the way, letting Tanya slam right into the table. It almost gave from the impact, but stayed together with Tanya plastered across it, Fiona hanging on by her fingers.

Her boots found the ropes, and in a moment of improvised brilliance, she pushed hard, pulling herself around to the flat side of the table as it tipped over. Tanya fell to the mat on her back, and shortly after the table came down hard and sandwiched her, Fiona adding extra weight to the impact.

"What an escape!" Dan Rich exclaimed, the crowd going nuts at the sudden turn of events. "Fiona managed to spin that to her advantage!"

"I love the creativity!" Rhonda hat to shout to hear herself on the mic. "She's got some fight left in her!"

Fiona could hardly believe it when she found herself on her knees on top of the table, Tanya trapped and reeling underneath it. She spied Tanya's left leg sticking out from beneath the wood, and quickly ensnared her foot. Staying on top of the table, Fiona pulled Tanya's worn down leg up and twisted it towards her, driving the edge of the table into the inside of the knee. It was going to be tough to maintain her balance kneeling on a table, but every second she could hold this would do serious damage to Tanya's already battered leg, and give her more time to recover and stay in the fight longer.

Agh!” Tanya’s hoarse cry of pain rose above the crowd.

“Look at this!” Dan Rich pointed. “Tanya’s now trapped beneath the table and—”

“Fiona has Tanya’s leg wedged against the underside of the table and is using her own body weight to apply added pressure!” Rhonda finished, her eyes wide.

“Well, this is perfectly legal,” Brent acknowledged. “Fiona could actually make Tanya tap here!”

Tanya’s shrill moans came in short bursts as she twisted beneath the table trapping her. Fiona’s fans yelled at her to not let up and force Tanya to submit, Tanya’s fans meanwhile shouted for her to escape and take the fight back to Fiona. Eyes full of determination and desperation, Tanya clawed with her left arm toward the ropes to her left. The table - and, of course, Fiona - rocking on top of her only added to the sapping pain and discomfort.

“Tanya is fighting to reach the bottom rope, but this is an extreme rules match.” Dan Rich shook his head. “Grabbing the ropes will not force a break.”

“I think she’s just reaching for some leverage to help her get free of this submission attempt,” Rhonda replied.

“Every second Tanya spends in this punishing position the match is slipping further away - it may already be too late,” Brent said.

After several failed grabs Tanya finally caught a hold of the bottom rope. With a secure grip, she used every ounce of strength she had to drag herself along against the mat - fighting against the pain. Every muscle in Tanya’s arm strained under the effort. With a final laborious pull, Tanya freed her leg from Fiona’s grasp, her boot slipping under the table, a loud gasp of relief tearing from between Tanya’s lips despite herself.

“And Tanya got her leg free, she escaped a forced tapout!”

“Yeah, but I think that may be it for Tanya,” Rhonda commented.

“You know her leg is throbbing right now after enduring that. I doubt she can even stand.”

Tanya flopped to her side in a heap, her body draped awkwardly with her lower half still caught beneath the table. Her expression was contorted in unmistakable agony, her jaw clenched tight and her face soaked in sweat. Anyone could see that Fiona may have just secured this match with her table trick. Tanya’s attempt at a match-ending show of brutality had backfired on her horribly.

Fiona pulled the table off of Tanya and dragged it to the middle of the ring, still mostly out of breath herself. She ran a hand through her hair, watching Tanya with some disbelief. The longer that went on, the more I was sure she was going to tap. Fiona already knew how tough Tanya was, but it was equal parts surprising and frustrating to experience it firsthand again. What more could she do to that leg? It wasn't her normal strategy, and she was running out of ideas.

The crowd wanted a more bombastic finish, too. They were clapping and chanting "ta-ble, ta-ble, ta-ble!" at her, and Fiona wasn't surprised. In an extreme rules match, if a table was brought out, it was pretty much a guarantee one of the wrestlers was going to find a way to put their opponent through it at some point. Tanya had started this escalation of their match by pulling out the table, maybe now Fiona could make her pay for that, and finish it.

As quickly as she could, Fiona set up the legs of the table and stood it upright, setting it up perpendicular to one of the corners. Time to use every bit of strength I've got, and go for something big. Her fans would expect no less.

Walking back over to Tanya, Fiona stomped on the side of her leg once, getting fresh pains to shoot through her, before grabbing her by the arm and pulling her up. Aggressively she drove her to the corner, throwing elbow strikes and shoving her back, before rushing in for a knee strike to the body. Tanya took all of it, still showing no signs of giving in. That'd change if Fiona could manage to put her through a table.

Fiona hefted Tanya up to sit on top of the turnbuckles, straining with the effort. After throwing a punch up at her head, Fiona ascended after her, going up to the middle rope and taking a moment to secure her balance. She had to get Tanya's arm over the back of her neck, get her standing on top of the turnbuckles, join her up there, and then she could go for an avalanche suplex to split that table right in two, and punch her ticket to the next round of the tournament.

“And here we go,” Rhonda said. “Fiona is stepping outside of her usual wheelhouse and setting Tanya up for a suplex off the turnbuckle right through the table!”

Fiona secured her hold on Tanya with no resistance. The energy in the arena crackled like a live wire as thousands of fans screamed in anticipation of the high-risk move. Chants broke out in waves, urging Fiona to take the leap and seize her spot in the next round of the tournament in spectacular fashion. Cameras flashed ringside as reporters scurried about to get the best shots of the pivotal moment. Posters and banners waved overhead. Every eye was locked on the pair atop the turnbuckle.

“This is it!” Rhonda said, raising both arms high.

“Wait - look!” Dan Rich yelled, pointing furiously as Tanya suddenly stirred. Her free arm whipped around, grabbing the back of Fiona’s top. At first Tanya twisted and jerked from side to side, trying to break free, then suddenly stopped. - Having clearly decided on a better course of action. With a savage bellow, Tanya pitched her whole body forward, throwing Fiona off balance and sending both women tumbling down onto the table. “Oh, my God!” Dan Rich and Rhonda shouted in unison, jumping up from their seats along with Brent. The impact was like the crack of a gun, the table splintering beneath Fiona and Tanya as shards of wood burst and metal pieces flew in every direction like shrapnel. Most of the fans leapt to their feet, many clutching their heads in disbelief. Fiona and Tanya now lay side by side amid the wreckage, the remains of the table scattered all around them. Tanya was near motionless, her face drawled up in pain, and Fiona looked little better.

“And this time it was Fiona who took the backfire in the face!” Dan Rich yelled as the official trotted across the ring. “Tanya threw her off-kilter at the last second, and both were driven straight through the table!”

“Yeah, but that didn’t do Tanya any good either. Now the official has to start the ten count until someone moves,” Brent observed. “We may actually need paramedics in here, because that shook the whole damn ring.”

“And the count is on!” Rhonda shouted, her voice trembling with adrenaline as the referee’s hands went up for the first time.

“One!…”

The capacity crowd in TD Garden was in a frenzy. The fans on both sides of the matchup were , screaming themselves hoarse for their favorite to get up. The arena vibrated under the duel of chants, each side desperate to will their fighter back to her feet before the count reached ten.

“Two!…”

Fiona knew her risk wasn't going to pay off once Tanya started fighting her on even terms atop the turnbuckle, but she struggled against it anyway, trying to find a stunning finish to the match to leave the crowd speechless. She got a highlight-worthy moment, but not the one she'd hoped for, going back-first through the table and ending up laid out atop wooden wreckage.

The match would've been over right then and there if Tanya had managed to come down on top of Fiona rather than beside her, but instead they shared the impact and both ended up devastated by it. Fiona was doing plenty of moving next the nearly-motionless Tanya, but it was all writhing in agony, the pain coursing through her back worse than any match she'd had thus far in her career. She kicked and stomped the mat, eyes watering, breaths coming to her in quick, high-pitched gasps.

"Three!... Four!..."

"I think we may be headed for a no contest here, guys," Rhonda pointed out. "Both of these women look finished to me, that was one hell of an impact."

Chair strikes, body slams, and now a fall through a table from the top rope... I don't think I can get up. It's too much. Fan support helped Fiona push to her limits, and they were going nuts now, willing her to get up and finish off her rival. Her fans wanted to believe she was still on her last legs, that she could keep fighting, but at this point Fiona didn't think she could get her last legs beneath her.

"Five!... Six!..."

Maybe she didn't need to. Tanya was right there, barely moving at all. Fiona didn't have the strength to lock in a submission hold on the leg, but if she could just get on top of her, she could at least go for a pinfall attempt.

"Seven!... Eight!..."

Fiona forced herself up onto one elbow, her back crying out in protest and nearly forcing her back down, but she braced herself with a hand, gritting her and pushing against the mat with her feet. Sliding through the table wreckage, she reached Tanya, pushing her face sideways against the mat and pinning her down across the upper chest with her forearm. She couldn't get either of her rival's legs up, she just had to hope it would be enough.

"Fiona stops the count!" Dan Rich called out, the entire crowd on their feet to see. "She's going for the cover!"

The referee dropped to the mat, smacking the surface with an open palm, bouncing wood splinters off the surface.

"One! Two!..."

Tanya’s left arm and shoulder weakly raised up.

”Three!…”

But it was too late. The bell dinged and Fiona Chevalier’s fans instantaneously unleashed a tsunami of praise as Tanya’s were left stunned silent or loudly lamenting amongst themselves.

“Fiona is the winner!” A bug-eyed Dan Rich shouted, his fists clenched against his sides. Beside him Rhonda smiled jubilantly and began applauding along with Fiona’s fans. Fiona had made the cover and won by pinfall, the match now over as Tanya was eliminated and her opponent set to progress on in the tournament. The air in the TD Garden at first felt surreal and then, as the reality of the moment set in, overwhelmingly electric. Thick with both the rising sensation of victory over the odds and the feeling of stinging defeat. - Depending on which wrestler one was rooting for.

“Tanya Redd almost broke the pin count but she was a fraction of a second too slow and was beat by the bell. Fiona Chevalier has won and will be moving on in the Rubicon Gauntlet!”

“This… was a close one,” Brent said, visibly taken aback, “the momentum of this match was back and forth and while Fiona took the most punishment she seemed to do the most damage at the same time. Tanya Redd just… could not stay with her tonight.”

“Here is your winner… Fiona… Chevalier!”
The referee helped Fiona up to a careful stand as her name was drawled out and her theme music began playing, the ring announcer needing to strain their voice to be heard over the crowd.

“Both women were at their limit,” Dan Rich stated as the three commentators slowly sat back down, “and it was Fiona Chevalier that had that little bit of extra ‘umph’ that pushed her along to reach for the finish line.”

“Fiona also had something to prove tonight, and she got it done,” Rhonda added, “not to mention she has paid Tanya Redd back for the past when Tanya beat her both times they faced off.”

“This was not just a necessary win, Rhonda,” Dan Rich nodded, “but it was a personal one as well. And it comes with a nice cherry on top!”

“And I am looking forward to seeing her next week in the next round. What about you Brent?” Rhonda asked smugly.

“Hey,” Brent held up one hand, “Fiona won and I recognize that. Even if it was by the skin of her teeth.”

Rhonda rolled her eyes and shook her head as Dan Rich smirked and said, “Well, we’ll see if Fiona pulls through next week when she is in a triple threat cage match against two other opponents. For now, let her have her well-earned moment!”

Fiona's heart skipped a beat when she thought Tanya found the strength to get her shoulder up, but it wasn't in time. It was over. The bell ringing and the crowd erupting and her music playing gave her a surge of energy that she really could've used in the middle of the match, but at this point all it was good for was getting out of the table wreckage and shakily back to her feet.

She let the referee take her wrist and declare her the winner, keeping a hand permanently braced against her lower back, the pain still easily visible across her face. Even so, she couldn't keep from smiling, nearly overwhelmed by a blend of strong emotions. Elation, at the love from the crowd. Relief, simply that it was over and all the pain and effort had paid off. She was almost in tears, the realization hitting her that she'd just won the biggest match of her career, and it would soon lead to an even bigger opportunity in the tournament's next round.

There was plenty of disbelief, too. Fiona knew she had a chance to beat Tanya going in, but she never expected to beat her like this. Her confidence dipped when Tanya turned the momentum hard against her, pushing her off of her strategy and towards an extreme brawl that didn't seem to favor her. And yet, despite all the talk about Tanya's toughness and how Fiona couldn't slug it out with her, the match came down to which woman could pick herself up off the mat and go for a pin.

And Fiona proved the tougher of the two, the one who wanted it more.

She didn't trust herself to be able to climb the turnbuckles, so she staggered to the ropes on each side of the ring, waving to her fans and enjoying the moment. In a tournament where most expected her to be defeated in the first round, Fiona was now one hurdle away from a title match. It was a massive hurdle, to be sure, but no matter how it went, Fiona delivered a star-making performance tonight. She showed she could handle extreme rules battles, and that she had a lot more toughness than people gave her credit for.

It remained to be seen if she could fight on the level of NMW's top tier of wrestlers, but after tonight, the fans were going to want to see her given more chances to try.

"And once again," Dan Rich said, settling back into his chair, "we'll step away for a few messages from our sponsors while this ring gets cleaned up. But don't go anywhere! We've got a couple more matches of destruction and drama coming your way before this memorable night is through!"

“That was awesome!”

As the doctor exited the infirmary, Kendra rushed in, eyes sparkling with excitement. Fiona had emerged from the extreme rules match without major injuries, but the medical staff had still wanted to check her over and apply ice and bandages as needed. After confirming there were no signs of concussion, fractures, or severe bruising, the doctor gave Fiona the “all-clear”. Kendra had been waiting outside since shortly after the match, eager to congratulate Fiona on such an important win. Fiona was still seated on the examination table wearing her sweat-soaked wrestling gear which bore small tears from the table splinters.

“Girl,” Kendra exclaimed, stepping closer. She considered hugging Fiona but quickly decided against it, mindful of her partner’s battered state. For now, Kendra stuck to flattery.

“That match was a real ‘seat-leaner,’ as my grandpa used to say.” Kendra handed Fiona a bottle of ice-cold water she had bought from a machine out in the hall.

“When Tanya landed that falcon arrow,” Kendra paused for a second, eyes wide, “I thought it was over. But then she went for the table, you recovered, and turned the whole thing around on her! I mean… that move on the ropes…”

Kendra stopped to catch her breath, her grin widening to reveal pearly whites usually hidden by her humble demeanor. The glowing pearlescent-white room smelled strongly of latex and disinfectant and the overhead light was bright enough to cause a headache, but Kendra barely noticed. She tilted her head, studying Fiona’s expression before giving a slow, approving nod. How proud she was for her friend’s success tonight was written all over her face.

What Kendra found in Fiona's expression was mostly exhaustion and relief. The hardest week of training she'd ever put herself through had been followed by a long and absolutely brutal match, pushing her further than she previously thought she could go, physically. For all that toil and struggle to result in a win made it all worth it. She didn't want to get up off the examination table, but she did grab Kendra's arm and pull her in for a hug. She was too tired to jump for joy and celebrate, but that didn't mean she wasn't over the moon with happiness.

"I think I could've kicked out after the falcon arrow," she said, pulling back and taking a long, satisfying drink of water. "I think." She frowned, noticing a tear in her sleeve. Guess this gear was a one-time use. Better it than me.

Kendra's support meant the world to her. The last time her friend had been able to get in the ring and have a match was over a month ago now. Meanwhile Fiona was now scheduled for her third match of the month, and she'd no doubt be soaring in popularity after tonight. Three women were left in contention for the belt, and she was one of them. She had to imagine it was frustrating to be kept on the sidelines, not given a chance to show how much she'd improved.

"Thanks for everything," she said, genuine. "I couldn't have done this without you. Now I never have to hear about how much tougher Tanya is again. Ugh, that feels good."

“Well…” Kendra smirked, stepping back. “We already know that—”

“There she is!”

Kendra flinched at the sudden outburst and turned toward the doorway. Gordon McKinney stood just inside the infirmary, his face set in that familiar, practiced grin. Unlike most of the senior staff, the assistant producer had not embraced the tournament’s flashier theme, remaining in his usual charcoal-gray suit with a button-up underneath. He stepped forward, arms spreading slightly as he leaned to look past Kendra. She quickly moved aside, Gordon giving her a brief nod of acknowledgment before shifting his full attention to Fiona.

“I’d be lying,” he began, closing the distance between them, “if I said I expected you to win tonight.”

He folded his arms across his chest, a look of approval on his face. “But I’m not lying when I say I’m glad you did, Fiona.”

“Fiona’s been on the grind all week, Mr. McKinney,” Kendra added. “She came in tonight with a plan.”

Gordon nodded. “And that’s the difference versus Tanya who came in with a head full of steam. As she always does. You?” He gestured lightly toward Fiona. “Frankly… you’re a lot easier to work with. So again, I’m glad you got the win.”

He paused, letting the moment settle before continuing. “Now you move on to the next round; a triple-threat cage match. A shot at a title match. The first in this brand’s short history!” His grin sharpened as he looked Fiona up and down. “How are ya’ feeling?”

“I mean about what I just said as well as… how’s the head?”

How am I feeling? Like cracked glass that would shatter if someone poked me a little too hard...

"I'm fine, Mr. McKinney," Fiona answered, forcing half a smile. "I mean... I will be fine, for next week." She immediately got the sense Gordon was concerned about her ability to perform in an even bigger match one week after the beating she endured tonight. Fiona found it hard to blame him; the competition was going to be brutal. Barring an unlikely upset it would be a rematch against Elina Zamora, as well as the tiny problem of facing either Isabella Cadiz or Raven Veyn.

Aside from that, she was going to need at minimum the rest of the weekend to recover, and if it didn't eat into her training time after that, she'd have just a few days to prepare for her first ever triple-threat match, and her first ever cage match. Fiona already knew she was going to have a tough time finding any confidence for next week.

"I'm always going to make the most of my time in the ring," she assured Gordon, "I think everyone knows that by now. No matter who I'm facing next week, the fans will see that I can compete at the highest level of competition here."