Description: Rock vs Sagat. Thailand. There can be only one... Oh wait (Draw Match)
Things have taken a downturn for Rock Howard, of late -- after spending some time at #1, Rock's found himself... dropped, a few notches, but still in the running. Unfortunately -- though by his own initiative -- Rock has found himself, tonight, staring down an opponent that outmatches him. For once, Rock isn't a favorite; the bets on this fight are stacked soundly against him.
Rock's shed his jacket, for even in the Winter, Thailand is a hot, hot place; the setting is a kickboxing ring, mostly made of wood, largely open, and filled with screaming fans. It's practically a scene from a Jean Claude Van Damme flick. Clad only in a black t-shirt, Rock is already in the ring, standing in his corner and waiting.
The Muay Thai God's home country. Sagat is fighting in Thailand today for his League Match. He was elated to hear that his fight was scheduled to be fought here, as it gives him a reason to come to his native land with an excuse other than Shadaloo related. It seems it's only Shadaloo business that brings him to Thailand recently. The Thai Kickboxer is wearing a pair of dark gray trunks with a navy blue stripe down either side. His legs and arms are tightly wrapped, and the Tiger seems quite ready to fight today. The mighty Tiger stares towards his scheduled opponent, Rock Howard. This is an opponent that Sagat has not had the pleasure of facing often, and has not faced him in quite some time. The Thai just grunts at the younger man.
COMBATSYS: Rock has started a fight here.
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Rock 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Sagat has joined the fight here.
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Rock 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Sagat
"Hey," Rock says, more as a greeting than a challenge. He takes two steps deeper into the ring, bouncing up and down on his heels and keeping his eyes set on Sagat. The two fighters have met before; different circumstances, inconclusive result. Maybe today they'll settle things. "How well-versed are you on your Old Testament, Sagat? You somehow don't strike me as a religious man--" Even as Rock says this, one of his hands burns with purple energy, already gathering his chi to prepare for what's coming. This fight's going to be many things; none of those things are 'easy'. Rock sweeps that hand straight ahead, hurling a wave of energy at his opponent. "--but maybe you know about David and Goliath. Reppuken!"
COMBATSYS: Sagat overcomes Reppuken from Rock with Tiger Shot.
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Rock 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Sagat
COMBATSYS: Sagat successfully hits Rock with Tiger Shot.
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Rock 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Sagat
The Mighty Thai Kickboxer does not pay much heed to the young man's words, "Indeed." Is all he says in response to what Rock tells him. Sagat pulls his arms back as the Reppuken is thrown his way. Sagat grits his teeth and growls, "TIGER!" And hurls a crescent wave of flaming chi energy towards the Reppuken. After the blast is launched and sent careening for its target, Sagat starts to move swiftly towards the side to start circling.
"Right--" Rock says, sounding almost not surprised. It's unfortunate, but necessary -- Anyone with a brain could tell that Sagat was a terrifying physical combatant, but it took something more to determine that his abilities with chi were nothing to discount, either. Rock starts to run as Sagat goes for his predatory circling, taking up something of an... unusual method of combat: He dives for Sagat's legs, looking to shove his feet out from under him and drop the giant onto the floor. "'Indeed', huh? Is that a yes, or a no?"
COMBATSYS: Sagat endures Rock's Quick Throw.
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Rock 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Sagat
The mighty Thai Warrior is brought down by Rock, but he doesn't seem to have tried to get out of the young wariror's way. The Tiger allowed himself to be brought down by the younger warrior, as he was concentrating on how best to deal with the young Mr. Howard. When the Thai man hits the ground, he rolls forward, gets onto his feet in a kneeling position and lashes out with a sweeping low kick towards Rock's legs, aiming to crush Rock's base under him!
COMBATSYS: Rock blocks Sagat's Medium Kick.
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Rock 0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0 Sagat
"UGH!" Rock raises his arms to deflect the bulk of Sagat's immense power, turning away much of the blow as he lands in a crouch, rolling around to the other side of his opponent and reaching out to make a grab. "Man--You're insane," he says, "You hit like a ton of bricks. What are you? One big muscle?" Rock's rolling and evading has a definite purpose, however: Snaring his opponent by the backs of his shoulders, and tossing him into the ground with as much strength as Rock can muster, a masterpiece of balance and counter-weight by which something small -- Rock -- lifts and throws something very, very, big: Sagat. "Shinkuu--NAGE!"
COMBATSYS: Sagat blocks Rock's Shinkuu Nage.
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Rock 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Sagat
It is quite a feat for the smaller Rock to lift and slam the bigger Tiger. However Sagat manages to roll and tense up his shoulder in a manner that he absorbs some of the damage and resists being inflicted with even more damage. Sagat grunts upon hitting the ground, and rolls to the side and flips back up onto his feet, "Sure, one big muscle." Obviously Sagat's not interested in the small talk. The Mighty Thai launches forward, "TIGER CRUSH!" rather suddenly. One second he's on the ground, the next he's careening through the air with his knee thrust forward and threatening to slam Rock in the upper torso!
COMBATSYS: Sagat successfully hits Rock with Tiger Crush.
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Rock 1/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Sagat
Rock is struck /hard/, and practically flies straight into the air -- right /up/, in the most painful and uncomfortable way possible. As he sails through the air on wings provided by the immense strength of Sagat, he has time to say to himself. "Ugh--note to self... don't ever taunt Sagat--" And then he's falling. But he can make this, too, work for him as he tries to aim for Sagat, using the few seconds between apex and ground to orient himself towards his opponent, seeking to hammer him right into the mat with gravity as his weapon.
COMBATSYS: Sagat dodges Rock's Strong Throw.
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Rock 0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0 Sagat
The orientation of Rock's incoming strike against Sagat was not good enough to accomodate the movements of the much larger man. He had watched the young fighter and manuevered himself to get away from the incoming fighter. Once Rock lands, Sagat's on the move. Sagat aims to utilize his familiar overwhelming offense strategy. He uses his strength, size and speed to keep his opponents off balance and unable to react effectively. Sagat launches into a series of strikes. Elbow strikes and ending with a crushing knee strike aimed at knocking Rock to the floor!
COMBATSYS: Rock dodges Sagat's Medium Kick.
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Rock 0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0 Sagat
"Yeah--Gotta keep moving..." Rock ducks underneath Sagat's knee, making a grab for the outstretched limb. He's got his game down pat: Sagat's stronger, tougher, and bigger, but he falls just as hard as everything else. Rock pulls, looking to unbalance his opponent and drop him onto the ground in an unceremonious fashion. All the better for following up with something that might actually affect the battle.
COMBATSYS: Sagat blocks Rock's Strong Throw.
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Rock 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\0 Sagat
Nothing but air! The mighty Tiger swung his limbs in an effort to pummel the other fighter into submission and there's nothing to meet the man's outward flung limbs is air. Sagat grits his teeth and scowls a bit as he tries to back pedal before Rock lashes out with a counter offensive. Rock is on him quickly and Sagat braces himself against the inevitable assault from Rock. However Rock is becoming easy to read and the big man is able to thwart Howard's attempt. Sure, sagat hits the gorund, but the Tiger was ready for it and quickly lept back up to his feet. Once on his feet he lashes out at Rock with a powerful upwards swinging elbow strike!
COMBATSYS: Sagat successfully hits Rock with Medium Punch.
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Rock 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Sagat
That one stung -- and in a deeper way than anything else. It means that the fight isn't going as planned, except that it was planned to be tough. Rock rolls across the ground as he recoils from Sagat's sickening strike, but he darts right back in towards his opponent, attempting to circle in one quick motion, seize Sagat by the ankles and hurl him away -- anything to give Rock time to recover and get his head back into the fight, which is quickly becoming trouble.
COMBATSYS: Sagat interrupts Shinkuu Nage from Rock with Medium Punch.
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Rock 0/-------/--=====|=======\===----\1 Sagat
The Mighty Thai Warrior finds himself being grappled by Rock once again. The Tiger is reading the young warrior like a book. He's trying to throw him or move him to a degree of unbalance. Sagat isn't going to just stand there and take it like a man. As his limbs are grasped, he lashes downward with a two-fisted 'Double Axe-Handle Smash' It's an uncharacteristic move for the Tiger, but he improvised!
"Guh--" Rock recoils from the pain. He just needs to /hit/ Sagat, and hit him hard. This fight -- this fight is going against him, but Rock keeps /trying/, as hard as he can, this time grabbing for his opponent and looking to hammer him straight DOWN, directing all of the circular momentum he can straight down into the floor.
COMBATSYS: Rock successfully hits Sagat with Shinkuu Nage.
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Rock 0/-------/=======|=======\=====--\1 Sagat
The smash from the Thai warrior was not enough to down the young fighter. He's going at Sagat like a rabid dog. The Tiger can appreciate such tactics, he utilizes such a strategy at times. As Rock grabs him and lifts him up into the air, the big man simply braces for th eimpact. The Tiger shouts out as he gets slammed against the ground, "NO!" he's slammed hard into the ground, but he's not down for long. He kicks his legs and flips up onto his feet. The huge man is back up and ready for more! Sagat launches into a series of kicks, "TI-GER-" He begins with the first few sweeping strikes. He pulls his leg back after the first few strikes and pauses. His leg ignites into flame, "-RAID!" he shouts as he thrusts his flaming leg forward towards the other fighter!
COMBATSYS: Rock counters Tiger Raid from Sagat with Joudan Crack Counter.
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Rock 0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0 Sagat
Rock lands a few paces away from Sagat, skidding backwards across the ring on his heel. Once he lands, he realizes, at least in part, the error of his ways: He had a plan, and when it fell apart, so did his tactics. Now, it's time to center himself. It's time to go back after this in a different way. Rock inhales, exhales, and sets his eyes on the massive Muay Thai masterpiece -- and waits.
The timing is perfect. Snaring Sagat by the knee at just the right time to exhaust the offensive power behind that maddeningly powerful strike, Rock anchors himself on Sagat's movements, whipping his weight forward to strike Sagat on the shoulder. It's not much of an attack, but there's discipline and focus on his strike. "Predictable," Rock says, confidently, "But don't think you've got this sewn up entirely..."
How annoying. The Mighty Thai's spectacular combination of manuevers is rendered useless by Rock's counter. The Joudan Crack Counter makes short work of the Mighty Thai's mighty manuever! The Tiger staggers back from the manuever and grimaces at Rock. Rock called one of his techniques predictable, "You'd know all about predictability." He mutters. That grimace of his turns upside down as he starts to run at Rock once more. As he runs at him, he lashes out with a kick, followed by a thrusting knee and then ending with a downwards elbow strike towards Rock's head!
COMBATSYS: Rock dodges Sagat's Medium Punch.
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Rock 0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0 Sagat
Rock's red eyes set on Sagat's approaching assault, dilating at just the right moment -- and then Rock flickers and all but /vanishes/. Some fighters are often confused by the manuveur -- but Sagat, almost certainly, can see through it. It's speed. Incredible speed, in a single burst, but speed all the same. Rock circuits around Sagat in one fell swoop, moving within the flicker of an eye and sweeping one leg across the ground as he does, looking to pull the master fighter's legs out from underneath him.
COMBATSYS: Rock successfully hits Sagat with Strong Throw.
- Power hit! -
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Rock 0/-------/----===|=======\=------\1 Sagat
Another series of strikes that does not meet the end that Sagat had intended. The Thai Legend wanted to feel bone crushing underneath his blows. He wanted Rock's soft flesh to absorb too much of the damage he intended to inflict and drop to the floor in defeat. The annoyed Giant isn't happy with the total lack of impact in his last series of strikes. As the display of speed is shown to Sagat, by Rock, he's only slightly impressed. It's definately something he's seen before. However the swiftness is a little underestimated by the Master. His legs are taken up from under him and Sagat is slammed to the ground hard. Very hard. The big Thai Man slowly gets up and pulls his arms back, "Grah! TIGER!" He shouts and thrusts his arms forward towards Rock. Flaming crescents are thrown Rock's way as the Tiger Cannon technique is utilized, however a lot of energy is utilized and Sagat's stance falters and he flops forward onto his knees.
COMBATSYS: Sagat can no longer fight.
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Rock 0/-------/----===|
COMBATSYS: Sagat successfully hits Rock with Tiger Cannon.
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Rock 1/------=/=======|
COMBATSYS: Rock takes no action.
COMBATSYS: Rock can no longer fight.
Rock watches the Tiger Cannon come forth, even as he senses that his opponent has been sapped of his strength. Now's the dangerous bit. Rock's legs coil, muscles tensing at the wave of energy blazing towards him. Rock's hands burn with energy, purple chi, but at the last minute... he has a change of heart. There's no stopping this missile of power, and it's too late to dodge. "--Damn!" Rock barks, before he gets himself blindsided by the inferno, knocked to the side. Rock rolls to a halt. Sagat... is already there. And so, once again, there is no conclusion between the fighters, save for the fact that a fight betwixt them is harsh, to say the least.
The Thai Warrior does not like this conclusion, as he fully intended to defeat the young warrior. He just sits back, wobbling back and forth. He just nods towards Rock, "Excellent techniques. You must be proud of your accomplishments." He offers before sapping some strength from some hidden reserve and standing up. He looks towards a league official and just nods to him, before turning and walking to leave the ring.
Rock pulls himself up onto his hindquarters, trying to sit up. "Uh, thanks," he says. "I'm proud of some of them. Not all of them. Some of the stuff I used on you, I picked up from a real bastard. But some of it, I learned from the best there is." But then Sagat's gone. Rock? Rock's still not too hot on the whole concept of walking.
Log created by Sagat, and last modified on 08:01:18 01/28/2006.