Odin vs. Jonathan Michaels

[Dain Gavyns]

This time we're using a perennial favorite, you're all fighting in a refurbished gym owned by Dain himself for the sole purpose of this league, in a twist on the ol' Cage-Match idea.

Two domed steel cages, connected together by a path just seven feet high and three and a half feet wide, just big enough to allow the largest contest to pass comfortably. The crowd's all around the cage watching and cheering you on. The acoustics of the place are ridiculous, however, and it's going to get loud. Hope you can concentrate.

Have fun.

[Odin Reeves]

Warming up in the gym was like déjà vu for the Varronite original, and multiple tournament participant and current ‘champion’. The last few times had been weird, on top of a roof, in the middle of a street with a crowd acting as the ring. They seemed to cliché, to informal to arranged fighting. It wasn’t as though him and someone else had gotten made at each other and the crowd just followed in suit. But this, now that there was more of a set up it all seemed natural. Well, at least until he noticed the steel cages. They were defiantly an odd contraption, and definitely custom built with Dain’s mind leading the blueprints. But regardless it would make for some interesting strategies. A few that were already forming in Odin’s mind as well.

When his turn came he slipped into his designated ring, having dressed as though it was a street fight. He was wearing his jeans and some boots, though opted to remove his shirt, as it was a bit baggy – even for him – and fight without his trusty, though shredded, gloves. Once he was inside the cage he made his way over to the opposite of the passageway and waited for his opponent to arrive. Already he was optimizing his performance abilities while limiting his opponents. Simply put Odin is what you can consider a straightforward fighter. And with his sides blocked by the narrow passageway he’d be able to see anything his opponent threw at him.

The question remained: Whom was he fighting?

[Jonathan Michaels]

A gym?

Yeah, it was a welcomed change and it made Jonathan feel somewhat in his comfort zone, but still there had been a growing discomfort fostering within his very frame: Kyukaku? The most dominating opponent he had faced today, never before had he felt so dramatically outclassed. Kyu was a mountain and Jonathan had been ill-prepared and over confident, the wounds he received in that fight for no other reason that simple arrogance took a long time to heal...he should've given up when he had the chance. Though now as he approached this massive steel cage and heard the crowd cheering him on, he almost shook his head what he saw almost caused him to do a double take and as he went to enter the ring he stopped and looked at the crowds apprehensive faces. One thing became clear: his opponent was once again Odin Reeves.

He almost felt his face reddening in remembrance to the brutal ass kicking he had received the first time they met.

He smirked as he entered the ring shaking a bit in anticipation, this fight, for the first time in a long time he felt that he had a chance. Odin’s style -from what he had seen- was easy to pick up on and the height difference that had seemed to dominate the fight before hand didn’t seem to be that much, Jonathan mused as he noted that the “giant” wasn’t much more than half a head taller than him. This whole match, was doable and if Jonathan just played it smart he could redeem himself and the name he had prior to his fighting career at Hircine.

He smiled a bit at Odin as he brought his arms to his side in a very relaxed stance that would allow him to react to anything Odin threw at him fairly quickly, this was the test. Odin was a benchmark, how much had he really improved -if he had improved at all- since the tournament?

[Odin Reeves]

(I think you’ll find humor in his stance, or at least should.)

Once his opponent entered the ring and the last door to the gates of hell were closed the 6’0 fighter began to feel more and more at ease. He stared with a hunger found only in the most savage of animals, those crazed for bloodlust, as his opponent entered the ring. The clattering of metal chains and master craft locks noted the fate between the two men being locked. There was no escape, and the only way out was to beat your opponent so baldly that they can’t go on any longer. If rules were to apply then they wouldn’t be locked in a cage, and since hadn’t applied before then it came down to who was truly more vicious.

‘Dain, your one crazy ass.’ Smirking to himself Odin pushed off, stepping out of the narrow passageway that, strategically and factually speaking gave him the edge. If Jonathan had chose to attack then he’d be falling prey to a brick wall. With roughly 50lbs of difference and six inches in height Odin was relatively a brick wall to the younger fighter. So, by choosing to play it defensively he was giving Odin the advantage in two ways: He was now able to set the pace and start on the offensive. Looking at the facts he’s won nearly all of his fights through a strong offensive. If you include his mental prowess then it would seem he’s the stronger of the two fighters, in size, strength, and mentality.

While few would remember it, they had met previously in a match. Odin dominated, like he normally does on way to victory. Something like that doesn’t simply fade from a fighters mind. While they can train to get stronger, faster, and gain better and different techniques, the fact remains that they lost. Jonathan has already tasted the power of Odin’s punches, and all things considered that’s when he was in a speed orientated stance… but now, yet another adjustments been made. Tucking his shoulders in he squared them off toward his opponent. His fists came up and tucked themselves up in front of his face. While gloves make this stance a much stronger defensive measure it wouldn’t hurt in the end. The boxer-turned-mixed martial artist was currently using the classic peek-a-boo style, known mostly throughout the boxing world as being used by Mike Tyson.

Along with his shoulders being squared his hips were turned over as well. His knee’s were bent and his feet were apart more then usual. Odin was hunching forward, his eyes locked on his target as he inched himself out of the passage. All together he had dropped down roughly half a foot, making him the same height as his opponent as he inched forward. Despite his left leg leading either arm thrown would have the power of his backhand. To make matters worse for Jonathan, Odin had a longer reach advantage. So, strategically speaking all Odin really had to do was move forward at a slow pace, frustrate his opponent and wait for an attack to be thrown in to hasty a manner. He’d be able to capitalize, counter, and end this match. It was a game of patience, and Odin seemed set on playing. He’d either drive Jon back into the fence or stalk him around the ring, either way he’d press his advantage and loom over his opponent with a great deal of pressure.

’Lets see what you got, Johnny boy.’

[Nathan Branigan]

Odin wins by default due to Jonathan's inactivity. Come on dude. You have to at least start the fight.