by Jack Tunney
ROUND 9
The fights started at seven o’clock and Rosie was there. In the dressing room they had a simple video feed from the cage. Rosie watched the first bouts while Tina got ready. The men in the fights were all young and rangy and most of them had tattoos all over. The first two went down in the first round, one by submission and another by TKO.
Tina touched her on the arm and Rosie turned to look at her. Tina was in her fight gear, with a Ground Control MMA t-shirt worn over her tight top. Once at the cage she’d shed the shirt and go to work. Her hands were already taped and gloved and there were still three fights to go before hers. “Great, huh?” Tina asked.
“Great,” Rosie said.
“Put on the punch mitts for me, will you? I want to work out the kinks.”
They used the punch mitts until they were called out. Felix carried a large, rolled up vinyl sign with the logo of Ground Control MMA in the center, surrounded by a flurry of local sponsors. Danny Mann was Tina’s cutman for the fight. Rosie didn’t think she’d ever said ten words to Danny, or he to her.
Half the arena was blocked off and even then the seats were not all full. As they made their way to the cage, Rosie figured the crowd at three or four hundred, but they were plenty to make deafening noise. The cage announcer reeled off the night’s sponsors as they reached the fence. There they stopped and Danny took over, slipping Tina’s mouthguard into place and then slathering Tina’s brows with Vaseline. A fight official checked Tina’s gloves.
“You’re gonna be great,” Felix told Tina.
Tina put up a fist and she and Rosie touched knuckles. Then Tina was in the cage and her name boomed over the loudspeakers. Felix unfurled the vinyl sign so everyone with their eyes on the cage would see. They were flying the flag.
Rosie looked through the chain link to see Tina’s opponent enter. The woman’s name was Avery Ruff and she was a bantamweight with short-cropped brown hair and a nose that had been broken at least once. She had a sign full of sponsors, too, and more people in her corner. Rosie did not let it bother her.
The signs were cleared. The announcer left the cage. All that were left were Tina and Avery and the referee. The fighters were instructed to touch gloves. The bell rang.
“Three rounds of five minutes,” Felix told Rosie, but his attention wasn’t on her. He saw only the fight.
Tina circled her adversary and Rosie imagined herself in Avery’s place. When Avery opened up with a set of combinations and Tina pushed them away, the image in Rosie’s head grew stronger.
The two fighters felt each other out for a minute and then Tina struck. She opened Avery up with a left-right combination and then clinched. Two hard knees to the gut staggered Avery before Tina went for the takedown and they were on the mat. Almost immediately, Tina was in side control. It was her sparring session with Rosie all over again. Rosie saw it all unspool before it happened.
Once Tina was mounted, she dropped hammerfists, breaking through Avery’s defenses and smashing the woman’s skull hard against the canvas. The few weak returns Avery threw up were easily batted away and answered by a hail of punches from Tina that could not be stopped. Tina had her opponent down for less than a minute before the referee stepped in. The bell rang. The fight was over. TKO.
Rosie cheered, and the crowd cheered, and Felix grabbed Rosie up in a hug as Tina sprang to her feet and raised her hands over her head. Avery’s corner team swept into the cage to help their fighter up. The woman was dazed, but she had presence of mind enough to acknowledge Tina as she swayed to her corner.
“Come on,” Felix said, then he and Rosie and Danny were all in the cage together whooping and hollering. It was almost a letdown when the referee summoned both women to the center of the cage and the announcer called out the winner.
They made their way out of the cage and Rosie turned back toward the exit to the dressing rooms, but Tina and the other did not follow. They lingered at the side of the cage. “What’s going on?” Rosie asked.
“Next fight,” Tina said.
“Who’s fighting?”
“Janiya,” Tina said, and then the crowd hushed.
•••
Janiya Reed was a solidly built woman weighing in at a hair over one-thirty-four. Her skin was burnished mahogany and her hair was braided into the tight cornrows female MMA fighters seemed to prefer, though Tina had simply pulled hers back into a single braid. Janiya strode to the cage alone to meet up with her corner team, who were ready for her. Rosie could not keep her eyes away from the woman.
The opponent in Janiya’s match barely rated a smattering of applause, but when the announcer called Janiya’s name the entire arena stood up and shouted. Signs cropped up amidst the crowd, emblazoned with her name. Janiya raised her right hand in silent salute to all of them and let the officials close the cage door behind her.
Rosie sensed Tina beside her, every muscle tight. When Rosie finally managed to tear her gaze from Janiya, she saw Tina’s face was set, her eyes dark.
Felix caught her looking. “Janiya has ten fights undefeated. She’s the local women’s champ.”
“She’s not wearing a belt,” Rosie said.
“She never does. It’s all about the fight for her.”
The referee called the fighters to attention. Janiya prowled her corner, fixed on her opponent. Rosie realized struggled to recall the woman’s name. Brianne, she thought. It was Brianne Sykes, maybe. It would have to do. Janiya commanded the cage, and when she came out to touch gloves, it was on.
There was no moment when Janiya sought to feel out her opponent, only action. She came at the woman hard, leading with solid punches that crunched against Brianne Sykes’ guard, driving Brianne back quickly until she collided with the side of the cage. Janiya did not let distance grow between them, coming in with a hard left to the side, rocking Brianne, and a brutal right hand that snapped the other woman’s head around.
Brianne Sykes struggled to get off the fence, but Janiya kept on pounding her. The crowd surged with noise, calling Janiya’s name. Rosie saw Tina’s hands clench into fists, but then she had to look back to the fight.
Janiya’s opponent went for the clinch and threw some knees that might as well have struck stone. Janiya broke out, took a step back and then brought her leg up in a thundering roundhouse kick that struck Brianne squarely on the side of the head. The noise was deafening. Brianne crumpled to the mat and didn’t move.
Janiya stepped over Brianne and for a moment it looked as though she was poised to batter her opponent’s motionless body, but the referee interposed his body between them, pushing hard, forcing Janiya back. He waved for the bell, and when it sounded the roof came down.
“How long was that?” Rosie asked.
Felix checked his watch. “About seventy seconds.”
The referee turned away from the champ and went to Brianne Sykes’ aid. Medics were in the cage and corner teams were quick to follow. Janiya stalked to the center of the cage and pointed through the fencing directly at Tina. “Come on,” she said inaudibly, her voice lost in the din.
“Anytime,” Tina called back. “You and me! Anytime!”
Janiya Reed smiled and the shape of her mouthguard turned the expression into a rictus.
ROUND 10
The light and the sounds and the smell of the arena were fading when Rosie brought Jess to the gym. Two weeks fell between fight night and this clear, cool morning. Certain things remained – Tina dominating her opponent and Janiya destroying hers. Collision between the two seemed inevitable, perfect, even ordained. Rosie was glad it would not be her.
It was later than her usual start time and the gym was busy. Two men sparred in the cage while Danny and Felix led classes. Tina was on weights, but when she saw Rosie with Jess, she put the metal down and came to see them. “Who is this?” she asked.
“This is Jess,” Rosie said.
Tina knelt to be closer to Jess’ level. “How old are you, Jess?”
Jess was
slow to respond. “Seven.”
“Seven! That’s awesome! Why hasn’t your mommy brought you in before?”
“We’re here now,” Rosie said.
“Yes, and that’s good. Andre’s coming by soon.”
“Andre?”
“Andre Walton. He heads up Demolition, the promotion. You know… the fight promotion?”
“Right,” Rosie said. “Is he going to make a fight for you?”
“If I’m lucky. I want Janiya real bad.”
“Who’s Janiya?” Jess asked.
“A real tough woman,” Rosie said. “Come on and let me put my stuff away.”
“I’ll watch over her,” Tina said.
Rosie changed into her fight clothes and went back to the gym floor. She found Felix and Danny and a couple of the other gym rats crowded around Jess, smiling and laughing as she tried to pummel a heavy bag. “Hey, what’s going on?” Rosie asked.
“We’re checking out her form,” Felix said. “She said you have a bag just like it and she hits it all the time.”
“Yeah,” Jess said. “I punch everybody’s face in!”
“Hey,” Rosie said. “What did I say about hitting people?”
Felix wiped the corner of his eye. “It’s okay. She just wants to be like Mama.”
“She’s too young for that,” Rosie said.
“Kids start as young as her. Could be good.”
“I think my ex would disagree.”
“All right,” Felix said. “Why don’t you jump some rope and then hit the weights for a while? We have a visitor coming and I want everybody looking solid.”
“Andre?” Rosie asked.
“Andre.”
They parted and Rosie went to a corner to take a jump rope down from the wall. It was a length of rawhide with polished wooden grips and it cut the air sharply when it was in motion. Jess sat on a weight bench and watched her as she skipped the rope. “Faster, Mommy,” Jess said.
Rosie smiled and pushed it. Before long she felt the burning in her muscles and the sensation of her lungs and heart as they combined to supercharge her blood with oxygen. Soon euphoria would kick in as her brain blasted her with endorphins. She knew all about it now from Felix.
She kept on until she couldn’t do it anymore and she dropped the rope at her feet. She put her hands on her knees and panted for breath. Jess observed carefully. “Are you going to lift all those weights now?” she asked.
“Uh-huh,” Rosie said.
She loaded the bench press with plates and lay down, her blood still pumping from the jump rope. She lifted the bar free of the bar catchers and took the weight. Down toward the chest and then back up again, exhaling against the exertion.
Suddenly Jess was over her. “Is this why you’re getting such big muscles?”
“Yeah,” Rosie managed.
“I want to do it, too.”
“Maybe next time,” Rosie said, and she pressed on.
She knew when Andre Walton entered the gym simply from the change in electricity. Conversations stilled and restarted at lower volumes. Activities shifted as students and fighters alike moved to showcase themselves for the man.
Rosie hung the bar up and raised herself from the bench. She saw Walton by the front door in conversation with Felix. Walton was a short, thin man and very dark, and he wore a handsome long coat against the cold outside.
Tina came to her. “There he is. That fight is mine.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
Felix steered Walton through the gym and toward Rosie and Tina. “Here they are,” Felix said. “You know Tina. This is Rosie and this is our new mascot, Jess.”
“Ladies,” Walton said. “You both look ready for a fight.”
“Absolutely,” Tina said.
Walton looked at Rosie. “What about you?”
“I’m not really a fighter,” Rosie said.
“I guess I’m mistaken then.”
Felix vanished into the office for a moment and then returned. He had a Ground Control MMA cap and t-shirt and he put the cap on Jess’ head. The shirt was like a tent and draped over Jess’ body. “Now we have three fighters,” he said.
“This one says she doesn’t fight,” Walton said.
“What? No, she’s good. You want to see? Tina, Rosie, why don’t you hit the cage and show Mr. Walton what you can do?”
“I’d like that. And, everybody, just call me Andre. We’re all friends here.”
Felix gave them time to fetch gloves and mouthguards and then Rosie reluctantly trailed Tina to the cage. “I’m not a fighter,” she whispered.
“All you have to do is stand up and bang a little,” Tina said. “It’s no big deal.”
Felix closed the cage and stood beside Walton. Rosie saw Jess press her face up against the fence, watching with wide eyes holding no fear. Rosie felt some of her misgivings fall away. “No bell,” Felix said. “Start when you’re ready.”
“Ding ding,” Tina said, and she smiled wolfishly.
Rosie dropped into her stance and Tina did the same. They began the dance, Rosie careful with every step as they traced patterns around the cage. She felt Tina out with a pair of jabs and Tina did the same. Felix said nothing, but in the back her mind Rosie heard him telling her to let her hands go.
Tina snapped a kick to Rosie’s lead leg and then closed for an exchange. She caught Rosie high when Rosie went low and they both fell back. Rosie gave Tina two seconds to breathe and then she moved in, leading with a jab-hook combination that got through and made Tina think.
She saw the takedown attempt an instant before Tina made the move and she sprawled. Tina struggled a moment to topple her regardless, but they broke and Rosie gave her two hard punches as parting gifts. Let them go, Rosie told herself. Let them go.
The thought clicked and Rosie advanced under cover of punches, trying to blast a hole in Tina’s defense. Rosie ate a fistful of jab, and then rocked under a left-hand hook that took her on the cheekbone. Tina struck without her full power, but it was enough to make Rosie hesitate.
Tina drove into the clinch, punching to the inside as she pressed Rosie toward the fence. Rosie kept her punches low, driving them into Tina’s ribs and stomach, punching for freedom until she heard Tina’s breath let go and they separated.
There was new light in Tina’s eyes and Rosie knew she was going to go for the takedown a second time. The ground was Rosie’s weakness. On the ground she would be Tina’s to take apart. Only strikes could break the chain.
Rosie lunged with a hard right and Tina parried it to the outside, going for Rosie’s midsection. It hurt, but Rosie pushed the feeling away, swinging around with a left that had her whole body behind it. She hit Tina directly above the eye and snapped Tina’s head around so sharply Rosie heard the vertebrae in Tina’s neck crunch.
Tina stumbled. Rosie attacked with a body blow and another left before they crashed together and went to the mat with Rosie on top. Rosie forgot proper form and kept punching as Tina twisted beneath her. She was still punching when she heard Felix’s voice from far away, calling to her, calling her off. “That’s enough! Enough!”
She fell back onto the mat and allowed Tina to sit up. The expression on Tina’s face was equal parts anger and annoyance, with a hint of something else. “I’m sorry,” Rosie said.
“It’s all right.”
“Woo!” Walton said. “That was intense! You got yourself a real ripper there, Felix. When can she fight?”
“What are you offering us?”
“Can she make bantamweight?”
“Sure.”
Rosie raised a hand. “Wait a minute,” she said.
Felix hushed her with a gesture. “You have a bantamweight fighter you like?”
“Summer Crenshaw. You know her?”
“She has five fights. Rosie’s new.”
“She had five fights and four losses. It’s a solid match-up.”
“We’ll take it.”
&n
bsp; “Hey!” Rosie said.
Walton looked at her. “Everything okay?”
Rosie faltered. She saw Felix watching her, and Jess just below his elbow, peering into the cage. Now Jess’ expression was full of delight, as though she’d caught a glimpse of something previously hidden and found it wonderful. “It’s nothing,” she said.
“Great,” Walton said. “I’ll make the fight. We’ll call you Rosie the Ripper. People are gonna love that.”
ROUND 11
“I didn’t think I would fight,” Rosie told Tina.
“And I said we wouldn’t be able to keep you away from it. How does it feel now?”
Rosie considered. “It scares me.”
“Does it scare you enough for you to quit?”
The answer surprised her. “No.”
“Then let’s make sure you come out on top. Nothing beats the fear like a win.”
So it began. She never trained so hard for anything before. It was six weeks of hard running and weights and sparring and drills. Rosie went to bed exhausted and woke up sore. The fight would net her $500, but she could double that with a win. She already knew the cash would go to her lawyer. The fear didn’t go away completely, even though the decision was easier to understand the more time she had to think about it. She wanted it now. Not only for the money, but because it made sense to take things all the way.
Felix drove her to the arena because she was too nervous to take the wheel. Tina held her hand in the truck and said calming words, but they fell into a storm surge of apprehension Rosie could not still. Finally Felix had to speak. “You are gonna take names tonight,” he said. “If you don’t, I won’t coach fights any more.”
He was midway through taping up her hands when her phone rang, singing a song in her bag to the bare concrete walls of the dressing room. At first Rosie tried to ignore it, but finally she said, “I have to answer that.”
“Let it go to voice mail,” Tina said.
“It could be important.”
Tina fished the phone out of Rosie’s bag and Felix stepped back to let Rosie talk. It was awkward handling the phone with the gauze and tape in place. Chris’ number appeared on the screen. When she answered, he said, “I thought you weren’t going to pick up.”
