Thread: Love and Kickboxing (Grave x EveningSky)

When Brandon and his manager arrived at the Las Vegas International Airport, they were immediately hustled toward a car that would take them to the Red Rock. News of his impending arrival had traveled fast, and many of his fans were gathered at the gates, cheering, chanting, and waving signs as he stepped off the plane. Your fan club has arrived early, his manager quipped. Brandon smirked at his manager's remark and waved with a bright smile toward his fans. Even though he was effectively the face of Kickboxing right now, he still retained his humility and never flaunted his status in front of others. He was just a good, genuine person, and that made people flock to him like nobody's business. Brandon and his manager were soon in the car and being driven to the Red Rock. His manager got on the phone and made last minute checks on what room he would be using there, how much he would be paid, and the return flight to San Jose. Brandon looked out the window as the bright lights of Sin City passed by, remembering how amazed he had been by the glitz and the glamour the first time, even being from New York City. When they arrived at the Red Rock, he waved to more fans and followed his manager into the building, where they were escorted to a small locker room that he would be using to train in and wait for his match. His manager immediately began giving him the lowdown on his opponent, particularly his stance and what kind of striking techniques he used most often. Brandon had already memorized it all from previous coaching, but he let his manager go through the spiel because it was his job and he would be ill-advised to not listen to him. At precisely 700, the Global Kickboxing Group began their latest event, called GKG 128. The main event would be Brandon defending his World Middleweight Title against his latest challenger, Glover Kennedy. The Red Rock was completely packed for this event, everyone wanting to see if the Kickboxing wunderkind could hold on to his belt. Of course, there would be five other fights before that, so the fans would have to be patient. Thankfully, Kickboxing was not like MMA in which matches could turn into lengthy wrestling wars, so most of the fights were settled within two or three rounds by knockout or technical knockout, meaning that the opponent did not get up before the referee had fully counted to ten. At 830, it was time for the main event. Brandon received the word from a Red Rock employee, and it was time to get suited up and go out there. Kickboxing rules stated that all competitors had to wear the standard eight ounce gloves for Boxing as well as special shoes to protect the feet. Brandon was wearing black shorts with blue stripes on them, and his gloves and shoes were red, making for a unique color combination. He put on his blue robe with hood that said Hargrave on the back, and was ready to enter the ring. Now, remember kid, don't take this guy lightly. He's been fighting for longer than you have and has a real hunger for the belt, so don't let your guard down. Brandon nodded, taking his advice to heart, and they began heading for the ring. Because the robe covered his whole body, Brandon's manager had the leather with gold pieces championship belt slung over his shoulder, carrying it proudly. Glover had already made his entrance and was standing in the ring. As Brandon and his manager jogged from the runway to the roped ring, the crowd went absolutely wild. There was a loud chant of Brandon, Brandon, Brandon! sweeping through the crowd, and the champion acknowledged his fans with a wave. The love and support he got from his fans never failed to lift his spirits and inspire him to be a great fighter, and he smiled broadly as he entered the ring and went to his designated corner. Once both fighters were in place, a microphone lowered from the ceiling into the center of the ring and the announcer for the event took it into his hand. Ladies and gentlemen, the Global Kickboxing Group is proud to present to you this main event fight. We will have ten rounds for the Middleweight Championship of the world. He then gestured to Kennedy. Introducing first, the challenger, fighting out of the blue corner. Hailing from Columbus, Ohio, standing at 5'11, and weighing in at 160 lbs, this man has sixty wins, forty-five by knockout and fifteen by TKO. Glover The Eliminator Kennedy!!! Glover raised his arms and walked around in a circle as some people cheered and others booed. The announcer then moved his hand over to Brandon. And now, fighting out of the red corner. Hailing from Manhattan, New York, standing at 62 and weighing in at 160 lbs, this man has thirty wins, all of them by knockout. Ladies and gentlemen, he is the reigning, defending GKG Middleweight Champion of the world, here tonight to defend his title for the tenth time! Brandon...HARGRAVE!!! The crowd went absolutely nuts, the entire stadium seeming to erupt in cheers as Brandon acknowledged the crowd by raising his arms and smiling. After the cheering died down, the referee moved to the center of the ring and indicated that Brandon and Glover were to join him. Both fighters and their respective managers complied, with both fighters staring each other down while the ref stood between them. Alright guys, you know the drill. I want a good, clean fight. When I say break, move back to your corner. Do you have any questions? Both fighters shook their heads. Alright, touch gloves to make the fight official. As both fighters respectfully touched gloves, Glover smiled. Best of luck, champ. Don't need luck when I got skill, Kennedy. They moved back to their corners and their managers gave them hurried, last-minute advice. The bell then rang to signify the beginning of the fight. Go get 'em, Brandon, his manager said. Brandon nodded and got into a boxing stance, moving toward his opponent. Kennedy went on the offensive right away, throwing quick jabs that he was easily able to dodge. He saw an opening and nailed Kennedy with a roundhouse kick to the unguarded left side, and then nailed him with a right hook to the nose while he was distracted. Kennedy took the blows and moved in to tag him with a short uppercut. For the rest of the round, the two traded blows, with Brandon getting the better of his opponent. At the start of the second round, Brandon had a good idea of his opponent's fighting style. He was able to telegraph his moves and counter them. However, Kennedy was experienced enough to see what was happening and changed up his stance and strategy. Brandon was able to defend himself well, but he still took a right head kick that bloodied his lip. Both fighters were bleeding, but neither was going to back down. The second round ended as a tie. The third round saw a much more determined Brandon, who came out with more intricate combinations. He tagged Glover several times, although the seasoned fighter weathered the blows. After a few hooks, Brandon landed a spinning roundhouse kick on Glover that knocked him to the canvas. The ref moved in quickly and began the ten count, reaching five before his opponent was back on his feet. Glover came back with a vengeance, landing a few more hits on him, and the round ended. Brandon went back to his corner, where his manager wiped away the blood and got water. You're doing great, Brandon. Glover's about to go down from all the work you've done. Go out there and finish it. Brandon nodded and then stood up to begin the fourth round. They closed again and both threw aggressive strikes. Brandon was good at dodging and reflecting most of the blows, but he still took a few punches and kicks. Brandon turned up the heat in the middle of the round, throwing long combinations that moved up his body. As a kick to the ribs lowered Glover's hands, he saw the perfect opportunity to finish the fight. He turned his body sideways and threw a high kick that landed right under the chin, launching him off of his feet and onto the canvas. Glover landed hard and laid still, not moving at all. The referee moved in to do the countdown, but after three saw that Kennedy was out and waved his arms to call the fight. Brandon had won his 31st fight and his tenth title defense, remaining the World Middleweight Champion. The referee raised his arm in victory and Brandon's manager rushed in to lift him up as Brandon pumped his arms. The crowd was screaming and chanting his name, many people standing up and applauding his performance. After his manager put him down, he put the belt around his waist and Brandon stood in the middle of the ring with his arms raised in victory. The announcer moved in to announce the official results. Declaring the winner by knockout, and STILL the GKG Middleweight Champion of the world...BRANDON HARGRAVE!!! The crowd went wild again, and everyone was standing up and applauding. Brandon appreciated the love and admiration, but felt it was time to show respect of his own. He approached Glover's corner and found his opponent semi-conscious in the turnbuckle. You were a worthy opponent and are a great fighter. Thank you for making my title defense an awesome one. Glover smiled and the two did a brief one-arm hug. Brandon then returned to his corner and put on his robe to exit the ring. As he walked back to the locker room, he reached out and high-fived many of the fans that were reaching out to him. Many young women were trying to get to him, and security had a rough time holding them back. Once he and his manager were in the back, his manager clapped him on the back in joy. Great job, Brandon! That was an incredible fight, like always! Once in the locker room, Brandon changed into his street clothes and met his manager outside the room. Hold on just a second, his manager said. He pulled out his iPhone and checked their bank account balance. As promised, the GKG had transferred in 30,000. We're good to go. Let's head back to San Jose. The two left the arena and took the same car as before back to Las Vegas International Airport. They were soon on the plane and Brandon laid back in the seat to get some rest. He was once more victorious, and the joy of succeeding in what he loved allowed him to rest peacefully with a smile on his face.