“Yeah well, ipso facto, she’s obviously taken it as a challenge. One she’s accepted. Now, here’s my thoughts on when and where we stage this money-making mother fucker. Three months. In Sydney.”
“Why Sydney?”
“Oh, Vi, Sydney is ripe, hun. They arestilltalking about the Gasnier and Diaz fight, and this has the potential to sell out faster than that. Eighty thousand people to witness the greatest rematch in the history of the women’s division. Maybe even the sport. Broadcasters around the world could be charged triple their usual rates and they would still pay. Nash and Beckinsale II. Jesus, Vi, fans and commentators are going to lose their mind when this gets out. Even non-fight fans want to see this. Neither of you even have to say anything to promote this. It’s all there. An arena spectacular to celebrate female power and the Undisputed Championship. I can get charities involved for great public relations exposure. We’ll donate more than we ever have. Maybe ones that don’t get as much funding? The opportunities are endless.”
As he spoke, Veronica saw a news report on the TV hanging on the wall in front of her. Beckinsale had left hospital.Hospital, again?She pressed the volume up a few notches. No, she’d left hospital days ago. The news show was commenting on why she was there. And... what? She was suing a doctor for sexual assault? No. She would be a witness against a Sydney doctor.
Suddenly black and white security footage appeared on the screen, showing three people in a driveway outside a house. Beckinsale, another woman and a man. A supposed jealous ex, the news people called him. The man advanced on Beckinsale, her face a bloody mess after having a crowbar thrown at her. She tore into him, flipping him over.
Veronica let Max drone on, transfixed by the screen. The footage seemed heavily edited, but the truth was there. Out of shape, probably not completely recovered and badly beaten again, yet Beckinsale still didn’t falter. She took care of business and sent that scum to the ground.
If she truly was going to be a witness against a doctor, that took courage. And in the middle of training too. It must’ve been unavoidable, because who does that? Take time out from training for a championship to put themselves through all that emotional trauma?
In a strange way, Veronica believed she was beginning to understand Ava Beckinsale. She looked over the knuckles of her free hand. Years and years of hitting things had almost flattened them, yet even now she slowly formed a fist, her knuckles cracking.
She had the reputation for having the hardest punch after Brent Diaz. A fact she had always carried with pride. It had given her an intimidation factor before most of her fights. Every single one of her opponents, after she had won her championship, had looked to avoid her punches. All of them tensed and blocked like they had been training for that specific defense. They fought to not get hit. After they got stung, they backed off, kept their distance, hesitant, wary of the deadly fists, but waiting for an opportunity.
All except one. Ava Beckinsale took her best punches and never backed away. Looking at the footage, it seemed Beckinsale didn’t know how to back down. She couldn’t and wouldn’t.
This new learned fact both inspired and crushed Veronica. She knew what she had to do now. Beckinsale was coming for her belt and there was only one way to deal with a force that wouldn’t back down. You had to put them down.
Veronica closed her eyes as she thought about what that meant. She would have to be cold. She had never hit anything as hard as she had hit this girl, but to win this fight, to cement her legacy, she would have to hit her harder. Strike first. Strike harder. And not stop until Ava Beckinsale had stopped moving. A bloody, broken mess at her feet.
“Do it,” Veronica said evenly, ignoring the pleased exclamation on the other end of the line at her words. “May God have mercy on my soul.”
“Sorry, what was that last bit?”
Veronica switched off the TV. “Nothing.”
30
“IT’S ON!”– Fighter World Magazine
“Official Announcement! Nash v Beckinsale II CONFIRMED!” – Fighter Daily
“Super Fight II predicted SELL OUT!” – Daily Telegram
“#superfight number one trending hashtag worldwide” – newsdaily.com.au
MMA Tonight Podcast:
“Hello, everyone, it’s great to have you with us on MMA Tonight. I’m here with my co-host Frank Warren. Right off the top of the show, let’s get into this. Fight fans have been teased with this all day. Reports have been popping up everywhere, but now MMA Tonight can exclusively reveal that what we’ve all been teased with is real.
It is legit, folks. Veronica Nash and Ava Beckinsale. One-on-one. Again. It’s what we’ve all wanted, and yes, I mean all of us. I don’t care who you support—if you think Nash is a genius or a raving lunatic. Or if you think Beckinsale is so green she ought to have the nickname “broccoli” instead of “animal”—ALL fight fans wanted this match up and now we have it.
So, what now? We have three months to wait, but I’m booking my ticket to Sydney tonight. I need to see this for myself.”
“I am predicting, right now, that Nash will annihilate Beckinsale in the first round. Some super fight, huh?”
“It could go that way, bud, but I tell ya, it is a huge testament to Beckinsale’s bravery to get back in the ring against the person that did just that the first time.”
“Jason, bro, if the numbers floating around are accurate, that sentence right there is bullshit. I’m hearing each fighter will pocket a cool three million clear. I guess bravery has a price tag.”
“If you’re good at something, you should get paid for it. That’s my motto.”
“Seems all Beckinsale is good at is filling hospital beds of late.”
“C’mon man, that’s harsh.”