Friday, February 3, 2017

Wrestling Room Battle: Men's Team vs Women's Team

MATCH 1 

Mihaela Boneva (Bulgaria) vs Lee Jun-sik (South Korea)

A wrestling training camp turned into a battle of the sexes last month after a leaking roof put one of the two mat rooms at the Bulgarian Olympic Sports Center out of commission. The top women wrestlers from all over the world had gathered for a two week training session.

At the same time, male wrestlers from international universities were spending there winter break training at the same facility. With only one matroom now open, the two groups of wrestlers had to decide who would get the room during prime daytime hours. Obviously, they would have to wrestle for it! The women and the men each selected 7 wrestlers in different weight classes to compete. Whichever side won the most matches could use the matroom during the day.

The losing team had to wait until the winners finished each day. Matches would be according to freestyle rules. The only exception: No points and no breaks. Wrestlers would battle nonstop until one had pinned the other.

WRESTLE!

Local Olympian Miheala Boneva was first up for the women's team. She looked confident as she warmed up on the edge of the mat. Her long blonde braids made her look quite harmless, but she was a tough wrestler who had won a silver medal at the Rio games.

The Korean male knew that, but he didn't see intimidated. In fact, the men were making bets on how fast he would pin the female wrestler. Boneva and Lee were now in the center of the mat, staring each other down.

They shook hands and with the tweet of the whistle grabbed hold of each other and began their epic battle. Lee had done a lot of greco in the past and had more upper body strength than the Bulgarian lady wrestler, so he tried to turn that to his advantage, clenching her tight and locking his hands behind her back.

The women on the sidelines could see what he was doing and screamed for her to break free. But it was too late. A wave of testosterone filled the gym as the Korean stud lifted Boneva off her feat and slammed her into the mat with a massive smack. The men cheered, sure that he would finish her off after such a devastating throw.

 But this match wasn't going to be that easy. The men's cheers turned to gasps as Boneva refused to let Lee get on top of her. She pulled out to the side, wrapped her arm around his and before he knew what happened she was on his back using her leverage to try to turn him over.

The women were delighted to see this big muscular Korean struggling to escape. Boneva kept pressure on Lee's right arm, extending it to the danger point. The referee was afraid she was going to break his arm so stopped the punishment and brought them back to their feet.

 An emboldened Boneva went in for a single leg take down, knocking Lee onto his ass before he know what hit him. The Korean tried turned to his belly but the Bulgarian had already trapped on of his legs against the other and was wrapping her legs sound the free one.

The male wrestlers were panicking. They could see she was going for a leg turk and if she got that she could pin their man. But it was too late. Boneva mounted the Korean and pulled his head down to the mat. Lee fought as hard as he could. Sweat poured off his face. He struggled to breathe. Slowly but surely Boneva pushed him down. Lee was helpless. He knew it was over.

With one last grunt he tried to shove her off, but it was no use. Lee collapsed and Boneva shoved his shoulder as deep as she could into the mat. A simultaneous slap and tweet signaled the match was finished.

High pitched cheers overtook the women's side of the gym as Boneva leapt up and pumped her fist in the air. Lee buried his face in his hands, rocking back and forth on the mat, knowing he had not only been humiliated but let his whole team down.

The female champion did a victory lap around the mat as the defeated male got to his knees and then to his feet.

The ref raised Boneva's arm high and Lee, head, down, slumped off the mat and into the lockerroom.