[Tiberius J.C.]

Personally, I don't believe for an instant the idea that Courtney had never fought until she met Bill, and that she was only doing it because he thought it would be a good way to get her out of her comfort zone. No one could master all those judo throws in a few weeks, nor could they do so without partners approximately their own size to practice with. It's also obvious that she has the instincts of a fighter, which are not those of a victim. It's also true that the kind of men who enjoy bullying women are turned off by women with fire in their bellies; the type that excite them are the ones who display fear.

So my theory (What is it, that it is, this theory of mine?) is that Courtney's been fighting since the age of eight and thrown out of more dojos for excessive zeal than Chris Christie's had hot dinners. And that Bill, with the leisure that money alone affords, had been attending tournaments and hanging out in gyms and dojos for some years on the lookout for a girl through whom he could fulfil his own fantasies, and either heard about Courtney's killer streak or witnessed it in action at some tournament where she was disqualified for deliberately injuring an opponent, and thought: "that's my girl".

That's my theory, (that I have, which is to say, that is mine), and it's based on hard fact: or, rather, a catfight story set in Taiwan (but written in Spanish) in which the villainess is a vicious and very beautiful American fighter who was recruited in her early teens by a Taiwanese promoter who saw her at a tai-kwon-do tournament in the States and knew a star when he saw one.

So, although it's my theory, it is, er, stolen. Unlike that of Anne Elk (Miss):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAYDiPizDIs&t=3s

[Kiva]

@snw: Thanks for commenting. Yes, I think Jennifer should think long and hard about a rematch. Courtney’s true skill level in anyone’s guess and she showed surprising strength in the first match. It could be worse for Jennifer next time.

@Tiberius J.C.: Good theory. Yes, it’s clear Courtney is an experienced fighter and she sandbagged Jennifer. Mike tried to warn his wife. The exact nature of Courtney’s  relationship with Bill is unclear but your idea makes sense.

One plot problem with future Courtney and Bill stories is that the producer and other wrestlers will all be wise to their act. They’ll need to go elsewhere to fool and manipulate opponents after Bill gave a lot of money to this one company. Catpin world maybe?

That Monty Python Anne Elk sketch reminds me of local public access television I saw growing up. There were shows and interviews with local people who were not photogenic or accustomed to speaking in front of a camera, creating some cringy television. Maybe that’s why I liked watching it.

Is “sandbagger” a slang term outside the U.S.? If so, this might help.
https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/sandbagger#:~:text=If%20someone%20deliberately%20misleads%20you,use%20deception%20to%20gain%20something.

[snw]

For sure they couldn’t run this same routine where they’ve done it before. I’d say outside of Jennifer falling for it, most likely other opponents wouldn’t have the same amount of sympathy or even try to understand Bill and Courtney’s game during a match. Jennifer was subsequent since she was a nurse. Most opponents might find it odd but wouldn’t worry too much about it. Especially after the flashes Courtney showed of the ability to hurt her opponent.
        I could see Mike encouraging Jennifer to wrestle Courtney again, or just a flat out fight to get revenge. Whether he admits it or even realizes it himself, I’m sure he had some level of arousal witnessing Jennifer lose since he’d never seen that happen to her. Not necessarily while Jennifer was being hurt, although he might. When the match had been though and Courtney wasn’t hurting her very much but was showing her dominance by humiliating her, on some level had to effect him. Maybe not during the act but later on thinking about it would be hard not to think about another hot girl controlling his wife in front of him. In some respect I’m sure Jennifer is wondering what he was thinking watching Courtney do that to her. She may feel she has to have a rematch just to satisfy her own thoughts of how Mike sees her now. So many thoughts and angles to consider is what makes your stories so compelling. When the match is over it isn’t quite over for the reader trying to think what is and what isn’t, as well as the what if’s.