This tag match, coming as it did immediately on the heels of the battle royal that saw the sisterly teams of Jessica & Ashlee Simpson and Britney & Jamie Lynn Spears emerge triumphant, saw all four women already spent and nearing exhaustion from the outset, and so each of them knew they had to strike hard and fast if they had any hope of winning.
Jamie Lynn and Ashlee started the match, as each had been the last two standing in the battle royal. Spears had the edge in speed and agility, but as her strength reserves began to wane, that asset faded, and soon enough Simpson was punishing her mercilessly. Eventually, Jamie Lynn was able to get to her corner and tag in her big sister, and Britney roared into the ring, slamming Ashlee from pillar to post. At the first available opportunity, Ashlee made a beeline for her corner, where she tagged in her own sister.
The Britney/Jessica feud has gone back for nearly a decade, so neither needed an invitation to take the fight to the other. Spears's attack was more physical, although she brought a lot of pain down on her rival with a devastating abdominal stretch; Jessica relied more on technical moves, and as the minutes ticked by, she was clearly wearing down her opponent. Realizing the tide was turning against her, Brit tried desperately to make the tag to her sister, but Jess effectively managed to keep them on the opposite side of the ring. Finally, a superkick put Spears flat on her back, glazed eyes blinking vacantly at the arena ceiling. Britney was prone for the pin, but her adversary wasn't satisfied with that...she wanted a submission.
And everyone knew how she planned to get it.
Jessica's sculpted legs were much admired/feared in the sport, drawing forth submissions from a Who's Who of wrestlers. Tonight, she opted to turn Britney into a blubbering, begging hot mess with one of her most devastating holds, the figure four.
Brit was snapped out of her daze with the first jolt of electric pain to her left gam. She thrashed and squirmed wildly, but to no avail. Torquing up the pressure, Simpson soon enough had her rival in tears, as mascara streaked down Spears's face. Propped up on her elbows, Jessica beamed a smug smile at the sight of her opponent's haplessness. It was just a matter of time, she knew, before Britney screamed her surrender.
And Britney knew it, too. She knew she couldn't hold out against the pain forever, but if she resisted for too long, she might very well have her tendons torn. On the other hand, making the one escape attempt that could possibly work might just break her leg outright. Still, she knew, crippling was preferable to surrender. And so, the blonde began to rock back and forth, trying to build momentum. Jessica quickly realized what she was attempting and worked to halt her effort, but soon enough Spears was able to sloooooooowy roll both her and her tormentor over. As a result, the pressure of the figure four reversed, and now it was Simpson who howled in agony.
Hands desperately reaching out to the nearby ropes, her grasp fell nearly a full foot short. From her corner, Ashley tensed, seemingly ready to charge into the ring and break the hold, but on the other side Jamie Lynn also prepared herself to leap into the fray, and she was closer to the action, so she could be expected to reach Britney and Jessica first to cut of Ashlee's illegal rescue effort. That reality is all that kept Ash from trying it.
As the seconds ticked by, now it was Jessica's turn to be brought to tears, while Britney gave a self-satisfied leer. Simpson continued to struggle, tugging at her own flaxen hair to try and counter the pain in her leg.
Finally, unable to withstand it any longer, Jess began to frantically slap her right palm to the canvas. "Say it!" Britney snarled, and after resisting the humiliation for several seconds more, Simpson finally shrieked, "I GIVE UP! I GIVE UP!"
Once the losing team was sent packing to the locker room (with Ashley having to prop her sister up for long walk back, as Jessica limped along), the ecstatic Spears sisters stood in center ring, where twin pairs of diamond and platinum tiaras were placed upon their heads, and they raised their arms to accept the cheers of the crowd.
Britney & Jamie Lynn Spears
