In one of the old ramshackle hangars that fell under the jurisdiction of the 444th Penal Squadron Air Force Base, there was a circular-like ring sunk into the concrete that would normally fill the floor of a hangar. Roughly-hewn stairs led from either side of the ring into a pit covered with sand. Held in that pit was an event that the 444th Squadron all knew about and enjoyed yet did not speak about.
Opening the half-broken metal door to access the hangar, Commander Alex Williams came inside to find that the fight club was lively early in the morning. The sounds of flesh getting pounded in could be heard over loud chanting. Despite that, Alex's presence was quickly noticed in the pit.
'Morning, Blaze.' Bandog warmly greeted the pilot.
'Morning.' Alex approached the squadron's assistant base adjuntant and AWACS operator. 'Who's on?'
'Trigger and Count. Count's getting his ass kicked.' Bandog replied. Alex scoffed.
'Of course he is.' Alex replied. He stepped through the cheering crowd to see the fight.
In the pit, dressed only in OD green pants and a white tank top, Eric Kovac was in the thick of the fight. His opponent, Count, was getting up from one knee. Once Count was on his feet he rushed at Trigger and unleashed a combo of straight jabs aimed at Eric's head. Eric blocked the first few blows before weaving through the next few blows, getting right in Count's circle and locking out one of his legs before throwing him to the floor. Count landed heavily in the sand, grunting on impact. Eric backed up a few steps.
'Come on Trigger!' Somebody called his name from above the pit.
'Finish him off!' Another person called. Count was on his back breathing heavily, in pain and exhausted.
'Y'know what Trigger,' Count said in between breaths. 'You've got me beat here. I submit.'
The crowd above erupted into one giant cheer. Trigger walked forward and helped Count to his feet, sending him out of the pit.
'Anybody else?!' Trigger roared once Count was safely out. In came Champ, jumping from the top of the pit and ripping off his shirt.
Watching in silence, Alex whistled. Trigger was modestly built but Champ was a hell of a lot taller and stockier than him. However, he didn't object to the matchup.
Trigger rolled his shoulders as Champ approached, a plan in mind. Without much warning Champ lurched forward and swung a fast hook aimed at Trigger's head. Trigger ducked under the blow and released a hard straight jab at Champ's liver. The blow was right on point, stunning Champ and dropping him. Without any resistance from the much bigger fighter, Trigger then pulled Champ's head forward and kneed him straight in the nose. There was a loud crunch as Champ's nose broke. Trigger pulled Champ up to his feet and then gave him a final hook to the cheek, sending him flying onto his back. Champ hit the deck hard and didn't get up. Trigger was the victor of this fight.
Alex laughed, having seen the outcome in mind happening. Champ was big but he was also an idiot with poor form against somebody who could actually fight. A couple of Spare members went down into the pit and dragged Champ out, again leaving Trigger alone down there. The crowd was laughing at Champ's utter failure
'That was fucking embarrasing.' Full Band said out of laughter from nearby Alex's position.
'Think you can do any better?' Alex retorted. Full Band shook his black-hair covered head.
'No way in hell, not without a foot in the door.' Full Band admitted fully his physical shortcomings. Alex smirked and looked back to the pit. Trigger was parading around looking for a new challenger. After Champ had been dropped so suddenly nobody was stepping up. After a few seconds, Trigger saw Alex and stared at him. Alex returned the stare coldly, arms crossed.
'What about you, sir?' Trigger was challenging Alex to a fight. 'Want to step in the ring with me?'
Alex's face remained stoic for a moment, but he soon broke into a smirk. Alex uncrossed his arms and unbuttoned his jacket. The black t-shirt he wore also came off so that he was bare-chested in the true fight club experience. Alex threw his upper half to Bandog and circled around the pit until he hit the stairs. Spare Squadron stayed out of his way. Alex jumped down the last couple of stairs, landing with a splash on the sand.
It was on. Blaze, the Demon Lord of the Razgriz Straits, against Trigger, the monster with the Three Strikes.
Blaze took the initiative and struck first, jumping forward and striking out with a superman jab. Trigger blocked the jab with his forearm but was forced back by Blaze's forward momentum. Almost immediately Trigger started his counter offensive by launching a low kick at Blaze's flank. Blaze caught Trigger's leg and pulled him close, playing into the latter's plan when he tried headbutting Blaze. Blaze saw the headbutt coming and pulled his head back so that Trigger hit him in the collarbone causing little pain. Now that Trigger was in his grasp, Blaze went for the knee to Trigger's crotch. Trigger grunted on impact but rolled with the blow and then tried to headbutt Blaze again, this time landing a hit. Realising that a brawl within grappling distance wasn't going to work, Blaze grabbed Trigger by the throat and squeezed hard. Trigger started choking but now that Blaze wasn't holding his leg and waist with both hands he pulled free and kicked Blaze in the liver. As was typical for human biology, Blaze dropped and released Trigger. Trigger backed up to catch his breath. Both of them were stunned.
Blaze recovered first, got back up on his feet and charged at Trigger. Moving like a bullet Trigger didn't have enough time to move out of the way. Blaze shoulder-charged the former and knocked the younger pilot on his ass. Even over the chanting and shouting one would have been able to hear Trigger hit the deck. Although in pain Trigger could still perceive that Blaze was about to kick him in the throat and rolled out of the way. Blaze kicked up sand while Trigger spun around and kicked Blaze in the knee, putting him in the sand. Both of them took the time to get up before launching more blows at each other and now they were in the same situation as when they started.
This time Trigger launched the assault first with a quick and furious set of punches and kicks, forcing Blaze into a defensive stance. Jabs and hooks were blocked with his hands and forearms. Kicks both low, straight and high were either dodged or blocked with counter-kicks and elbow blocks. Eventually Blaze's back was forced to the edge of the pit where he couldn't just back up. This worked to his advantage. Blaze stuck himself to the wall and let Trigger get up close to him with his fast-paced punches. Whatever hits he couldn't block, Blaze took. Trigger didn't let up and even started getting faster with his punches. Eventually the fight looked like a blur. However, fatigue quickly built up and Trigger eventually slowed down, which was when Blaze saw an opportunity and took it. Trigger let out a heavy blow aimed for Blaze's head. Blaze ducked around the blow just before it was going to land, sending Trigger's fist straight into the roughly-hewn concrete directly behind him. Trigger shouted in pain and recoiled.
Blaze began his final attack with an uppercut straight to the jaw. He hit Trigger with so much force that there was a pop sound. Trigger fell back, concussed. Blaze moved forward, grabbed Trigger by the hair and started repeatedly punching him in the face. His blows weren't light, either. Blood started flowing from Trigger's nose. Once the latter's mouth was liberally covered in his own blood, Blaze let Trigger go, dropped and swung his legs out from underneath him. Concussed and without a proper sense of balance, Trigger landed on his back in the sand. He wasn't moving much.
To end the fight, Blaze knelt down next to Trigger and let out a punch from above straight into Trigger's liver. Trigger fell into the fetal position and was now firmly out of the fight. Alex stood up and stepped back, his knuckles bruised and his right hand dusted with blood. He looked up around him. Where there had been cheers and chanting for Trigger, there was silence for Blaze. He had just savaged Trigger so hard that he was on the floor still recoiling.
Blaze picked up Trigger, placing him over his shoulder in a fireman's carry and walking up the pit. Everybody stayed out of his way. Still shirtless, Blaze didn't bother to pick up his shirt and flight jacket from Bandog. Instead he went to the entrance of the hangar, opened the door and took Trigger to the base's medbay.