ROUND THREE The Dragons(0-0) vs The Pirates (0-0)

Round three opens on a knife's edge. The Dragons and the Pirates stare each other down, nothing separating them. Thirty seconds crawl by, thick with sweat and tension. Then Jessie Cox twists free, grabs the Dragon's wrist, and flips the hold. Her body slams into the mat, hips angled just right, and she scores. The clock shows less than fifteen seconds. The crowd holds its breath. Blonde hair sticks to her cheek as the Dragon scrambles beneath her, thighs locked, breath ragged. One more second. One more point. The Pirates tie it at the buzzer. Both teams press in close, bodies still burning, eyes already promising what comes next.