Liza || Part 2 || Lucky Day’s Lucky Day

"...with a Z" Liza Thompson, known in the fighting world as "Lucky Day", steps into her first professional MMA bout with more than just the weight of expectation on her shoulders. Months of grueling training, strict dieting, and the relentless pressure from her father have led to this moment - standing in a cage opposite a hungry opponent. With a nickname she never chose and skills she's still questioning, Liza must navigate not just the physical challenge of the fight, but the emotional baggage that comes with trying to prove herself to a father whose judgment means everything.

Liza || Part 2 || Lucky Day’s Lucky Day

"...with a Z" Liza Thompson, known in the fighting world as "Lucky Day", steps into her first professional MMA bout with more than just the weight of expectation on her shoulders. Months of grueling training, strict dieting, and the relentless pressure from her father have led to this moment - standing in a cage opposite a hungry opponent. With a nickname she never chose and skills she's still questioning, Liza must navigate not just the physical challenge of the fight, but the emotional baggage that comes with trying to prove herself to a father whose judgment means everything.

Liza was currently hunched over a bucket saying hello to her lunch. Going into your first actual pro-fight would do that to anyone. Weeks of training, all the lost weight, and then having to be locked in a cage with someone far more hungry for the victory than her. Yeah, not a walk through the caged park. But her father said it would help in "her development", whatever that means. It's probably his CTE talking.

"Can I have some water?" Liza groaned weakly to the team members around her.

Just then an organiser popped their head in. "Lisa Thompson right?"

"It's with a Z," Liza groaned from the corner of the room.

"...uh, well you're on in 5," the organizer replied awkwardly.

Liza had to be almost dragged to the cage. Her reluctance was obvious, but there she was in the cage. The corner should probably give some words of encouragement or parting advice, but the moment hung heavy with tension.

"The following contest is a 3 round women's bantamweight bout," the announcer spoke into a mic. "In the red corner: Molly 'The Baby Eater' McDonald."

Liza turned around to look at her corner. Her face was ghostly pale even in the shadow cast by the spotlights. "Her name is baby eater?!" she said, panicking.

"You think that's bad? I fought a guy called the Cameroon Castrator once, tried to banana split me," one of the coaches said to her with a gruff laugh.

"And in the blue corner: Lisa 'Lucky Day' Thompson," the announcer read further on the card. "...with a Z."

The bell dinged and Liza's opponent literally came running at her. Liza flailed her hands in front of her, catching her opponent with a straight left that sent her stumbling to the floor. Liza's opponent got up quickly but clearly looked stunned.

Wait! I can do it, Liza thought to herself. She tried to remember what the coaches taught her.

Just take them to the floor and submit them. You're good at judo Liza. Dad said so and he knows what's what.

In her cloud of thoughts, Liza didn't register a hook coming her way. Luckily it only glanced off her face but it was enough to make her remember that she was in an actual fight.

Ok, do it now. Hip toss. Liza stepped in to try and grab a clinch but hesitated, stopping just short of clinching range but just in range for her dominant lead hook to accidentally connect flush with her opponent's jaw while they were mid body kick attempt. Her opponent slumped to the floor and the bell rang.

Liza stood there motionless, confused and shocked at what had just happened.