Ela Sha felt very lucky to have gotten her conversion and not run into some of the difficulties that the others in the ring she'd been in did. Her family had always been very traditional and didn't want their "baby girl" getting "dirty" like a boy, and that had always rubbed her the wrong way, as she grew into being a fairly big tomboy. She didn't mind being female, and when boys she liked paid attention to her, she knew she liked that, but she also knew she was never going to be the sort to wear a skirt and just go shopping or things like that. Particularly when she remembered growing up and seeing all the fun sports that boys did, there was boxing and wrestling, and mixed martial arts. She even found a sports channel on cable that showed lucha libre and she liked it of that. Following things often upset her folks and she had to promise she wouldn't mess with it in school, which she technically did, but after school, it was where she did get into it.
At times she was surprised by how many she had found that shared the same sorts of interests. Blowing off steam, competing directly at something other than knitting, and getting some real exercise. They didn't always have the same path, but they had the same interests and Ela Sha didn't mind that. Though, because matches had to be set up in rather secret ways, there was always trouble and then injuries couldn't be immediately treated or cared for because that would expose the ring, and the fighter would be responsible for paying for those injuries, all of which contributed to the legal issues surrounding it all. For if those rings were caught, she could then find herself with nothing, particularly as she'd drifted into it on a fairly regular basis almost as soon as her parents weren't watching. And some minor injuries were always frustrating, and Ela Sha counted herself as lucky that she didn't get caught.
Now, as a Kodiak Bear Animalian, he got that chance. She easily towered over any Human man and had more muscle than any of them could ever hope to have without becoming an Animalian. And the long claws that extended from each fingertip added to the image of toughness that Ela Sha liked and wanted and would surely find that her parents wouldn't be able to complain as much. After all the Kodiak Bear was the largest Brown Bear, and thus the largest terrestrial predator, with Polar Bears being classified as a marine predator. And they lived fairly active and robust lives, where both males and females potentially had to fight. Males for dominance and mating rights, females to defend cubs, and in theory if they were hunting something on Kodiak Island, they'd probably have to fight with that once they caught it, assuming it was big enough to fight back. So, her parents couldn't complain about her getting into the UFC-A as a Kodiak Bear Animalian.
The thing she was most eager for was her first expected matchup, and it was one that made sense. She knew that Lyre/Animalia had a few Polar Bear Animalians in residence and with one looking like a massively oversized kid with the height comparable to an adult Polar Animalian, but the build and frame closer to that of a child, but she was pretty sure that the kid wouldn't be in the UFC-A and she wasn't fully familiar with Animalia yet to know exactly who she would be matched against. Thankfully, Brett Horne was able to arrange a meeting with her potential opponent and set the schedule for that matchup. She looked forward to it and jogged through the Claw Coliseum lobby throwing punches into the air and making extremely sure that she wasn't going to hit anyone, as while combat sports fascinated her, she didn't want to get in trouble for assault. Thankfully, she didn't run into anyone as the long clows on her feet clicked across the floor. There were some people that were coming down a flight of stairs in jogging gear and looked to her with wide eyes.
"Bears walk plantigrade, just like people do," Ela Sha told them, “It’s what makes them great."
"Yes... you seem chipper about something though," one of them said.
"I'll be getting my first official UFC-A bout set up," Ela Sha answered with an obvious smile, "Of course, I'm going to be excited."
She passed the two with a wave and made her way up the stairs and noted the sign for the level and followed the directions that Brett Horne had given her. It wasn't long before she came to one of the doors that were part of the UFC-A offices in the Claw Coliseum and specifically the one that was Brett Horne's office. She knocked on the door and waited for the male voice to answer with a "come in" before she entered. She found Brett Horne seated at his desk and looking over it. He gave a small smile and stood up to reach over the table and shook Ela Sha's hand as she came closer. It easily allowed her to note the height difference between them. She was easily taller than any man she'd ever known after becoming an Animalian, but she was still easily looking up to Brett Horne's parrot-like beak and especially the horns that lined his frill.
"Thank you for coming in, Ms. Sha," Brett spoke as he shook Ela Sha's hand, "most of this is just to set the schedule for this match and how it will fit in with a lot of the UFC-A matches that a run... regardless of the sport. Be it boxing, wrestling, or various others... including MMA."
"Yes... I am to assume I'd also meet the opponent?" Ela Sha asked.
"Yes, I'm here," came a feminine voice, making Ela Sha turn.
She found a lone Polar Bear Animalian seated in one of the chairs in front of Brett's desk. The Polar Bear Animalian wore a dark blue shirt with the word "ice" written in white block letters stretched out over her chest and a pair of light blue shorts. Her white fur seemed shorter than Ela Sha's and the shoulder muscles between the Polar Bear Animalian's neck and shoulders lacked the obvious bulge that Ela Shah had found her own muscles had gained. The two shook hands and gave Ela Sha a further confirmation on the difference between the two bear species that they were. The Polar Bear Animalian had shorter claws than Ela Sha did as a Kodiak Bear Animalian.
"I'm looking forward to a good match, and one that won't get anyone in trouble," Ela Sha said to her, "Ms..."
"You can just call me Molly," Molly answered, "and "not get in trouble?" Were you in some kind of underground thing? I mean, the UFC has been out for a while and they have women fighters. My wife and I joined mostly because Animalia gave us a shot to actually get into it."
"Your wife?" Ela Sha asked curious, "you wouldn't want to show the boys how strong you are?"
"I'm fine with showing them I'm strong," Molly chuckled, "but Shelly will always have my heart and we have fairly frequent wrestling matches... though... they're more... intimate than this."
"I'd imagine," El Sha responded, "though... yes, I'd gotten caught up in some underground rings. My parents never wanted me to get into it when I was Human and kept a tight leash on me while growing up. Once I'd grown up... I managed to find work that wouldn't be too stressful and gave me some flexibility. And I could then compete in the way I wanted to when I was growing up... now, though, I can do it openly and my parents can't whine. As Kodiak Bears may have to fight, including females. Thus, I can wrestle and show how strong I am."
"Well, hopefully it'll be a good match," Molly answered.
Ela Sha nodded in agreement to that. She could tell that in boxing or wrestling or just about anything else, that Molly would be a good match for her. They were both well-muscled and the only vulnerability that Molly had, Ela Sha also had. As they settled their immediate conversation, they then turned back to Brett Horne, who had sat back down.
"Now, with the IAC coming up in the summer, a lot of the official UFC-A matches are wound down or rescheduled to give room and time for the various other sporting events to go on, and to make sure that our doctors are on hand for the amateur tournament participants," Brett spoke, "but we do have the room for a match to serve as the starting point of the games... so it'd be scheduled for prime time, seven PM, here in Animalia on June 1."
"So Polar Bear and Kodiak on June first to kick off the IAC matches," Ela Sha commented.
"Yes, and it will be scheduled as a Olympic style wrestling," Brett Horne spoke, "largely to work with the fact that the main IAC events is Olympic wrestling..."
"Like the Olympics," Ela Sha noted.
Brett nodded, "and we can provide some coaches and trainers if you aren't familiar with the rules."
"I'm good with them," Molly answered.
"I've watched the Olympic matches when I could," Ela Sha nodded, "so I think I can manage it... but I'd accept the coaching and help."
"It will be available for both," Brett Horne answered, "though, we'd also need to make sure you're in separate areas to practice. Essentially to make sure there is nothing to generate controversy or potential accusations of cheating or foul play."
"Makes sense," Molly nodded, "I take it our match wouldn't be much more than ceremonial for the UFC-A?"
"You'd get statistics for the basic standings," Brett Horne answered, "but nothing much more beyond that... for obvious reasons. Anything more formal will come later ."
"That's acceptable," Molly and Ela Sha both accepted that.
"You will also both have to accept specialized gloves and muzzles to make sure no one is clawed or bitten," Brett Horne spoke.
"Of course," Ela Sha nodded, "I don't want to get seriously hurt and I'm sure Molly doesn't either."