Writing a fight scene is extremely dependent on the direction of your story. If your story has a power system, fights will almost always center around such a system. If you're story is more realistic then keep fights grounded in reality. If you want to maintain the fantastical atmosphere then create battles that are as mind blowing as the world. Theme and symbolism can also be woven into conflicts but don't let it distract from the scene, particularly if you're writing a realistic fight.
Additionally, consider the reason why people are fighting and the nature of the participants. Competitive fighting, such as sports, are often devoid of insults and both parties tend to be as focused on victory as possible. So imagine two people just trying their hardest to efficiently murder the other. If the fighting must be a spectacle, like gladiatorial bouts, there maybe elements of showmanship such as dancing around the enemy or kicking an opponent's weapon out of their hand.
In regards to the fighters, personality has a strong effect on the fights. Cocky fighters or those that look down on their opponents are the most likely to speak and shit talk. More cunning opponents may use words to distract or probe enemies into action, whereas honorable fighters will preface the fight with a short talk then do battle. So far the only time I've heard people have verbal bouts in real life fights was during a money match for show and another fight due to personal reasons. The latter fight started because someone insulted another person's recently deceased father which led to the second person challenging the first to scrap. During said fight, the second person continuously shouted insults at the first person because he was till furious about the disparaging comments directed towards his deceased father. He continued yelling at the other person even while he was being dragged away to prevent the other guy from getting hospitalized.
A general rule for writing such a scene is to be fairly detailed but not a full play by play. Your real friend is the reader's imagination which will be able to create a beautiful scene with enough data. Additionally, inner dialogue is not something that I recommend. It would only make sense if you are writing a skilled and experienced fighter who isn't in a fast paced, life or death battle. In my personal experience, my thoughts during fights have amounted to 'shit, run' or 'wait for opportunity to punch face' at best.
In addition, fights can be either strategic or sorely lacking in said department. Strategic fights involve rigorous planning and implementing the story's power system to its fullest. A very good example of quality strategic battles is HxH, which I highly recommend.
Since I'm procrastinating at this moment, I'll provide a personal experience that has been repurposed for literary use.
Boiling with anger, the guy in front of me swung his fist towards my torso.
"You little bitch," he yelled while his arm hurtled through the air.
Desperately, I raised my arms to block the blow, the force of his punch reverberating through my arm.
"Dude, we can talk this out," I begged while struggling to avoid his strikes.
My plea fell on deaf ears as my opponent continued to press the attack against me.
Cornered against a wall, I had no choice but to try and force an escape through my opponent. Mustering my waning strength, I slammed my fist into his cheek, our bones colliding against one another.
As he staggered for just a moment, I swiftly jerked my body and tried to bolt away from him. However, an arm wrapped itself around my side before I could get away.
I turned back to face the angry big guy and tried to loosen his grip with a flurry of punches and kicks while simultaneously wriggling my body out of his grasp.
But this all proved futile as my opponent pulled me ever closer.
Now grappling with a much larger opponent, I realized that I was well and truly fucked.
Me at that moment: View attachment 9082
