Honestly, he expected that he wouldn't be able to land the hit. What he didn't expect was when Krem grabbed his arm and he found himself airborne for a few moments. Hitting the ground was a normal thing for Sam, but it still smarted.

Sam gives a pained groan at being sent to his ass, his face scrunching a bit. "Uuugh, now that's a matter of pride," he mutters when Krem pats him on the shoulder. He was sure to feel that later.

Grabbing a hold of Krem's hand, Sam gets back to his feet. Again, huh? Stepping back he falls back into a stance. Even if Krem said he had reach and weight on his side, the Charger had the experience and being a bit shorter made it easier to dodge his attacks.

Sam waits longer this time, a plan forming in his head. This time when he attacks he takes Krem's suggestion and going attack from below. He can see Krem moving and going for a counter when his punch misses, briefly grazing a shoulder. Rather than getting caught and being thrown again though, Sam slips back into a Fade step. Instead of running this time, like the previous times, Sam takes the chance to reappear behind Krem and hook his arm around his neck.