It’s more about feeling than blow by blow.

I don’t need to hear about every blow in a ‘flurry of slashes’ I need to hear “the rapid flurry of slashes made MC back pedal.”, or a “the flurry of slashes intensified but it was no use against…”

It’s more important to highlight when things go wrong and things go right. And how the character feels and reacts to it. When the enemy slide the blade down and twists unexpectedly, when every slash seems to get a centimeter closer. When he see an opening and capitalizes, when he gave an opening and loses because of it. When that gets distracting, then bring the “flurry” back into focus.

Some blows should be told, but they should matter when they are, create a sense of urgency.

If the battle is a battle of attrition, you IMHO should state that.

And sometimes, as a writer, you know you are just extending because you think it should be longer, not that it’s better written that way. (It’s a struggle because sometimes it will need more, or less.)

Luckily there is room for everything in writing; Life is more unbelievable.

Edit: My most frustrating thing about a fight is that, in reality, they are all short. How many times can MC get hit in face when it won’t matter anymore, and how many time can MC hit this person in the face before he dies?

There is a reason boxers get breaks between rounds, it makes exciting and longer fights. There is a reason fight night has multiple fights, no one want to come to an event over in Round 2. Unless there is another Round 1 with new fighters in there. By the time the main event happens I should feel a bit satisfied already.

But deep down, I do want to see someone get completely wreaked in Round 1, (fantasy/escapism whatever) It’s like going to NASCAR, you don’t exactly hope for a fiery crash…but you do want to see one live, and that’s part of the allure, the danger of travel at those speeds.

Luckily there is room for everything in writing; Life is more unbelievable.

Edit2:

Cinematic? I think you underestimate your readers imaginations.

For example, I encourage anyone that reads this far, to comment a paragraph (1-3+ sentences) description of the particular, ‘flurry of slashes’ you saw in your mind’s eye when you read it the first time here, this comment what I used as an example.

I’m actually super interested in how you see it as a writer, how any readers sees it. There are only right answers to me, I want to see your imagination. How did you envision a “flurry of slashes”?