fight back
• counterattack or retaliate in a fight, struggle, or contest.
• "Cameron fought back as hard as he could"
• attempt to repress a feeling or its expression.
• "she had to fight back tears of frustration"
fightback
noun
• a great effort to gain a position of strength made by a person or group who seem likely to lose a contest.
• "a storming second-half fightback from Chelsea"
