MMA System: I Will Be Pound For Pound Goat

Aside from the enticing money, the new contract came with conditions that added an edge of excitement and pressure.

Damon's six-fight deal wasn't just about the paychecks, it also came with challenges that would test him early on.

Two of those six fights had already been outlined, though only one was confirmed.

The first was set for the UFA's inaugural event of the new year. Damon would step into the cage against Calvin Oland.

At first, he had hesitated. Calvin was a big personality, loud in the media and relentless in his trash talk.

He knew, during his interview he had said Calvin was seeking attention, basically said he wasn't worth fighting, and now he was fighting, but the fight was offered.

But rejecting the fight? That wasn't an option.

Damion knew what it would look like. Refusing would lead to claims of fear and ducking. He wasn't like that at all.

He didn't back down. Ever.

So, he accepted the challenge, even if he didn't particularly like it. "I'll shut him up in the cage," Damon had told Victor after the meeting. "Let him say whatever he wants for now."

The second fight, however, was more ambiguous.

UFA made it clear they'd evaluate Damon's performance in his match against Calvin before deciding his next opponent.

It was both a reward and a challenge.

Damon understood the implications, his next fight would be a direct reflection of how much faith the organization had in him.

It would determine whether he'd be propelled further into the rankings or given another test just outside the top 10.

With the negotiations behind him, Damon's focus shifted entirely back to his craft.

The fight against Calvin was just a few weeks away, and while there hadn't been an official announcement yet, Damon knew it was only a matter of time before the UFA made it public.

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Damon cleared his mind, refocusing his energy. He had been training hard, pushing his limits with every session.

Today was no different, and he was sparring with Ty and Ash in a focused mix of wrestling and BJJ.

He moved quickly and precisely as he went in for a takedown. Sweat ran down his face.

This time, though, instead of going for the legs, Damon adjusted mid-motion, wrapping his arms tightly around Ty's waist.

Ty, a massive heavyweight who dwarfed Damon, barely had time to react before he felt himself being lifted off the ground.

"Whoa!" Ty exclaimed, his voice tinged with genuine surprise.

Ash, who had been leaning against the ropes watching, instantly stood up straight, his mouth falling open in shock. "No way… Did he just—?"

Damon clenched his teeth and strained his muscles as he lifted Ty into the air.

As a middleweight lifted a heavyweight wrestler who looked like a small truck, it almost seemed impossible for a moment.

Damon carefully put Ty back down on the mat with steady control.

Damon stumbled back and laughed as soon as Ty's feet hit the ground. "Oh, shit… my back."

He playfully rubbed his lower back, chuckling as he caught his breath.

The adrenaline coursing through him dulled any real ache he might have felt.

Ty stood there for a moment, visibly stunned. "Did you… did you just lift me? Like… up?"n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Ash walked closer, shaking his head in disbelief. "Damon, you just lifted Ty. Ty! The guy who makes trucks look small!"

Ty turned toward Ash, feigning offense. "Hey, I'm not that big."

Ash raised an eyebrow. "Dude, you're massive. And Damon here just picked you up like you were nothing."

Ty laughed, patting his waist. "Alright, alright. I'll admit it. That was impressive. But seriously, D, what the hell have you been eating?"

Damon shrugged, grinning as he adjusted his gloves. "Same stuff as always. I guess all this training is paying off. Either that, or I've got secret superpowers I didn't know about."

Ash crossed his arms, still looking at Damon like he had just witnessed a miracle. "Man, I've never seen anyone your size do that. Not even some of the bigger guys around here could pull that off."

Damon leaned against the ropes, his smirk widening. "Hey, don't gas me up too much. I'll start thinking I'm invincible."

Ty stepped forward, towering over Damon as he grinned. "Well, if you're feeling invincible, how about we go again? Let's see if you can pull that stunt twice."

Damon raised a hand, laughing as he backed up. "Whoa, whoa. Let's not push it, Ty. My back needs a breather, man."

Ash leaned against the edge of the cage, his tone teasing. "Yeah, don't push him, Ty. We still need Damon alive for his fight next month. Can't have him breaking himself in practice."

Ty shrugged, his smirk still in place. "Fair enough. But damn, man, that was insane. You're getting scary strong, D. Just don't let it get to your head."

Damon chuckled, wiping sweat from his brow. "Trust me, I'm not. But it's good to know all the hard work is paying off."

Ash clapped his hands together, breaking the moment. "Alright, enough resting. Let's see if you can use that strength on the mats. Damon, you're rolling with me next."

Damon sighed dramatically, stepping toward the center of the mat. "Guess I'll find out if I'm invincible or not."

Ash smirked as he crouched into position. "Spoiler alert: You're not. But let's see what you've got."

While Damon dropped into his stance, his body was both loose and tense.

Ash, who was standing across from him, copied the movement, his face fixed and unmoving.

When it came to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Ash was just as good as Ty was in wrestling in his own way.

He was exact, methodical, and never gave up.

But Damon wasn't intimidated. He'd bested Ash before, though it had never been easy.

It was always close between them, sometimes too close to be safe, and sometimes he was not victorious.

Damon knew that he would need a mile to make up for every inch he gave Ash on the mats.

Still, he was more versatile than him.

Ash was good at groundwork, but Damon knew everything there was to know about MMA.

If they added strikes, the story would be very different, and Damon would always come out on top.

"Alright," Ash said with a cool and firm tone in his voice."Let's see if you can handle me today."

Damon smirked, his confidence unwavering. "I've handled you plenty of times, Ash. What's one more?"

Ash didn't respond, instead lunging forward with a quick feint to gauge Damon's reaction.

Damon didn't bite, his stance solid as he kept his eyes locked on Ash's every move.

Ash moved again, this time shooting for a single-leg takedown.

Damon reacted instantly, sprawling hard and pushing Ash's head down to break the momentum.

Ash adjusted mid-motion, transitioning to grab Damon's waist, but Damon was ready.

Using his improved strength and technique, he shifted his hips and locked in an underhook, forcing Ash to reset.