MMA System: I Will Be Pound For Pound Goat

The following week mirrored the last in many ways, with Damon keeping up his routine.

The difference was the training intensity, it had begun to taper off as the fight approached.

He focused less on striking, which he had drilled to perfection, and instead poured his efforts into wrestling and grappling.

His decision to hone in on wrestling wasn't random.

Damon knew he had good striking skills, but he thought that getting better on the ground might help him stay unexpected.

His opponent wouldn't expect the same kind of versatility.

Now, the day had come. Damon was leaving for Las Vegas, Nevada, where he would fight in the T-Mobile Arena.

The flight was booked, his bags were packed, and his gear was ready.

Damon rode in a cab to the gym, his mind focused but calm.

Unlike his usual trips to the arena with only his team and Victor, this time was different. His friends were coming along for the journey.

The gym served as their meeting point before heading to the airport.

The UFA typically covered all travel expenses for fighters and their teams, but Victor had stepped in this time, handling everything.

They all wanted to see Damon fight, most importantly see him get into the UFA ranking.

While they couldn't be with Damon in every fight he would be in, they wanted to be there for the important ones.

Damon hadn't argued. He knew better than to question Victor when he had something planned.

After all why would we when he was traveling with hid friends and... Svetlana.

He got out of the taxi when it got to the gym and grabbed his bag from the trunk. Inside, he could hear the normal activity of activity.

But his focus wasn't on the gym today. His friends were already gathered near the entrance, chatting animatedly.

Ash noticed him first, grinning as he waved. "Look who decided to show up!"

Joey smirked. "About time. Thought you were gonna ditch us."

Svetlana stood off to the side, her smile warm but calm as her eyes met Damon's. "Ready?" she asked simply.

Damon nodded, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Always."

He didn't see Edward or Ashley, which wasn't surprising since they'd mentioned they couldn't make it.

His eyes lingered for a moment, and he frowned slightly, pausing his thoughts.

Ty's probably not here either.

But just as that crossed his mind, Ty stepped out from the gym's side entrance, his calm expression unchanged as he joined the group.

Damon shook his head with a small smirk. "Of course, you'd show up last minute."

Ty gave him a slight nod, his usual understated way of acknowledging things.

Ash was leaning against the wall when Ty turned to look at him. As he walked by, he hit him hard on the shoulder.

"Dude!" Ash groaned, rubbing his shoulder and glaring. "What was that for?"

Ty grinned. "Just checking if you're awake."

Victor, who stood nearby, clapped his hands loudly, commanding their attention. "Alright, everyone, let's get moving! Bags in the car, let's not waste time. Plane's not going to wait for us."

Svetlana chuckled at Victor's words, her voice light and teasing. "Dad, you own the plane. It's not like it's going anywhere without you."

Victor looked at her with a blank look on his face, and his deadpan answer was full of fake gravity. "And yet, if we're late, I'm blaming you."

Svetlana rolled her eyes playfully. "Sure, blame me. That's fair."Nôv(el)B\\jnn

The group laughed at their exchange as they piled into the car, the atmosphere light and relaxed.

Ty was already on his phone, so Damon sat down next to him, while Svetlana sat beside Ash, chatting quietly with him.

While Edward sat passager.

Victor climbed into the driver's seat, glancing back at them through the rearview mirror. "Alright, no more delays. Let's get moving."

The car pulled out of the lot and onto the road, heading toward Santa Monica Airport.

The drive was smooth, filled with casual conversation and the occasional joke from Ash that earned a groan or a chuckle.

Damon leaned his head back, staring out the window as the city lights blurred past.

By the time they arrived at the private terminal, the plane was already visible on the tarmac.

Victor parked the car and turned off the engine, glancing back at the group. "Alright, let's go. Time to get this show on the road."

As they made their way toward the plane, the cool night air carried the faint sound of engines.

Everyone grabbed their bags and stepped towards the plane.

Ash plopped down next to Ty, casually tossing his bag to the side. "Man, I call window seat," he declared, grinning.

Ty raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "We're on a private plane, dude. Every seat's a good seat."

Ash shrugged, leaning back. "Still, it's about the principle."

Damon chuckled at their banter as he followed Svetlana to their seats.

She sat down first, patting the seat next to her.

Without hesitation, Damon took his place beside her, placing his bag under the seat in front of him.

"Comfortable?" she asked with a small smile.

"Yeah," Damon replied, settling in. "This is definitely better than coach."

Svetlana chuckled softly, glancing out the window. "Victor really went all out, huh?"

Damon nodded, watching as Victor and Edward entered the plane last, making sure everyone was situated before taking their seats.

When the engines started up, there was a quiet buzz of energy in the cabin.

While Svetlana leaned closer to Damon, Ash and Ty were already fighting about something small, with Edward sitting next to them in a sit shaking his head, and going back to his phone.

"Nervous?" she asked in a low voice, her tone gentle.

Damon glanced at her, then shook his head. "Not really. I've been preparing for this. Just ready to get in there and handle business."

Find your adventure at empire

Svetlana smiled, her hand brushing against his briefly before she pulled back. "You've got this."

He nodded, her words giving him a little more confidence as the plane began to taxi down the runway.