As Randy's leg lifted, his upper body opened up, exposing his face and torso.
Damon, who had been carefully watching Randy's every movement, seized the opportunity.
The kick was just a fake. In an instant, he switched tactics, using his entire body to power a brutal right hand.
The punch was perfectly timed, catching Randy completely off guard.
CRACK!
The moment the punch connected, Damon's balance faltered from the force, but it didn't matter.
Randy's eyes widened in shock. His body froze for a moment, stiffening as the force of the blow hit him.
He stumbled back, his balance gone, and his mind raced, panic setting in as he realized Damon had broken his pattern.
His upper body was exposed, and there was nothing he could do to defend.
No... Randy's face contorted in panic, his defenses shattered.
Damon, feeling the impact of the punch, lost his balance for a second, but he didn't stop.
As Randy's body was stumbling down to the ground.,
Damon stumbled forward, closing the distance. His momentum carried him into a flurry of follow-up punches.
Randy tried to raise his arms to protect himself, but it was too late.
Damon's punches landed clean, some hitting Randy's face, others smashing into his chest.
Randy's legs kicked out as his back hit the ground, the loud BANG sounding through the octagon.
Damon didn't relent. With Randy down, Damon drove his fists down, each one pushing Randy further into the canvas.
The fear was clear in Randy's eyes, he was trapped, his earlier confidence completely shattered.
Every punch from Damon drove home the fact that he had been outsmarted, caught in a moment where he thought he had control.
As Damon's fists rained down on Randy, the referee quickly intervened.
He dashed forward, pushing Damon off with urgency.
The way Randy had raised his leg to check, thinking he had read Damon's next move.
But Damon had already anticipated that, and the punch he threw had broken Randy's rhythm, throwing him off balance and leaving him vulnerable.
That moment had turned the tide completely, and Damon had capitalized on it fully.
As Randy finally stood, still hunched over slightly, the referee gave Damon a nod of approval.
Damon raised his hand in a small, confident gesture, not over the top, but enough to show that he knew he had earned the win.
He had passed the test. He had made it through the audition fight.
And now, his eyes were on the next step, The Supreme Fighter competition. This was just the beginning.
The referee raised his hand and pointed towards Damon, signaling to the judges that the fight was over. Damon was the winner.
There was no announcement, just a nod from the referee to confirm the result to the officials sitting ringside.
Damon turned, walking calmly out of the octagon.
His body still pulsed with adrenaline from the fight, but he kept his movements controlled.
As he stepped out of the cage and moved into the back area, a man wearing black clothes approached him.
The man had "TSF" written on the front of his shirt in bold letters, and just below it, "UFA."
'TSF... The Supreme Fighter,' Damon thought, recognizing the initials immediately. The "UFA" was just as familiar to him, Ultimate Fighting Association. This was official.
The man placed a firm hand on Damon's shoulder, stopping him. "Congratulations on your win," he said, his voice steady and businesslike.
"Now, we're going to ask you to wait for us. Please go to that room right over there," he continued, pointing to a door across the room.
Damon's eyes followed the man's hand, landing on a door marked "Waiting Room."
He gave the man a small nod of acknowledgment and made his way toward the area where he had first changed into his gear.
His gym bag was still there, resting on a bench where he'd left it before the fight.
He grabbed the bag, slinging it over his shoulder, and took one last look around the room.
Without wasting time, Damon headed for the room the TSF official had pointed out. He pushed the door open and stepped inside.