The more Damon moved, the harder it would be for Bobby to plant his feet and generate the power he needed.
Bobby liked to stay in one spot, get into a rhythm, and if Damon could disrupt that rhythm, he'd turn Bobby's strength into a weakness.
Damon had also noticed something else about Bobby. His head stayed right in the same spot, tucked behind that high guard.
Bobby had solid defensive fundamentals, but he didn't move his head. Damon knew what that meant, Bobby was relying on his arms to block strikes, not his upper body or head.
That was a dangerous habit.
Damon thought about the clean hooks to the body he'd landed earlier. He could tell they had made an impact, even if Bobby hadn't shown much reaction.
If Damon could keep working those body shots, he'd force Bobby to drop his guard lower and lower to protect himself.
Once Bobby started worrying about his body, his head would become an easy target.
All Damon needed was one clean shot, a perfectly timed high kick, or a sharp uppercut, and Bobby's head would be wide open.
Of course... not literally.
He could see it now: feint low, wait for Bobby to drop his hands, and then come up high, right where Bobby wouldn't expect it.
This would end just like how he ended the audition match before.
His mind circled around these two ideas. Keep moving, keep targeting the legs, and make Bobby pay for every second he stayed still.
That was how Damon would break him.
The bell rang for the second round, and Damon pushed off his stool, his body loose but his mind sharp.
He had felt Bobby out in the first round, learned his rhythm, and now it was time to put his plan into action.
As they met in the center of the cage, Bobby's guard was still high, his head tucked safely behind his arms.
Damon bounced on his toes, light, quick. He knew Bobby would be expecting the same slow pace, but Damon was ready to turn it up.
Damon started with a jab, testing Bobby's reaction.
Damon covered up, his forearms absorbing most of the damage, but he could feel the power in Bobby's strikes.
Bobby was picking up the pace, looking to end it.
He was no longer standing still.
Damon knew he couldn't let Bobby take control. He circled out, resetting his stance.
e fired a quick jab, then another hard low kick. The kick landed clean, and Bobby's leg lowered a bit again. Damon saw the opportunity.
He feinted high, and when Bobby raised his guard, Damon dug a hard hook into his body.
Bobby doubled over slightly, his face grimacing in pain. Damon followed up with another leg kick, this time putting everything into it.
The impact echoed through the cage, and Bobby's leg nearly gave out.
But Bobby wasn't backing down. He threw a desperate uppercut, catching Damon on the chin.
Damon's head snapped back, and he felt his knees wobble for a second.
But that second was enough for Bobby, who lunged forward, his knee flying up toward Damon's head.
Damon instinctively shifted his weight, turning his body just enough for the knee to glance off his shoulder instead of landing flush.
It was close, too close. A split second slower, and that knee would've knocked him out cold.
Damon didn't waste a moment. As Bobby's forward momentum carried him in, Damon wrapped his arms around Bobby's neck and head, locking him into a tight clinch.
Their bodies tangled, and Damon pulled Bobby's head down, forcing him to stay close, preventing another wild strike.
Bobby tried to push back, his hands grabbing at Damon's arms, but Damon stayed calm, using his leverage to control the position.
He knew Bobby had power, but up close like this, it was all about technique.
Damon pressed his forehead into Bobby's chest, keeping his base solid while digging a couple of sharp knees into Bobby's ribs, each one landing with a solid thud.
Bobby grunted, trying to create space, but Damon kept him locked in, working the clinch and wearing him down.