Dax pushed the fighters to hone their striking techniques over his two full days there.
Whittier had been sure to make the most of every minute that Dax was available, squeezing as much information as he could.
Despite his laid-back demeanor, Dax didn't take it easy on them.
His sharp eyes missed nothing, and his guidance helped elevate everyone's game.
Even Whittier, usually hands-on during training, had taken a step back to let the BMF impart his expertise.
The thing about martial arts, especially in Fighting, was that size and weight class didn't matter as much as knowledge.
And when it came to combat, there was always something to learn, no matter how skilled you were.
And when the teacher was someone like Dax, a fighter known not only for his speed and precision but also for his ability to overwhelm his opponents, the lessons hit differently.
Each fighter in Team Whittier soaked up the lessons like a sponge, from footwork drills to mastering combinations, all under the watchful eye of the baddest himself.
Weeks passed by, and with each week came new matchups, bringing victories, eliminations, and building tensions.
The competition was heating up, and Team Whittier was in the thick of it.
Damon, having already eliminated Logan, watched as seven more matches played out, each with its own twists.
At first, things were looking good for Team Whittier.
Felipe secured a submission win, using his grappling skills to force his opponent to tap.
Miles delivered a spectacular knockout, dropping his opponent with a clean right hand.
Ivan, with his heavy hands, nearly knocked his opponent out before forcing a submission for another victory.
But their winning streak was broken in an unexpected turn.
In the next matchup, Kevin, who had been calm and methodical throughout the competition, faced off against Dylan from Team Whittier.
To everyone's surprise, Kevin dominated the fight. He didn't just win, he made it look easy, effortlessly choking out Dylan and handing Team Whittier their first loss.
That defeat set off a chain reaction. Brian, Logan's brother, came in determined to avenge his sibling's elimination.
His aggression and focus paid off as he secured a victory, pushing Team Chemasov ahead and dealing another blow to Whittier's momentum.
The third defeat came in brutal fashion.
Another fighter from Team Chemasov, Aric Lee, overpowered his Whittier opponent, raining down heavy strikes until the referee had no choice but to step in.
The morale in Team Whittier dipped after that, as it became clear that Team Chemasov had found their stride.
The battle was about to get even tougher after each fighter had shown what they could do.
The rivalries, victories, and defeats had sharpened the stakes.
Every matchup from here on out would determine who truly belonged among the top, and everyone knew that a single mistake could end their journey.
.
.
.
With the fighters who had advanced to the quarterfinals set, the media exploded with chatter, but one name stood out above the rest: Kofi Clarke.
His dominating performance had captured the attention of fight fans everywhere.
"@KOKing: Kofi Clarke is the next big thing. Dude's scary strong, no doubt he's taking this whole thing! #KofiClarke #TeamChemasov"
"@MXiandh: Kofi's looking like a future UFA champion. I don't see anyone in this house stopping him. #SupremeFighter"
But while Kofi had the majority of the hype, Damon Cross still had his share of loyal supporters. Fans of his cool demeanor and striking power weren't ready to count him out.
"@GiovanniTati: Y'all sleeping on Damon. Don't forget that knee KO he dropped on Logan. Kid's the real deal. #TeamWhittier #DamonCross"
"@Diddler073: Damon's got the technique. Kofi's strong, but power's not everything. #SupremeFighter"
And of course, Ivan Novak had his own share of attention. Many fight fans never forgot about the sheer danger Russian fighters brought to the cage.
"@Habibisking: Yo, Ivan Novak is a sleeper! Russians are always scary, and this guy's a brick wall. He might just surprise everyone. #TeamWhittier"
"@Breakhsg: I'm calling it now, Ivan's taking the whole thing. Watch out for him. #DarkHorse"
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Brian Walker, still riding the emotions of his brother's elimination, also had a growing number of supporters.
"@Williamsigns: Brian's fighting with something to prove. That anger's either gonna push him to the top or burn him out. Either way, it'll be exciting! #TeamChemasov"
But not everyone was impressed by Kofi's rise, especially with rumors swirling about his manipulative nature.
"@RealFightTalk: Yo, Kofi is a manipulative psychopath for using Brian's anger like that. Dude's playing mind games. Watch out. #SnakeMove"
A quick reply followed, dismissing the seriousness:
"@CasualMMAFan: womp womp ???? Ain't no one care, it's a fight game!"
The buildup to the quarterfinals had everyone talking, with Kofi, Damon, Ivan, and Brian all being talked about in one way or another.
As the fighters geared up for the next round, the fans were ready for blood.