In the crowd, where Damon's friends sat, the energy had been building throughout the fight.
They had been smiling, relaxed even, as Damon controlled the clinch, knowing he was in charge of the match.
But the moment Damon threw Brian down as if dead, they all erupted.
Ash leaped out of his seat, shouting, "Oh my God, it's over!"
Joey, wide-eyed, threw his hands up in disbelief. "That's it! That's it! Damon freaking did it!"
Even Tyr, usually calm, was on his feet, fists clenched in excitement. "Man, I've never seen anything like that!"
Svetlana, though always composed, couldn't help but grin from ear to ear, her heart racing with pride.
She joined in the cheering, though a part of her felt more deeply connected to Damon in that moment.
As the crowd went wild around them, Damon's friends were on their feet, celebrating as if they were in the cage with him.
It was a moment they'd never forget.
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Deep in the crowd, a young boy named Matthew watched with wide eyes, captivated by every moment of the fight.
His heart beat fast as he watched Damon beat Brian by using accurate strikes and constant pressure to win the match.
Next to him, his mother had dozed off earlier, exhausted from the long day, but his father was wide awake, just as engrossed in the fight as Matthew.
When Damon threw Brian down with that final, devastating slam, Matthew couldn't contain himself.
He jumped to his feet and yelled, "Yes! Damon did it!"
His loud outburst jolted his mother awake.
Normally, Matthew would have been cautious, worried about getting scolded for being too loud.
But not this time.
The excitement was too much. He screamed again, his voice joining the roar of the crowd.
His father joined in, clapping and cheering alongside him.
Excitement filled the arena, and the two of them enjoyed the moment fully.
His mother, still groggy, blinked at the screen, unsure of what had happened but seeing the joy on her son's face.
Every blow exchanged was a reminder of how dangerous fighting was.
But when Damon threw Brian down with that final, devastating move, and the referee signaled the end of the fight, Aoife couldn't contain herself any longer.
She jumped to her feet, her eyes wide with joy, and cheered. "That's my boy!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling with emotion.
As she watched Damon get swarmed by his team, celebrating his victory, tears welled up in her eyes.
She held her hand to her chest, overwhelmed with pride.
"My boy..." she whispered, feeling the weight of everything they had been through.
They had come so far, from their struggles to this incredible moment.
She sat down, unable to believe what she had just witnessed, her son was on top of the world.
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Back in the ring, Damon took a deep breath, walking slowly around the cage, his eyes scanning the sea of fans before locking onto his friends.
He spotted them easily in the front row, their faces full of pride and excitement.
He smiled and waved at them, his body still pumped with adrenaline.
They waved back, shouting his name, cheering him on with the kind of energy that only close friends could bring.
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One of the assistant coaches came over, clapping him on the shoulder. "Good job, kid. You've done well. Congratulations."
Damon nodded in response, appreciating the compliment, though still riding the high of the moment.
His mind was already shifting from celebration to reflection, the adrenaline beginning to fade.
Then, like clockwork, Duece Baffers strolled into the ring, bringing his signature swagger with him, cards in hand and dressed in another sharp suit.
The atmosphere shifted again as the crowd quieted slightly, waiting for the official announcement.
The medical team was still huddled around Brian, who was on the mat, his body battered.
His abdominal area took the brunt of the damage, and though his face was relatively untouched, the pain he endured was clear.
Damon didn't focus on him too much.
He had done what he came to do.