The reporter changed his position, but the microphone stayed put. "Today, you put on a good match, possibly even the match of the night. Do you think you'll get the bonus?"
Damon smiled and lightly touched the mic with his fingers. He looked over and saw the president of the UFA, Ronan Black, sitting further down the table with an amused expression on his face.
"Haha, thank you," Damon replied, his tone light and humble. "But I don't make that decision."
The crowd quietly laughed, enjoying how humble he was in his answer.
Ronan acknowledged Damon's comment with a slight nod, but that didn't reveal how he felt.
Experience tales at empire
The reporter pressed on, a small smile creeping onto his face. "Alright, but what do you think? If it were up to you, do you feel you earned it?"
Damon leaned back slightly, his eyes thoughtful. He shifted the mic closer, his voice calm but firm. "I came out here to give my best, to put on a show for the fans, and to finish strong. If that's worth a bonus, then I'd be grateful. But honestly, I'm just happy I performed the way I did tonight."
As the next reporter raised their hand to ask more questions, the room was filled with silent nods of agreement.
The reporter raised his hand again, his expression growing more serious. "I have another question for Damon Cross."
As the reporters moved around in their places, the tension rose in the room. Damon made a small change to the mic and nodded for him to go on.
"We saw Cellan Gustalam being taken out of the arena after the fight," the reporter began, leaning into the microphone. "There are reports circulating that he's suffered a concussion. How do you feel about that, knowing that your strike caused such a serious injury? And... does it affect how you approach fights, knowing the risks involved?"
As Damon leaned closer to the mic, his smile faded a bit, and his face turned serious but calm. "First off," he began, his voice steady, "I hope Cellan's okay. This sport is dangerous, and injuries like that are always a possibility. But none of us step into that cage without knowing the risks."
The reporters murmured, some scribbling notes, while others nodded in agreement. Another raised their hand and stood.
"Ronan, was there any concern about letting this fight go ahead, given the weight disparity?" the reporter asked.
Ronan shrugged, his expression calm but direct. "Of course, there's always concern when something like this happens. Cellan missing weight by that much wasn't ideal. But Damon's team agreed to the terms, and Damon himself was confident he could handle it. And as we saw tonight, he handled it just fine."
The room chuckled lightly, and Damon allowed himself a small smile.
"Next question," Ronan said, gesturing to another reporter.
"Ronan, do you see Damon as a future star in the UFA? What's next for him after a performance like this?"
Ronan leaned back in his chair, glancing at Damon again before responding. "Look, Damon's a young guy with a ton of potential. He's already proven he's willing to take on challenges most fighters wouldn't touch, and he delivered tonight. We'll see where he fits in the division after this, but yeah, I think he's got a bright future here. He's got the skills, the mindset, and the fans are already behind him. That's a good mix."
The reporters scrawled quickly to write down Ronan's words.
Damon was proud, but he kept a straight face because he didn't want to look too eager.
The conference The meeting then turned to other fighters and asked about everything from their fights to what they planned to do next.
Damon took it all in and watched how the more experienced fighters dealt with the attention.
He was learning more than just how to fight.
But how to act around the media.