MMA System: I Will Be Pound For Pound Goat

"Come on, let's do it again," Damon urged, his voice firm yet encouraging. "You need to work on your takedown defense. Keep your base strong, lower your center of gravity, and don't overcommit to the sprawl."

Edward exhaled heavily, wiping the sweat from his brow. "I see, man, okay. But maybe I'm failing because it's you who's doing the takedowns."

Damon chuckled, patting Edward on the back. "Maybe," he admitted with a grin. "But you should still be able to stuff some of my takedowns. I might be good, but I'm not perfect."

And he wasn't lying. Damon's skills were polished, but they weren't untouchable.

What he didn't say aloud, however, was the part his system played in his abilities.

His Muay Thai was fully maxed out at five stars, and his wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu were both sitting at four stars, with his BJJ steadily climbing toward four and a half.

Damon knew that his grappling game, while formidable, wasn't on the level of some of the elite wrestlers in MMA just yet.

If he had to gauge himself, he believed he could hold his own against someone like Camuri Asmen, if Asmen was competing at middleweight instead of welterweight.

Simulations let Damon see how well he could match up with Asmen's ground game.

The fights were always close, like a chess game of strength, skill, and stamina.

They were equals on the mat, which showed how far Damon had come.

But he knew there was still room for improvement even in those made-up matches.

Then there was Balim Chemasov. The man was a different beast entirely.

Damon knew his current skill set wasn't enough to surpass someone like Chemasov in a grappling-heavy fight.

Close? Maybe. But to dominate, to excel, Damon felt he needed more refinement.

Once his wrestling reached four and a half stars, maybe even beyond, that's when he believed he could stand on equal footing with Chemasov.

For now, though, his focus remained on sharpening his tools.

"Alright," Damon said, clapping his hands together. "One more round. This time, anticipate my level change. React fast but don't overextend yourself."

Edward nodded, determination flickering in his eyes. "Alright, let's go. I'm stuffing this one, I promise."

Damon smiled as they reset.

Growth wasn't immediate, but with time and relentless effort, even the gaps between him and the elite could be bridged.

Recently, Damon had been immersed in his own training, pushing himself to new limits.

Despite his grueling schedule, he found time to help out at the gym, especially with Edward.

Since Edward's last fight, where he'd been taken down, he'd been relentless in seeking Damon's advice on takedown defense.

Edward was acutely aware of Damon's capabilities. Continue your adventure at empire

While Damon had been taken down once by Calvin Oland in a rare moment of miscalculation, Edward knew that wasn't something Damon would allow to happen again.

Damon had a way of turning mistakes into fuel, sharpening his skills until they became impenetrable.

Edward remembered their amateur days, years ago, when they'd faced off in a match.

Back then, Damon was already impressive, but now? After seeing him up close in training, Edward couldn't help but admire the beast Damon had become.

That single takedown against Oland had driven Damon into overdrive, leading to a jaw-dropping performance in his next fight.

Edward was no slouch himself.

He prided himself on his kickboxing and defensive skills.

But here in the gym, where egos could run rampant, he had no issue admitting the truth: Damon was leagues ahead.

Not only was he talented, but he was championship material, and everyone could see it.

"All right, Eddie," Damon said, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Let's see how good your sprawl is. Don't make it easy for me."

Edward got into his stance, bouncing lightly on his feet. "Don't worry. I plan on giving you hell."

Damon feigned a level change, testing Edward's reaction.

Edward stayed planted, not falling for the bait.

Damon smirked inwardly, impressed. Without hesitation, he shot forward, going low and fast for Edward's legs.

Edward sprawled hard, using his hips to counter Damon's momentum.

For a moment, he felt confident, applying pressure and feeling Damon's grip begin to loosen. "Not bad," Damon muttered, his voice steady despite the exertion.

But just as Edward thought he had the takedown stuffed, Damon switched gears.

With a sudden twist, Damon transitioned to a single-leg takedown, shifting his weight and throwing Edward off balance.

Before Edward could react, Damon hoisted the leg and swept his standing foot, sending him to the mat with a thud.

"Damn it!" Edward groaned, lying flat on his back as Damon knelt over him, grinning.

"Close, but not quite," Damon said, extending a hand to help Edward up. "You've got the sprawl down, but you've got to be ready for transitions. A good wrestler doesn't stop at the first attempt."

Edward shook his head, a grudging smile creeping onto his face. "You're a menace, man. It's like trying to stop a freight train."

Damon chuckled. "You're getting there. Just keep working at it. One day, you'll stuff even my takedowns."

Edward rolled his eyes. "Yeah, we'll see about that."

Despite the loss in the drill, Edward felt motivated.

As the sound of their feet moving across the mats and the steady rhythm of training filled the gym, a familiar voice broke through the noise.

"Alright, boys. Training going well?"

Both Damon and Edward turned toward the entrance, where Victor stood, with a grin on his face.

Edward wiped the sweat off his forehead and smirked. "What's up, boss? You've got that look, what's the news?"

Victor strolled over, holding a clipboard and a folder tucked under his arm.

He nodded toward Edward first. "Alright, Ed, I've got good news for you. You've got a match coming up."

Edward raised an eyebrow, intrigued. Victor handed him a folder. "Take a look, let me know if you want to go through with it. It's a decent opponent, they're still trying to gauge where you're at, but I'm confident you'll take this one."

Edward opened the folder and started flipping through the details, his expression thoughtful.

Victor then turned his attention to Damon, his grin widening. "And you," he said, his tone carrying more weight. "I know you've been itching for a real challenge. Something that'll put you closer to where you want to be."

Damon straightened up, his eyes lighting up with anticipation. "Yeah?"

Victor nodded, his grin now bordering on mischievous. "Seems like the MMA gods have smiled on you, kid. You've got a top-ranked opponent lined up. And the best part?"

He paused for effect, clearly enjoying Damon's excitement. "It's not on short notice. You've got time to prepare."

Damon's smile stretched wide, his face lighting up like a kid who'd just unwrapped the perfect Christmas present. "You're serious?"

Victor chuckled at Damon's reaction, patting him on the shoulder. "Dead serious. This is the opportunity you've been waiting for. Let's make it count."

Edward glanced up from his folder, smirking at Damon's excitement. "Looks like Christmas came early for you, huh?"

Damon grinned back at him. "Damn right. Let's go!"

Victor clapped his hands together. "Alright, finish up your session, then hit the showers. Damon, we'll go over the details afterward. Edward, let me know your decision by the end of the day."