MMA System: I Will Be Pound For Pound Goat

Chapter 289 Damon Cross Vs. Mikal Tereira II

Damon capitalized on the moment, stepping forward with a lightning-fast right hand that caught Mikal on the temple as he landed.

Mikal staggered slightly, but recovered, bouncing back on his feet.

Damon noted the reaction. Mikal's chin was good, but the shot had landed clean.

If he could string his attacks together, he might be able to overwhelm him.

Mikal pressed forward again, switching stances fluidly.

He fired a low kick, then immediately leapt into a flying knee. Damon sidestepped, his movements sharp and calculated.

As Mikal landed, Damon fired a hard body kick, the sound echoing through the arena.

Mikal grunted, his body jerking slightly from the impact. He backed off, his hands dropping for a moment.

"That's what I'm talking about!" Demien Korvier said. "Damon is staying calm and picking his shots. That body kick was beautiful."

Mikal circled, shaking out his arms. His grin had faded, replaced by a look of focus.

He darted in again, throwing a flurry of punches, two hooks and a straight.

Damon blocked most of them, but the last hook clipped him on the side of the head, forcing him to step back.

Mikal smelled blood, pressing forward with a spinning back kick aimed at Damon's midsection.

Damon absorbed the blow on his arms, the impact stinging but manageable.

He planted his feet, firing back with a sharp elbow as Mikal stepped in too close.

The elbow landed clean on Mikal's jaw, sending him stumbling to the side.

"Damon's striking is so precise," Jim Logan said. "Every shot has a purpose. He's not wasting energy."

Mikal recovered quickly, bouncing on his toes again.

He was clearly trying to reassert his rhythm, but Damon could see the cracks starting to form.

Mikal was slowing down, his movements a fraction less sharp.

The body kick had taken its toll, and the constant pressure was wearing on him.

Damon stayed patient, moving forward with calculated aggression. He fired a low kick, then a jab-cross combination that forced Mikal to retreat.

Damon pressed the advantage, throwing a feint to draw Mikal's guard up before stepping in with a powerful left hook to the body.

The team stepped back as the second-round bell echoed through the arena. Damon stood, bouncing lightly on his feet, his eyes focused as he prepared to meet Mikal in the center of the cage once again.

"Alright," Victor said, clapping him on the back. "Go remind him why you will take his rank."

Damon grinned as he stepped forward, the noise of the crowd swelling in his ears.

The commentators leaned in as the fighters rose from their corners.

"The break is over," Jim Logan said, his voice excited. "The coaches have given their advice, and now we're heading into the second round. In the first round, Damon was absolutely in control. Let's see if he can keep that momentum going."

"Yeah," Demien Korvier added. "But let's not count out Mikal just yet. He's unpredictable, and he's not one to back down easily. Let's see how he adjusts."

The bell rang, signaling the start of the round.

Damon stepped forward immediately, his stance lighter than before, his movements sharp and deliberate.

Mikal mirrored him, his grin returning as he began bouncing on his toes, ready to close the distance.

But Damon had other plans.

Before Mikal could settle into his rhythm, Damon exploded forward with a rapid series of strikes.

His elbow darted out like a piston, catching Mikal's guard as the crowd roared at the sudden aggression.

"Whoa! Damon's coming out fast this round!" Jim exclaimed. "This is not the patient striker we saw earlier!"

Mikal's eyes widened slightly, his grin faltering as Damon followed the elbow with a flurry of punches.

A sharp jab connected, snapping Mikal's head back, followed by a hook that forced him to cover up.

Demien's voice rose. "Damon's switched gears! He's turning up the pressure, not giving Mikal any room to breathe!"

Mikal tried to circle out, but Damon stayed on him, his strikes relentless.

He mixed in a few feints, keeping Mikal guessing, before subtly stepping back just out of range.

Sensing a chance to reset, Mikal lowered his hands slightly, but Damon was already in motion.

Damon shot forward again, driving a knee up toward Mikal's midsection. Mikal instinctively raised his leg to check the strike, his shin meeting Damon's knee just in time.

But Damon wasn't finished.

Without losing balance, Damon allowed the knee to withdraw just enough for the tip of his foot to brush the canvas.

Then, in one fluid motion, his leg shot back up like a coiled spring, this time aiming for Mikal's head.