MMA System: I Will Be Pound For Pound Goat

It had been a few days since Damon's fight, and things were starting to calm down. Fans, on the other hand, couldn't stop.

There were a lot of discussions, predictions, and fantasy matches on social media about what Damon should do next in the UFA.

While some fans said he should be rushed to the top five, others asked if he was even ready for such a big jump.

Yet, Damon himself paid little attention. Social media wasn't a priority for him.

He had an account, a random one under a pseudonym, but it wasn't something he actively used.

The official accounts buzzing with his name belonged to others, promoters, fans, and the media.

At the moment, Damon's focus was elsewhere. He sat on the couch in his apartment, his phone resting on the armrest.

He was waiting for Victor's call, the one that would inform him of their next steps.

Damon knew that this deal negotiation would be different because of his recent knockout and his growing fame.

He was no longer just a new player looking to make a name for himself; he was becoming an important part of the UFA.

His mind wandered as he leaned back, staring at the ceiling.

What would they offer?

Would they recognize his potential and give him the kind of deal he deserved? Or would they try to undersell him?

.

.

He was thinking when he heard his phone buzzing softly. When he picked it up, Victor's name was showing on the screen.

"Victor," Damon answered, his tone steady.

"Hey, kid," Victor's voice came through, calm but firm. "You ready to make some moves?"

Damon sat up straighter, a small smirk forming on his lips. "Been waiting for this call."

"Good," Victor replied. "We've got a meeting scheduled with the UFA tomorrow afternoon. They know you're not just another fighter anymore. They're hyping your name everywhere, they'll play hardball, but so will we."

Damon chuckled softly. "I like the sound of that."

Victor's tone shifted slightly, more serious now. "Just remember, Damon, this is business. They're gonna try to lowball you, make it seem like you haven't done enough. Stay calm. Let me do the talking when we get in there. You focus on what's next."

"What's next?" Damon echoed, his curiosity piqued.

"Winning," Victor said simply. "Every negotiation, every fight, it's all about proving your worth over and over again. This is just another step. We'll get you what you deserve. Trust me."

Damon leaned back, and a strong resolve began to take hold. "I do, Victor. Let's make it happen."

"See you tomorrow," Victor said before hanging up.

Damon set his phone down and exhaled deeply. The hype, the speculation, the business.

Damon sat on the edge of his bed, his phone resting in his hand as he stared at the screen.

He tapped his fingers on the back of the device, debating whether to make the call.

Finally, he sighed and unlocked the phone. Scrolling through his contacts, he found Joey's name and tapped it.

The line rang a couple of times before Joey's voice came through, loud and relaxed as always.

"Yo, D, wassup?"

When Damon leaned back, the corner of his mouth twitched into a smile. "Not much. Just remembered you said you wanted to talk. You mentioned something the other day, but you didn't say what it was."

Joey didn't answer right away; he took a moment to settle down and change the tone of his voice to something more serious. "Ahh, shit. Yeah. Okay, uh… I'll send you a location. Let's meet there."

Damon raised an eyebrow and spoke with a hint of doubt in his voice. "The hell is this about, man? You're being weird."

Joey chuckled, though it sounded a little nervous. "Just trust me. You'll understand when we meet. Sending it now."

The call ended before Damon could say anything else.

He stared at his phone, his expression caught somewhere between amusement and confusion.

Shaking his head, he muttered to himself as he stood up, "Weird motherfucker."

He grabbed his jacket, slipping it on as his phone buzzed with the incoming text. A small smirk played on his lips as he read the location, a diner on the far side of town.

Grabbing his apartment keys and wallet, Damon headed for the door, curiosity bubbling under his calm exterior.

It didn't take long to arrive; the cab was quick, cutting through traffic with ease. Damon stepped out, paying the fare before heading toward the small diner.

Through the glass, he spotted Joey sitting in a corner booth, sipping on a tall glass of orange juice.

Damon pushed the door open, the bell above jingling softly.

He walked up to Joey, his hands stuffed in his jacket pockets. "Joey. Yo."

Joey looked up, his expression a mix of casual and nervous. He gave a small nod. "Yo, you good?"

Damon shrugged, sliding into the seat across from him. "I'm good. What about you? You're acting like you killed someone."

Joey cleared his throat, avoiding eye contact. "No, nothing like that. Just… sit down."

Damon gave him a confused look but did what he asked, leaning forward and resting his arms on the table. "All right." "Let me hear it."

Joey sighed, a deep, almost theatrical breath as he set his glass down. "So, you know Ashley and I recently moved in together."

"Yeah," Damon replied, tilting his head. "What? Any problems?"

Joey hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. "No. Yes. No, okay, look. Recently, she's been acting… weird. Strange."

Damon narrowed his eyes, his curiosity piqued. "Weird how? Like, what's she doing?"

Joey shook his head, frustration creeping into his tone. "It's just… little things, you know? She's quiet all of a sudden. She's not telling me stuff like she used to. And when I ask if something's wrong, she says everything's fine, but it doesn't feel fine."

Damon leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table as he raised an eyebrow. "What, you think she's cheating on you or something?"

Joey looked at him right away as if Damon had grown a second head. "What? It's not that, man. But..." Joey's speech fell off as he fumbled with the edge of his glass.

Damon tilted his head, his tone slightly impatient but curious. "Just spill it out, Joey. What's on your mind?"

Joey let out a deep sigh that made Damon sit up straighter because he could feel something big coming on.

Finally, Joey leaned forward, lowering his voice slightly.

"I think… she's pregnant."