I remained patient. He threw a right hand that sailed past my shoulder, and the crowd reacted when he missed clean. That only made him press harder. He kicked again. I checked it, stepped in, and hit him with a right hand that landed flush and made him back off. He circled, trying to start over, but I stayed in front of him and kept making him work every time he wanted to get close.
He threw another hard right. This time he leaned too far into it. I dropped levels, got in on his legs, and drove through him. He hit the mat hard, and the crowd got louder. He tried to scramble up right away, twisting and posting a hand to the mat, but I stayed on him and shut it down before he could build anything.
He kept moving, trying to turn out and get free, but all that did was open him up more. He gave me his back for half a second.
That was enough.
I got behind him, pulled him down flat, and slid my arm under his chin while he was still trying to fight his way up.
“Stay heavy!” Coach Luis yelled.
I locked my other hand in and squeezed.
My opponent grabbed at my hands, tried to peel them off, tried to twist out of my hold, but he was stuck.
I tightened it more.
Then he tapped.
The ref took my arm and pulled me off.
I got to my feet breathing hard while my opponent rolled away, frustrated and pissed.
My hand went up.
For a second, all I heard was noise.
Then I found Keaton near the barricade.
He was watching me, mouth pulled into that quick grin he got when he was trying not to show how pleased he was with something.
I winked.
Back in the holding room, Coach Luis clapped the back of my neck. “That’s what I wanted.”
Mason walked in with a grin. “That was brutal, man. You gotta show me that hold.”
I laughed and took a drink.
Then Keaton stepped through the doorway, already in his gloves and ready for his walkout. He stopped in front of me, held my gaze for a second, and said, “Nice win.”
I smiled. “Thank you and break a leg.”
He snorted a laugh.
Mason pointed between us. “You two are weird.”
“Shut up,” both of us answered.
He headed out with Devon, and I followed a minute later with Mason and Derek to watch from the side of the cage.
Keaton looked locked in from the second he stepped inside.
No wasted movements. No visible nerves. No hesitation.
The guy across from him was broader through the shoulders and came out throwing hard, trying to back Keaton up early.
It didn’t work.
