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The man tapped a few seconds later, and Riot sank back into his chair.

“See?”

“Nigga, you might have missed your calling. Maybe time to give up the vineyard and become an MMA coach,” I said.

“Shit, I might.”

The next match stayed on the feet longer. Both fighters were swinging, but one kept dropping his hands every time he backed up. He caught a punch that had half our section jumping out of their seats.

“Shit!” Prime barked.

We saw a tooth fly out as his jaw got rocked. The referee moved in.

“His dinner plans are fucked up now,” I said.

Quest looked at me. “He ain’t gon’ be chewing nothing tonight.”

We watched the medical staff check on him while the winner climbed the fence to celebrate. His people were yelling so loud they nearly drowned out the announcer.

This was exactly what we wanted. People were invested. Even between fights, nobody was sitting quietly. They were comparing bets, arguing over the stoppage or sending videos to somebody who should’ve bought a ticket.

I caught Priest standing near the aisle and waved him over.

“How your brother feeling?” I asked.

“He ready.” He nodded.

“Still talking shit?”

“On the way here, while he got changed, during warmups. He been ready to fight all day.”

“That’s what I wanna hear.”

Priest glanced toward the cage as the crew cleared it for the main event. He was trying to look relaxed, but his eyes kept moving toward the doors where Deacon would come through.

“You nervous?” I asked.

“About the fight? Nah.”

“About everything Deacon might do outside of it?”

Priest gave me a look.

“Don’t start.”

I laughed and stood to shake his hand.

“Go handle your brother. We ready to see him work.”

As he headed away, the lights shifted around us. The announcer stepped into the cage while the screens showed highlights of both fighters.

Raul came out first, moving through the aisle behind his team. He was a Brazilian fighter who had trained in jiu-jitsu. He rolled his shoulders as he approached the cage, barely acknowledging the people calling his name. He looked focused, and I respected that. He didn’t come here to make friends.

And then Deacon’s music started.

The crowd’s reaction was loud enough that it felt like thunder. The people were here for him, though Raul had a reputation for being one of the best.

He came through with Priest behind him, nodding to the music while people cheered for him. His cockiness was radiating, and I knew from his gait he was taking this win.