MMA System: I Will Be Pound For Pound Goat

Damon stepped back after the takedown, arms low, watching Tereira get to his feet.

He could've followed him to the ground and worked for control again, but he didn't. He wanted the stand-up. He wanted the challenge.

"Ohh, he's letting him up," the commentator called out. "Damon doesn't want to just beat him. He wants to beat him at his own game."

Tereira rose carefully, one knee up first, then straightened his back. His breathing was steady, but his focus was sharper now.

He didn't enjoy being put on the mat. Damon moved lightly again, feet bouncing. He kept the center this time, forcing Tereira to circle.

"He could've stayed on top, but that tells you everything about Cross," another voice added. "He's confident, and he wants the highlight."

In Damon's mind, the King of the Cage Eye was waiting. He hadn't activated it, but the thought hovered.

That ability would give him overwhelming awareness. He'd see everything, feel the cage like an extension of himself.

But for now, he kept it in reserve. This fight wasn't about dominance through advantage, it was about showing what he could do with the basics.

Tereira lunged forward with a left hook, and Damon slipped just out of range.

The punch passed his chin, barely missing. Damon shook his head once. He'd gotten lazy with his head movement for a second.

He refocused.

He stepped in with a jab to test the range. Tereira blocked it and answered with a leg kick.

It hit Damon's lead leg clean, but Damon didn't react. He stayed upright and pressed forward, feinting low and lifting his right elbow halfway.

Tereira shifted his stance and snapped a front kick to the body.

Damon stepped back to avoid the impact, then came in fast with a right hand that split the guard and hit Tereira just above the eyebrow.

It wasn't a clean shot, but it touched enough to get a reaction.

"Tereira's gotta move his head more," the commentary noted. "And you see the issue right there, he's got power, he's got length, but his takedown defense and head movement? That's where Damon can chip away."

Damon faked a level change, dipping his shoulder like he'd shoot again, and Tereira reacted by bracing his base. Damon didn't follow through.

He stayed on the feet and punished the reaction with a quick step-in knee to the midsection.

It landed clean. Tereira grunted and circled off.

The rhythm picked up now. Damon pressed forward with a jab, followed by a rear body hook.

Tereira blocked the jab but took the body shot. He fired back with a chopping low kick, and Damon lifted the leg just in time to check it.

"Damon's reading him now," the commentator said. "He's adjusting in real time, and that's what makes him terrifying."

Damon came in again with a left hook to the ribs, followed by a right hand upstairs.

Tereira leaned back and parried, trying to counter, but Damon ducked under and shot a double-leg.

He drove through, lifted, and dumped Tereira to the mat.

"Tereira's takedown defense is just not there!"

Damon landed in half guard and postured up immediately. He didn't stay tight. He created space and dropped an elbow. It cracked down onto Tereira's temple.

Tereira turned into it, trying to regain guard. Damon slid to side control and trapped the arm.

He isolated the near-side shoulder and teased a kimura, but didn't commit. Instead, he moved to north-south, then back to side as Tereira scrambled.

"He's flowing. He's just flowing," the commentary said. "You don't see guys control Tereira like this."

Damon let go of the control position and backed off, letting Tereira up again. The crowd responded. Damon stood tall, nodding at him like, "Come on."

Tereira stood slower this time. His breathing was heavier now. He looked at Damon and didn't say a word. His jaw clenched.

He came forward with another kick, this one aimed at the head. Damon ducked it, circled out, and clipped him with a left hook that knocked the sweat off his face.

Tereira stumbled but caught himself. He shot a straight right, but Damon stepped offline and returned fire with a tight uppercut to the chin.

The shot landed.

Tereira's eyes blinked, and he grabbed the clinch.

Damon pressed him to the fence. He dug his underhooks, then landed a knee to the inside of the thigh.

Another knee followed, this time to the body. He controlled the posture with his head under the chin and shoved Tereira off.

He threw a jab. Then another. Tereira blocked, but he was reacting slower.

Damon faked low again, and when Tereira braced, Damon launched a spinning back kick to the ribs. It caught him clean, knocking the air out.

"Body shot landed flush!"

Tereira covered up. Damon didn't swarm. He stepped in, paused, then fired a one-two and moved his feet.

The horn sounded, ending the first round.

Damon didn't rush back. He took a slow breath, gave Tereira a final glance, then turned and walked to his corner. Alex did the same, but his steps were more deliberate. Measured. Like he knew what just happened.

The commentary team spoke up as the fighters sat.

Jon Goodman broke the silence first. "Well, that's the round. And right now, Alex Tereira is seeing a different kind of opponent."

Rich Alvarez nodded. "He's had guys promise to stand with him before. Guys that said, 'I'm not gonna wrestle, I'm not gonna shoot, we're gonna trade.' And they paid for it. Badly."

Jon added, "Yeah, but Damon didn't say anything. He never made a promise. He's striking with him, yes, but he's not chasing chaos. He's not giving Tereira that kind of duel. It's sharp, calculated, efficient."

Marvin Duke leaned forward. "And here's the scary part, Damon hasn't even committed to the ground game yet. That's what's wild. He's not forcing grappling exchanges, not grinding or chaining takedowns. But when he wants it, he's getting it."

Jon nodded. "That's the difference. He can do it without needing to force it. He's floating between ranges, controlling the fight, and still winning most of the striking exchanges."

Rich jumped in. "So what's the path for Tereira? Because you know your takedown defense doesn't hold up here. And next round, that might not be a soft takedown, it might end in a body triangle and a rear naked choke."

Marvin replied, "I think you have to push the pace. Force Damon to make mistakes. But even that's risky. Damon's not overextending. He's not emotional. And when a guy can take you down anytime but chooses to strike, it puts all the pressure on you."

Jon closed it off. "This is the bad side of being the knockout artist. Because now you're the one stuck reacting. And Damon looks like he's just warming up."