Four months had passed, and Damon's world moved in steady rhythm.
He had defended his middleweight title again, delivering a performance that solidified his reign.
That victory marked his second-to-last fight before moving up to light heavyweight.
Only one name remained on the list before he would shift his focus upward.
In recent months, one name had climbed quietly into the conversation.
Ivan.
He had always been talented, but his recent domination of PDD had turned heads.
Even on short notice, he had dismantled a respected contender and done so with calm, efficient violence. Damon had taken notice.
Ivan's striking remained simple, but it was clean, and paired with his strong grappling base, he created consistent pressure that broke his opponents down.
Damon had always respected skill, and Ivan was showing that in abundance now.
Initially, Damon hadn't considered him. Ivan was still developing his name among the fans, and no one had pushed for a matchup between them.
