The horn had barely stopped echoing when Damon stepped through the cage door.
José was already seated on the stool, his chest rising fast, sweat running down his back.
Rafael was checking his gloves and rubbing his shoulders. Another assistant dabbed at a small mark near his left eye, but it wasn't serious.
Damon crouched in front of him. He kept his tone firm.
"You're doing well, but you let him off the hook."
José nodded once, still breathing through his nose.
"When you rocked him, you backed off too clean. That moment, that was your window. You had space to finish, but you paused."
Rafael translated quickly. José nodded again, eyes still locked on Damon.
Damon continued. "I get it, you didn't want to rush and gas out. That's smart. But when you hurt someone and they're up against the fence, you don't reset. You pressure, you force the mistake."