The Main Fights Begin

"Is that guy going to fight?"

"Most of them will fight. There's no other way they can stay here but to fight like everyone else." Max didn't look at Zara as he wrapped his knuckles with bandages.

The heavyweight matches had just ended, leading to the main event of the night that everyone had been waiting to see.

Max was ranked as a fighter who could take on opponents well above his weight class. However, to ensure fairness, fighters were typically categorized by weight and skill to minimize disadvantages in the matches.

In the first round, Max's opponent was a muscular Jiu-Jitsu master from New York, a dark-skinned man who had dominated the betting pools in his previous matches. But now, he was facing none other than Max, a fighter with no official record of defeats.

As the first round began, his opponent took the initiative to attack Max and attempt a takedown. Max intentionally stepped into the attack range, tilting his head slightly forward to bait his opponent into striking.

The opponent fell for the trap, launching a fierce punch aimed at Max's head, seamlessly transitioning into a hold for his neck.

"I got you."

With lightning speed, Max dodged the attack and, to his opponent's surprise, landed an unexpected elbow strike to the left cheek—hard and precise.

Bam!

The impact sent the opponent staggering and crashing to the ground.

"Wow!"

"Oh my God!" Gasps of shock rippled through the crowd.

While most had expected Max to win, the way he executed the strike left everyone astonished.

Max's strong physique and intimidating presence had already drawn the attention of many spectators, but seeing him dismantle his opponent this way elicited louder cheers than any other match.

"That move again—the sneaky elbow strike. It's been taking down his rivals a lot lately," someone in the crowd noted.

Ryan, covering his face, recalled the first time he had been stunned by that strike. Though it had been half a month ago, just thinking about it still left him slightly dizzy.

"That move is brutal. I'd bet no one can recover if they're caught off guard by it," Devon said, clearly excited that her friend was proving himself the best.

Zara noticed Devon's enthusiasm for Max and furrowed her brows slightly before casually commenting, "You seem to think highly of your friend."

"Of course, Max is the best."

Hawk turned to Miguel and asked, "Do you think we could learn that move?"

"I don't know, man…"

Ryan shook his head, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "It's hard to replicate that strike as a first-choice attack. It requires high levels of speed, strength, and reflexes—things most people, even fighters like us, can't easily master."

"I don't care. When I get back, I'm going to ask Max to teach me. Next time I compete, I'll use that move to catch my opponent," Hawk said confidently as he watched the medics attend to Max's opponent, who was just now regaining his senses.

In the cage, thanks to his mouthguard, the opponent had avoided serious injury and managed to stand back up, ready to continue. Having learned from the initial strike, he became more cautious.

Max, though surprised his opponent could rise after the hit, hadn't used full strength. However, he admired the resilience on display.

For the next two minutes, the opponent avoided close combat, retreating or grappling whenever Max approached to deny him any chance of landing powerful strikes.

Max felt slightly frustrated. Compared to others he had fought, this opponent was much tougher and more determined. Out of ten punches thrown, the opponent managed to evade more than seven, moving deftly with his back.

This elevated skill level made the match more challenging.

"Max, take it easy. Don't aim for a KO, just focus on winning," someone advised from the sidelines.

By the end of the second minute, Max stayed calm, moving side to side. He didn't want to inflict unnecessary harm. Overexerting his strength could lead to consequences he preferred to avoid.

Max knew that staying composed and hungry for victory would serve him best, like a cheetah stalking its prey.

With this mindset, Max executed a series of impressive combos that had the crowd roaring with excitement.

Though the fight had lasted longer than expected, it was far from dull, thanks to Max's skillful performance.

As Max refrained from pursuing aggressively, his opponent assumed he was tiring and slowed his pace as well.

Then, just ten seconds later, as the opponent backed toward the corner, Max suddenly charged. He launched long-range jabs at the opponent's arms, breaking through his double-arm guard, followed by a right punch to the cheek and a high kick aimed at the same spot.

Bam!

This strike was more precise, landing directly on the opponent's face. The impact sent him reeling against the cage before collapsing to the ground.

Though the opponent was protected, this time he couldn't recover. The solid blow left him struggling to rise, and after two failed attempts, the referee declared Max the winner.

In cage fights, the only protective gear allowed was a mouthguard, which shielded the teeth from direct impacts. It was similar to boxing, but the lighter gloves made it easier to deliver devastating blows.

With this reduction in padding, landing a knockout punch was a rare and formidable feat, making Max's victory even more remarkable.

The crowd erupted in applause and cheers, celebrating his spectacular performance.

Max raised his fists and walked around the cage, basking in the congratulations.

"Great fight." Devon congratulated him nervously as he stepped out of the cage.

Her first organized fight was coming up midway through the event, just before the quarterfinals, and she was feeling anxious.

But as her friend, Max wouldn't let her nerves get the better of her. He offered a piece of advice: "Fight like you're protecting something—the most valuable thing you have inside. Don't give up so easily."

While this advice might be counterproductive for others, it had always helped Max to never surrender in a fight and let the nerves fade away completely.

Of course, this mindset could be dangerous for other fighters, as it might lead to taking more damage than they could handle.

Many had died following ideals like these, but Max knew Devon was ready to prove what she had learned so far.