MMA System: I Will Be Pound For Pound Goat

"So, how's your brother?" Damon asked, breaking the silence as soon as they sat down.

Joey leaned back, exhaling heavily. His expression was calmer than it had been in days, though the weight of the situation was still clear on his face.

"He's... stable," Joey began, shaking his head. "But I don't think he's walking anytime soon."

Damon stayed quiet, letting Joey take his time.
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"The doctors said there's a chance his bones heal enough for him to walk again. It's not impossible, but it's going to take time, rehab, and a lot of luck." Joey paused, his jaw tightening slightly. "But as for fighting? Whether he heals or not, that's done. His career's over."

Damon nodded slowly, absorbing the gravity of the words. "That's... rough," he finally said, his voice low.

Joey's lips pressed into a thin line. "Yeah. He's trying to act like it doesn't bother him, but I know it does. Fighting wasn't just a career for Jake—it was his life. Everything he built, everything he wanted... it was tied to that."

Damon understood the feeling all too well. Fighting wasn't just about stepping into the cage, it was his identity, pride, and purpose.

"What about him, though? Does he have a plan for... you know, moving forward?" Damon asked cautiously.

Joey shrugged, his shoulders slumping slightly. "He says he's going to figure it out. But I can see it in his eyes, he doesn't know where to start. He's too busy feeling like he failed us."

"Failed?" Damon echoed, frowning.

Joey nodded. "Yeah. He feels like he let me down, like he let our family down. But that's just Jake, you know? He's always carried more weight than he needed to." Joey's voice grew softer. "I just wish I could help him see that none of this is his fault."

"He's like you in some ways," Joey said, breaking the silence.

Damon chuckled softly, though his mind had already started turning over an idea.

"How sure are they that he can heal his legs?" Damon asked, his tone now more serious.

Joey glanced at Damon, then shifted his gaze upward, as if searching for the answer in the ceiling. "Forty... maybe fifty percent."

Damon nodded slowly.

Now he understood why Joey still looked so weighed down despite the possibility of recovery.

It wasn't hope, it was a gamble.

The wheels in Damon's mind began to turn faster. He thought of one thing: the system.

His system had proven itself to be an invaluable tool, filled with knowledge, techniques, and resources related to fighting.

Elixirs.

While Jake's injuries didn't come from fighting, Damon couldn't help but wonder if the system might hold something, anything, that could help.

Knee injuries were not uncommon in MMA or other combat sports.

They happened more often than anyone wanted to admit, and Damon knew this all too well.

Damon was 80% sure there had to be an elixir within the system that could help Jake's condition.

But then, another problem presented itself.

Even if he found the right elixir, what then? He couldn't exactly tell Joey, or Jake, about the system. That was out of the question. No one could know about it. Not even Svetlana.

And even if he managed to produce the elixir, how could he get Jake to take it? He couldn't just waltz into the hospital, hand it to Jake, and force him to drink it.

Jake wouldn't trust some random concoction Damon brought out of nowhere.

After all they still didn't know each other yet.

He needed a plan.

Damon sighed, rubbing his temples as the idea continued to weigh on him. This was going to be complicated. But one step at a time. The first priority was finding the elixir.

Once he had it, he'd figure out the next move. He always did.

Damon looked up at Joey, who was distracted by his drink, and decided to table his thoughts for now.

He'd check the system later, once he was home or somewhere private. For now, he needed to focus on the present and his friend sitting next from him.

Damon leaned forward slightly, his voice steady. "So, I wanted to talk to you about the MMA World Cup tournament."

Joey's interest piqued immediately. Being a massive MMA fan, the World Cup, a global tournament of the best fighters, was something he'd been following closely.

It had already started, with fighters from all over the world vying for a spot to represent their countries.

"So, you're going to fight for Ireland, right?" Joey asked, already knowing the answer.

Damon nodded. "Yeah, and I wanted to know—should we announce my fight before or after the qualification match?"

Joey rubbed his chin, thinking it over carefully. "I'd say after. If you announce it now and, for some reason, something goes wrong, it could mess with the momentum we've built. But if you qualify and we announce it after, it'll feel like a big reveal. Fans love surprises, and it'll make your official entry into the tournament that much more impactful."

Damon considered Joey's answer, then nodded in agreement. "That sounds good. Me and Victor are boarding next week for Ireland. The qualification deadline is close, so I can't miss it."

Joey grinned, leaning back in his chair. "True. Speaking of qualifications, I heard Collin NcGyver made it through. How? I have no idea. Watched his match, and it seemed like the other guy was just… not on his level."

Damon smirked. "NcGyver's always had a way of making people look like that."

Joey chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah right, you're fan anyways, of course you'll defend him. Maybe you'll get to face him if this thing goes all the way."

Damon raised an eyebrow at Joey's joke.

Joey grinned. "What? The guy looks so big, I'm sure he could jump from lightweight to middleweight."

Damon shook his head, opening his mouth to respond when Joey's phone buzzed.

Joey checked it, and his eyes went wide.

Damon leaned forward. "What?"

Joey didn't hesitated looking up. "What do you know about influencer boxers?"