Chapter 333 Top Tier Grappling II
Damon glanced at his corner briefly, catching Victor's approving nod.
He could hear Victor's voice faintly over the noise.
"Control the position! Don't rush it!"
Damon smirked slightly, adjusting his grip as Jake continued to struggle beneath him.
"He's showing Jake he's not afraid to grapple," Rick said. "And honestly? He's dominating right now."
Damon leaned his weight forward, subtly digging his forearm into Jake's jaw, forcing him to expend energy defending.
Jake finally managed to shrimp his hips, creating just enough space to reset his guard.
Damon stood quickly, backing away to avoid any potential submissions.
He bounced lightly on his feet, smirking down at Jake.
Jake stood slowly. His face was blank, but it was clear that he was frustrated. Damon had just flipped the script.
"Damon Cross isn't striking tonight, he's showing the world he can hang with the grapplers in the division," Michael said. "This fight just got even more interesting."
Jake rose to his feet cautiously, his eyes locked on Damon.
The earlier exchange had shaken him, not just the reversal, but the ease with which Damon had flipped the narrative.
This wasn't supposed to happen. Damon was supposed to struggle on the ground, not thrive.
Jake shifted his weight back, raising his guard higher.
His footwork slowed, more deliberate now, as if he was trying to gauge the safest approach. But Damon's pressure was relentless.
Damon circled him, a faint smirk on his face.
His movements were fluid, almost casual, as if daring Jake to engage. But Jake wasn't taking the bait.
He jabbed tentatively, more to maintain distance than to land any real damage.
"He's in full retreat mode," Rick said from the commentary desk. "Jake Armansson doesn't look like the confident grappler we're used to seeing. Damon Cross has completely thrown him off his game."
Damon feinted a jab, causing Jake to flinch backward.
He began stepping forward with increasing confidence.
Jake threw a last-ditch one-two, but Damon saw it coming a mile away.
He slipped the punches with ease and closed the distance in an instant.
Before Jake could react, Damon ducked low and wrapped his arms tightly around Jake's waist.
"Oh no! Damon's going for a takedown of his own!" Michael shouted, his voice rising in excitement.
Jake tried to sprawl, but Damon's grip was like iron. With a sudden surge of power, Damon lifted Jake clean off the ground.
As Damon hoisted his opponent effortlessly. Jake flailed, trying to break free, but it was no use.
He didn't just lift Jake, he carried him across the cage, displaying his strength for everyone to see.
Then, with an almost theatrical display of dominance, Damon slammed Jake into the canvas with a thunderous takedown.
The impact shook the cage, and Jake let out an audible grunt as the air was driven from his lungs.
Damon immediately transitioned to side control, his weight pressing down heavily on Jake.
The veteran grappler squirmed beneath him, trying to find an escape, but Damon's positioning was perfect.
He pinned Jake's arm with his knee, immobilizing him further.
Jake had trouble breathing, and the look on his face showed frustration and disbelief.
It was his territory, his world, and Damon was taking it apart piece by piece.
"Jake looks helpless right now," Rick said. "He's used to being the one dictating the fight on the ground, but Damon has turned the tables completely."
Victor's voice echoed from the corner. "Keep control! Make him work!"
Damon nodded subtly, his focus unbroken.
He pressed his forearm into Jake's jaw, grinding down on him to sap his energy further.
Every move Damon made was calculated, purposeful. This wasn't just about winning the fight, it was about making a statement.
Jake managed to bridge slightly, creating a sliver of space, but Damon immediately countered, flattening him back down with a sharp elbow to the ribs.
"He's shutting Jake down completely," Michael said. "This is not the fight anyone expected to see."
Jake wasn't going down without a fight.
Despite Damon's dominance, the seasoned grappler wasn't about to let his experience be completely negated.
With a surge of effort, Jake used his hips to create a sliver of space, managing to wriggle his arm free from Damon's pin.
He bridged again, twisting his torso in an attempt to escape.
Damon adjusted immediately, his movements precise.
He slid his weight up Jake's body, keeping him under control while maintaining dominance.
Jake, sensing an opportunity, wrapped his legs around Damon's torso in an attempt to pull him into guard.
"Jake's not done yet," Rick commented. "He's He's trying to regain control, even from his back."
Damon stayed calm, his focus laser-sharp. Jake's legs clamped tightly around him, but Damon postured up, delivering a series of short, powerful strikes to Jake's ribs.
The veteran grimaced, his breathing labored as Damon's strikes chipped away at his energy reserves.
Jake reached for Damon's arm, attempting to set up a triangle or an armbar, but Damon anticipated the move.
With lightning-fast reflexes, he pulled his arm free and shifted his weight, transitioning into half guard.
Jake gritted his teeth, his face etched with frustration.
Damon's pressure was unrelenting, his control suffocating.
But Jake wasn't done. With a sudden burst of strength, he tried to buck Damon off, twisting his hips violently to escape.
Damon rode the motion, using Jake's own momentum against him.
As Jake tried to twist away, Damon slid into mount, his knees pinning Jake's arms down.
"He's mounted him!" Rick shouted. "This is bad news for Jake Armansson!"
Jake thrashed beneath Damon, but the younger fighter's balance was impeccable. Damon rained down a couple of measured strikes, forcing Jake to cover up.Nôv(el)B\\jnn
Then, in a seamless motion, Damon shifted his weight again, snaking his arm around Jake's neck.
"He's going for it!" Michael exclaimed. "Damon Cross is setting up a submission!"
Damon locked in a tight head-and-arm choke, his bicep cutting off Jake's airway while his body weight pressed down on the veteran's chest.
Jake's legs flailed as he tried to bridge, his hands clawing at Damon's arms, but the choke was in deep.
Jake's face turned red, his breathing labored as he fought desperately to escape.
Damon tightened the hold, his expression calm and focused, his muscles straining as he poured every ounce of strength into the submission.
"This might be it!" Rick shouted. "Jake is in deep trouble here!"
Jake's movements slowed, his struggles growing weaker as the choke sapped his energy.
The referee moved closer, watching intently.
"Is he going to tap?" Michael said, his voice rising with excitement.
Jake's hand hovered in the air for a moment, trembling, but before he could tap, his body went limp.
"He's out!" Rick yelled. "Damon Cross just submitted Jake Armansson!"
The referee stepped in, pulling Damon off as the crowd erupted in cheers.
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Damon raised his hands, breathing heavily but triumphant.
Jake lay on the mat, the referee and medical staff quickly attending to him.
Damon stood, looking down at Jake for a moment before nodding respectfully.
The fight was over, and Damon had proven himself in spectacular fashion.