They moved towards one of the cages.
There were two cages, two boxing rings, and four rings in total.
Luckily, one of the octagon cages was empty, and they made their way towards it.
Damon noticed that Svetlana was missing, but he saw her coming back carrying a bunch of gear.
She had a big smile on her face.
Damon had never worn this type of gear before.
Svetlana handed each of them a pair of gloves, a mouthguard, and a headgear. "Here, take this," she said, her voice firm but friendly.
Damon took the gear and put it on, feeling a bit awkward.
The headgear was bulky, and the gloves felt heavy. He looked at Ash, who was putting on his gear with ease.
As they finished getting ready, they stepped into the cage.
The door closed behind them, and they faced each other.
The stare-down began, their eyes locked in a silent challenge.
Some of the athletes training nearby saw the intense stare-down and wandered over to watch.
A few of them leaned against the cage, their eyes fixed on Damon and Ash.
Ty and Ashley stood next to each other, their faces eager with excitement.
Svetlana stood on the other side of the cage, her eyes fixed on the two fighters.
She was holding a timer and a towel, ready to intervene if needed.
Damon felt his heart pounding in his chest. This was the first impression he had to put on a gold fight
Ash, on the other hand, looked confident, his eyes gleaming with a hint of arrogance.
And then, without warning, Svetlana shouted, "Let's go!" The timer started, and the spar began.
Damon and Ash circled each other, their eyes locked in a fierce stare-down.
The timer started, and Damon and Ash circled each other in the empty cage.
The soft music and the grunts of other working out sounded in the background.
Ash made the first move. He darted in with a quick jab, catching Damon off guard. Damon stumbled back slightly but quickly regained his balance.
He attempted a low kick, but Ash blocked it effortlessly and responded with a sharp right hook.
Damon's head snapped to the side from the impact.
He raised his guard, but Ash was relentless, moving in with rapid combinations of punches and kicks.
Each strike landed with precision, breaking through Damon's defenses.
Damon tried to land a roundhouse kick, but Ash anticipated the move, catching Damon's leg and sweeping him off his feet.
Damon crashed to the mat, feeling the jarring impact. Before he could get up, Ash was already pressing the advantage.
Ash used his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills to keep Damon grounded.
He moved quickly, maintaining control and landing a series of strikes while Damon struggled to escape.
Luckily, he was able to get to his feet.
Damon tried to use his Muay Thai clinch but found Ash easily avoiding it and continuing his assault.
Damon attempted to fight back, but each time he tried to land a shot, Ash's strikes were faster and more accurate.
Damon felt the protective gear, but it seemed to offer little relief from Ash's powerful punches and kicks.
Damon's movements grew slower, his strikes weaker.
He managed a weak jab, but Ash easily shrugged it off and landed a powerful uppercut. The force of the punch made Damon's legs buckle.
His vision darkened, and he tried to stay conscious, but the blows kept coming.
With a final batch of punches, Ash landed a decisive right cross that knocked Damon out cold. Damon collapsed to the mat, unmoving.
Svetlana quickly moved in, checking on Damon as he lay still.
Ashley, watching from outside the cage, looked worried and upset. "Ash, why did you punch that hard?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.
Ash shrugged, looking both relieved and guilty. "I was just trying to make a point," he said, sounding defensive.
Svetlana helped Damon to his feet, his face pale and his eyes closed.
The sparring match ended with Ash's clear dominance, leaving a tense atmosphere as the group reacted to the result.
Damon's eyes fluttered open, and his vision was blurry. He saw a faint light and a beautiful face hovering above him.
For a moment, he thought he was dreaming, and the face looked like an angel's.
But as his senses returned, he realized it was Svetlana's face, her eyes filled with concern.
Suddenly, he was jolted awake as cold water was poured on his face.
He sat up with a start, his heart racing. Svetlana was kneeling beside him, a towel in her hand.
Damon looked around, taking in his surroundings. He saw Ash standing nearby, looking guilty.
Damon didn't want to seem weak or complain about losing the spar.
He wanted to show that he could take a hit and bounce back.
So, he opened his mouth, trying to sound casual. "Damn, did I fight Ty?" he asked, his voice a bit shaky.
The group looked at him, not expecting him to be joking.
They thought he might have a concussion or be disoriented.
But as they saw the smile on his face, they smiled back, and chuckled.
Ty, who was standing nearby, laughed and said, "Nah, man, you fought Ash. And he rocked your world!"
Ash looked relieved, his guilt dissipating. "Yeah, sorry about that, Damon. I didn't mean to hit you that hard."
Damon waved his hand dismissively. "It's okay, I needed that. I've been getting too comfortable."
Svetlana helped Damon to his feet, her hand on his elbow. "Let's get you checked out, make sure you're okay," she said, her voice gentle.
Damon nodded, still feeling a bit dizzy. But as he stood up, he felt good with his new teammates.
As they walked out of the cage, Ashley patted Damon on the back. "Don't worry, we've all been there. Well, maybe not exactly there, but you know what I mean."
Damon smiled, feeling a sense of belonging. "Yeah, I think I do."
The group chuckled, and the tension was broken.